Former Manchester United and Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster insists there's no hard feelings towards Newcastle United despite turning down a move to the club last week. The Magpies were in the market for a back-up keeper after Karl Darlow was injured in training, with Foster on their list of potential replacements.
Foster revealed he would find it tough to move away from his family at 39-years-old with his children in school in the Midlands. The goalkeeper admits that there was a good deal on the table from the Magpies but he's instead chosen to hang up his gloves after trusting his gut feeling.
Speaking to the Fozcast, Foster said: "The time has finally come to announce my retirement. I have however got a belting story for you and it will explain the reasons for why I know it's time to hang the gloves up and enter into retirement.
READ MORE: Todd Boehly briefly talks $900m investment with PIF that strengthens Newcastle and Chelsea link
"I'm going to take you back to last Tuesday, just over a week ago. I'm sat at home just having a nice time. We do all our media stuff, our podcast, the phone rings and it's a guy who I know who is an agent. His name is Richard Lee and he works as a super goalkeeper agent and he used to be my number two at Watford.
"I know him really well and he's a top lad. Anyway, my phone rings and it's Richard Lee - football agent - this is interesting. He's like 'Fozzy, listen I know a team that wants to sign you. I've spoken to somebody already today and it is good to go. They want to sign you, we just need to nail down terms, nail down wages all that kind of stuff. Newcastle United.'
"Newcastle United, basically the richest team in world football right now. Karl Darlow, that day or the day before in training, had gone down with an injury, he's done his ankle in a really bad way. I'm talking a three or four month, so they need a back up goalie asap.
"I'm still a free agent and the transfer window is closed. Because I'm a free agent I can still go and sign, that's not a problem.
"He's like 'What do you think?' I was like 'Wow.' Just for a bit of context I live in the Midlands, to get to Newcastle by car is four hours, it's a bit of a trek it's not the one you can commute to every day. Baring in mind I live in the Midlands and have lived in the Midlands for the last ten years since I left Man United.
"I moved back down here, signed for Birmingham and then spent the best part of nine years at West Brom. Even when I was at Watford I was driving back and forth every day. I'm established in the Midlands, the kids go to school, it works.
"It works perfectly, we've got the family unit and all that sort of stuff. This offer comes in from Newcastle and genuinely I've gone 'Oh my gosh, this is massive.' To be able to sign for a club that you know is going to be winning Premier League's in the next three or four years, it's as simple as that, they'll be up there challenging.
"To be one of the guys that's been there from the ground level, the get go and see how it builds. It was so interesting to me. So interesting to the point, I'm talking to Richard Lee and I go 'I want this amount of money.'
"The amount of money I asked for, I kind of didn't want to do it just because of the upheaval, but I thought if they're going to pay me a really good wage it's something I've got to respect it. If they're willing to pay you that a mount of money you've got to expect it, it's as simple was that.
"So I said a weekly wage that I wanted. Richard Lee said 'I'll go back to Newcastle and I'll talk to them and we'll go from there'."
"That's exactly what I thought," Foster said when asked if he thought the club would say no. "Honestly, deep down, that's what I wanted them to say. When I heard about Newcastle, it was a nice feeling to feel wanted, because since the end of last season, we had a few offers but none of them were real Premier League concrete offers.
"To get this offer in the first place, it was a nice feeling to feel wanted still. I've asked for this amount of money and he's come back an hour later and he's gone 'Right, they're not going to offer you that money, they're just not willing to do it.'
"I was like 'That's cool, I'll be dead honest with you mate, if they're not willing to pay that amount of money, I'm not going to do it.' Because of the upheaval and being away from the family, it's not like I can travel back and forth. I'll have to live up there by myself for four or five days a week.
"You've got to bare in mind I'm 39-years-old. If I'm in my twenties, it's a no-brainer. You're doing it and having a lovely time. I'm 39-years-old and with everything else I've got going on at the moment, we're doing podcasts, we're putting out a lot of content.
"Even when the news broke that I could have signed for Newcastle, I see so many comments saying 'He'd just rather do his YouTube stuff.' It's not about doing the YouTube stuff, it's a genuine legitimate interest of mine, like the podcast, it's media. I enjoy doing it, I really do and long may it continue."
"Anyway he's gone 'They're not willing to do it.' I've gone 'It's fine, I'm so happy to walk away. I'm not taking the mick, if they're not willing to match it for me then I'm not going to do it.
"No hard feelings. Genuinely no hard feelings. I've spoken about Newcastle so many times and said 'What a football club'. Genuinely, what a football club.
"The atmosphere at St James' Park, the fans, they are incredible. I was with Rob Elliot all of last year and the good things he said about Newcastle were just ridiculous. He said 'Honestly Fozzy it's like a different world up there. Once you're up there and you're in it, they're the best fans in the world. You'll go for dinner and people are so respectful, it's one of the best clubs you can be at'.
"I've said to Richard Lee that I'm happy to walk away and say thank you to them. No hard feelings it's cool. He said we'd just have to walk away because we'll never get there. Which was fine. Not a problem.
"Another hour late the phone rings and it's Richard Lee again. They've come back with another offer and he's like 'Fozzy, we're getting closer and I think they might do it'. As soon as he said that, I had this sinking feeling inside of me, because deep down, I didn't want to do it.
"This sounds mad, this is such a hard thing to explain because I know millions of people up and down the country, worldwide whatever, 'You've been offered a contract off the richest team in the world, to go and be second choice goalkeeper and be part of something.'
"But I just didn't want to do it. The wrench of it was I'd have to move away from home and that would kill me. If I'm in an apartment in Newcastle away from my family by myself, I don't think people can understand, that's really hard to do.
"Especially at the age I am and everything I've got going on. It would be incredible [to work with Nick Pope], Popey is the man. I love Nick Pope, their goalie coach is a top man, they've got a British core of players, the gaffer, I know for a fact if I'd have gone there I would have had an amazing time.
"The lads would have been brilliant and I would have buzzed off the stadium, the fans, all that kind of stuff. The overriding sinking feeling was I don't want to do this. That gut feeling, you know when people say you have to go with your gut feeling and I had this feeling deep down, I just don't want to do it."
"They could meet the demands I want with a contract until the end of the season, really nice contract, they want me to do the medical tomorrow. I was waiting for another call to say they had done it and agreed to everything.
"Another half an hour passes, Richard Lee said they'd done it and agreed the contract. 'They've just sent it through and they want you up there tonight. They've already booked you the hotel.'
"I went 'Oh my gosh.' Richard Lee is buzzing because even he was like 'I can't believe it, honestly this is amazing.' I'm sat on the other end saying 'Give me half an hour.' This is the point where I'm like 'Oh wow.'
"Kate [his partner] was like 'It's completely up to you, we can make it work. You'll have to move up there but the kids are in school and we can't pull the kids out of school, so we'll stay here. You go up there and when we get days off we'll make it work as much as we can.'
"So it was very much up in the air and it was my decision."
You can listen to the full podcast here.
READ NEXT
Newcastle have new transfer dream after signing only took minutes to decide and left at 4.30am
Newcastle owners have an even better manager after his 'painful' failure
Eddie Howe and Graeme Jones' phone calls as Newcastle spoke to three or four transfer targets
Liverpool supporters have given Newcastle more fuel as Alexander Isak offers brilliant response
PSG president makes 'dream' vow that is good news for Newcastle owners' exciting long-term plan
