The sound of thousands of Geordies singing his chant is still ringing in Mikel Merino's ears. In fact, the Spaniard's Real Sociedad's team-mates still joke with him about it.
' He comes from Spain and he's f------ class....'
If Newcastle fans thought Merino was class, well, he is the real deal now and to say the midfielder's move to Sociedad has worked out would be an understatement. Merino has become a fully-fledged Spain international; helped Los Txuri-Urdin win the club's first major trophy, the Copa del Rey, in nearly a quarter of a century; and sampled life in the Europa League for the first time in his career.
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However, although Merino knew he made the 'right' decision when he left Newcastle in 2018, the 25-year-old admitted it was a 'tough' call to depart after just a year at the club.
"I felt at home there and I'm not lying when I say that," Merino told ChronicleLive after modestly apologising for his flawless English. "I felt so welcome by the fans, by my team-mates, by the atmosphere. The city was amazing. I was enjoying just going to the city centre and having a pint or going for a walk and enjoying the people speaking nicely to you. I was feeling great.
"I look back on those times and it was a shame I could not play more games and enjoy the fans and the league a little bit more, but my mindset right now is it was a huge year for me. I learned a lot.
"I'm really sure I'm the player that I am now because of Newcastle and all the experiences that I lived there. I'm really happy that I lived that and I wish all the best for every Newcastle fan.
"The team right now are killing it so I'm really happy for them. Even now, when I watch the games and you see over 3,000 people travelling for an away game - it's crazy! You start to remember those times when you were playing away and you felt like you were playing at St James' Park.
"I still get goosebumps. It was a crazy year for me. I miss those days a little bit, but I'm really happy where I am right now."
It is easy to see why Merino is really happy. The Pamplona native has been able to come home to the Basque Country and be part of the 'family' of players from the region who proudly represent Sociedad, becoming one of the first names on the team sheet in the process.
Newcastle supporters got a glimpse of how Merino could influence games on his day, but the 25-year-old has become the brain of this Sociedad side. Merino was even named man of the match when Sociedad won the Copa del Rey in 2020 and it is not a coincidence that Los Txuri-Urdin suffered three straight defeats when the playmaker was injured earlier this season.
Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil has, naturally, been a big influence but Merino also learned a lot from the restless Rafa Benitez 'every day' at Newcastle. Merino was the first to admit that maybe he did not fully understand why Benitez was telling him to 'do this or do that' but looking back now, the midfielder acknowledged that his compatriot helped him 'to reach the level I am reaching right now'.
"I've grown a lot as a player," he said. "I'm more of a leader. The maturity that I have now - not only the experience that the minutes of the games give you but the years of experience that you have when you grow up and live different things - has given me a lot of confidence in myself.
"Right now, I feel like I'm a great player. I can help any team win any game. Back in the day, I used to think I had the quality and potential to become a great player. I never doubted myself in that aspect.
"Believing in my capabilities was always key for me and, with time and experience, I'm reaching a good level but this doesn't end here. I want to keep going like this, keep learning from my mistakes, keep improving and become an even better player."
Merino's progress won't have surprised anyone who played with him at Newcastle. Indeed, former team-mate Rob Elliot said the Spaniard had the potential to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona.
That comment was made in the middle of Merino's best run in the side, when he had started six of the opening seven games of the campaign, and the new arrival 'felt like a little kid exploring' as his loan move from Borussia Dortmund was quickly made permanent. However, Merino suffered an untimely back injury a few weeks later and, although the the midfielder was only sidelined for a month, it proved the 'worst' injury of his career.
Merino never looked quite the same player again that season and Jonjo Shelvey and Mohamed Diame went on to establish an effective partnership in the middle of the park before Sociedad activated Merino's release clause that summer. Shelvey, of course, is one of the few survivors from that era who is still a key player for the club but rather than seeing the former England international as a rival for his position, Merino instead learned so much from him.
"I was so amazed by his ability to play long passes, the way he would shoot from outside the box and everything about how he used to play because he's not a really fast or physical player, but he's so smart," Merino said.
"Jonjo can compete a lot so it was a good year and I learned a lot in training when I had to compete against him and give my all. He's a very aggressive player so it was a year where not only him but the whole team taught me how to be a tough man.
"The way I play is a little bit tougher because of those Premier League characteristics. You have to be a tough guy and give 100% for every ball because, if not, you're going to get hurt."
Merino has continued to keep an eye on Shelvey and Newcastle from afar and the Spaniard has certainly taken note of the signings the Magpies made in January, particularly Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes. Merino, of course, came up against Trippier during the right-back's spell at Atletico Madrid while the 25-year-old also faced Bruno in the men's Olympic football final last summer.
As far as Merino is concerned, Newcastle is a 'really good place to be' as the club's new owners target signings to 'help the team become a top club again'. So would Merino ever like to return to Tyneside when he has accomplished all he had set out to do at high-flying Sociedad? Merino laughed before gathering his thoughts.
"The Premier League was an amazing season," he added. "Newcastle was great for me. I have good memories but, right now, I'm focused on the present.
"I think it's the right thing to do because when you're focusing on your future and what you are going to do, you lose focus on your present. If you want your future to be bright, you have to give your best in the day to day.
"I'm only looking forward to help my team, to improve myself. I'm sure if I do that in the future, good things will come."
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