Matt Ritchie: "I fell in love with the club as everyone does" | OneFootball

The 36-year-old called time on a professional playing career spanning 18 years, eight of which were spent at St. James' Park, as he becomes AFC Bournemouth's new Technical Director.

The Magpies fan favourite looked back fondly on his Tyneside tenure, which saw Newcastle win the 2016/17 Championship title, pipping Brighton & Hove Albion by a single point on a dramatic final day, as well as qualifying for the UEFA Champions League in his penultimate season at the club.

Ritchie told newcastleunited.com: "It had everything! I joined the club in the Championship and the task that season was to get promoted back to the Premier League where the club belonged.

"I feel really proud to have been part of that group. The pressure was on and we rose to it against strong competition.

"That pressure then changes and your focus turns to sustaining Premier League status which is not an easy task. You see how difficult it is.

"It's certainly not a given and although we took a while to get going in our first season back, we picked up and performed really well to finish tenth. Year-on-year, the team and club has continued to grow.

"Throughout those eight years, we saw a bit of everything. The club was one that had room for growth, with so much potential, and it was my pleasure to play a part in the trajectory during the eight years I was there. It was a collective effort from everyone on and off the pitch.

"I have great appreciation for the people that supported me, the team and gave us the opportunity to perform. The owners, Mike for signing me and giving me the opportunity to play for Newcastle United.

"I have to thank Amanda and Mehrdad for the effort they made to acquire the club and take it to another level. To be a part of that was special.

"The managers, coaches and backroom staff at the club made every day so enjoyable! The relationships we built all played a huge part in my time at the club. I'll have wonderful memories that I'll always cherish from my time."

Joining Newcastle in the summer of 2016 after the club suffered relegation to the Championship, Ritchie played a pivotal role in securing United's immediate return to the English top-flight, recording 12 goals and eight assists.

Ritchie, who had experienced his first full season of English top-flight football the season prior with Bournemouth, revealed a key factor towards Newcastle's 2017/18 season, which resulted in an impressive top-half finish despite sitting around the division's bottom three.

"That first season back in the Premier League was so important," Ritchie added. "It's where the club belongs and we were responsible for that to remain the case.

"Externally, we were doubted but I believe we used that as fuel. It helped the group to create a siege mentality and go on to achieve what we did.

"It was integral as it built a lot of belief within the group moving forward."

A decade has passed since Ritchie put pen to paper on signing a five-year contract with the Magpies, a move influenced by former head coach Rafael Benítez.

An ardent admirer of Eddie Howe's coaching philosophies whilst playing at Bournemouth, which involved two promotions as well as winning the Championship title in the space of three seasons, Ritchie believed Benítez's different managerial approach helped to "change my outlook and perception of football completely".

He added: "The Gaffer (Eddie Howe) had such an influence on my career and a lot of my footballing beliefs and principles were those I learnt under his leadership at Bournemouth.

"I was then so fortunate to see another top manager find a way to win with completely different methods. I gained so much knowledge but, more importantly, made me even more curious to understand the different styles and ways to achieve success. I was still only 25 years old and this helped me a lot moving forward.

"To play for Newcastle United in front of the fans at St. James' Park was something that I really wanted to do, feeling that pressure and the noise of the Gallowgate."

It may be two years since Ritchie departed but Newcastle United still holds a strong place in his heart.

A strong affinity with the United supporters clearly remains as he expressed his delight to witness the Magpies end a 70-year wait for a piece of domestic silverware last year following a historic 2-1 win against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

"It still gives me goosebumps speaking about it," he says with a bright grin across his face. "The fanbase is the heartbeat of the football club.

"As a Newcastle United player, you have to serve the supporters. You have to give them what they want to see. The players and staff, in recent times, have done that in abundance.

"I have an amazing connection with the fans and a one I'm really grateful for. They made me feel so welcome. They seem to love that I ran about and played with lots of passion. That always encouraged me to continue in that manner. It required no talent, just application.

"I was pleased, for so many different reasons, that they won the trophy. I was so happy for my former teammates, the gaffer and the coaching staff.

"It was a clear intention set by the gaffer once we had achieved staying up the previous season and even though we missed out against Man United at the first time of trying, the lads made no mistake against Liverpool!

"You also had the staff behind-the-scenes who had felt it through the more testing times such as Graeme Jones, who came to the club when we were facing a difficult period, and there's no man who loves Newcastle United more than Graeme!

"I spoke to the kitman, Thommo [Ray Thompson] a few days after the final, asking how he was, and he said his face was sore after smiling from ear-to-ear for days!

"He is a real unsung hero and one of many special people behind the scenes that I was so happy for.

"The joy on the faces of the Geordies that day made me happy inside as they were able to share that moment they'd all longed for.

"Of course, the club has now made huge progress, with the ambition to do it again, but to win the first one after such a long time meant so much to so many."

Ritchie, who won four league titles with four different EFL clubs, now embarks on a new challenge in football at Bournemouth, replacing former Cherries teammate Simon Francis as the club's new Technical Director.

Working closely with Tiago Pinto, Bournemouth's Sporting Director, Ritchie is hopeful of benefitting from his experiences with Newcastle during the 2023/24 season as the Cherries look set to compete on the European stage for the first time in their 127-year history.

"It's an exciting time at the club and it's a privilege to be back. We are relishing the challenge ahead. Everyone at the club is working together to continue the success.

"My hope is that I can add value. I have learnt a lot from the experiences I was fortunate enough to have in my time with Newcastle, particularly during that first season back in the Champions League and the challenges we had to overcome on and off the pitch.

"Making the decision to retire was made easy and it's something I'm very grateful to Tiago, Bill [Foley] and Ryan [Caswell] for their belief in me.

"When I left Newcastle, my ambition was to play for Portsmouth. I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to do that. It was a boyhood dream come true and I loved my time there.

"All good things come to an end eventually but I felt I achieved everything I could have ever dreamt of and more."

Ritchie is hopeful of returning to St. James' Park in September when Newcastle host the Cherries, albeit wearing a black and red scarf as opposed to donning a magic hat.

Despite living hundreds of miles away from the North east, Ritchie is still approached by Newcastle supporters and is often surprised of the reach the football club has despite working on the South coast.

"There's been a couple of occasions where I've been in Lymington, a seaside town on the south coast, over the last two years and I've come to realise it's a hot spot for Newcastle fans," he explained.

"I've had people come up to me and say 'I used to watch you' and it's a young teenager who might explain that their grandad was a Newcastle fan who took them to their first game and they fell in love. I know the feeling. I fell in love with the club as everyone does.

"In Newcastle, I'd go to restaurants, walk along the Quayside or go to the beach and it became a home from home. It was so sad to leave. It will forever be a place where I have amazing memories."