Not many players can be wished well by both sets of supporters after a game, but Dan Burn may have proved the exception following Newcastle United's 2-1 win against former club Brighton at St James' Park. Just a few hours after jumping into the crowd and hugging family friends in the East Stand, where he once had a season ticket, Burn spent time with a group of Brighton fans in a city centre bar.
"Post photo he chatted to us for longer than he needed to," Brighton fan Charlie Gresty tweeted. "Said he was sad to leave us but the situation was right for everyone. Later we tried to buy him a drink but he politely said no. What a guy." If ever an anecdote summed up Burn.
Eddie Howe was wary of bringing in characters who would disrupt the dressing room last January and instead wanted individuals who would enhance the group. Burn has certainly done just that. Indeed, after Saturday's game, Howe revealed that 'leadership was one of the big things that stuck out' when the Newcastle head coach secretly spoke to those who had previously worked with the 'giant'.
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Newcastle may have set out to sign Sven Botman from Lille in January, but the French side's refusal to sell provided Newcastle with a worthy £13m alternative. As well as knowing what it means to play for the club, after being released by Newcastle as a youngster nearly two decades ago, Burn has led by example at the training ground.
You only have to look at Newcastle and Brighton's respective records in recent weeks to realise the Geordie's true value. Since Burn made his Newcastle debut, against Aston Villa, the Magpies have conceded just two goals and claimed 10 points from a possible 12. Brighton, in contrast, have let in nine goals in the Premier League and not picked up a single point.
As well as being a vocal presence throughout, at a time when the influential Kieran Trippier is sidelined, the composed Burn made 10 clearances, 10 recoveries and three interceptions against Brighton and also won six aerial duels. Burn is typically used to having more touches of the ball but, in a game where the Seagulls dominated possession, the centre-back stood up to a rigorous defensive test and the visitors were limited to just four shots on target.
Burn was coming up against his former club, which can sometimes be a strange experience for players the first time around, but no one was more committed in a black-and-white shirt. Perhaps, that should not come as a surprise. Wherever Burn has been, the 29-year-old has always giving his all to the club he represents - even when on loan.
When Burn ruptured ankle ligaments just a few weeks before the play-offs, in 2013, for example, the on-loan Yeovil City defender returned to action three weeks ahead of schedule after spending countless hours in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
Yeovil went on to win promotion to the Championship for the first time in the club's history - Burn even scored in the final win against Brentford - but the centre-back quickly put those feelings to one side when he joined second-tier rivals Birmingham City on loan from Fulham the following season. Never was that more apparent than when the sides met each other in the League Cup second round.
With seconds of the tie remaining at Huish Park, and Birmingham 2-1 up, Blues' goalkeeper Colin Doyle kicked the ball out of play so the injured Burn could receive treatment. Birmingham expected Yeovil to give the ball back from the resulting throw-in, but defender Byron Webster instead lobbed Doyle to take the game to extra-time and leave the visitors understandably incensed.
The incident sparked ugly scenes between both sets of players and both benches. Gary Johnson, Yeovil's boss at the time, even recalled how Burn 'snarled' at him.
"I thought Danny Burn was coming over to thank me for starting his career but, actually, he was telling me that wasn't very nice - with a few more expletives in there," Johnson told ChronicleLive. "I'd like to say we were nose to nose, but I was looking at his kneecap."
That's just the sort of character Howe wanted.
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