I “made a mistake” when I signed with Newcastle United. I really wanted to play for Arsenal or Leeds United instead.

A player named Kieron Dyer talked about how he moved from Ipswich Town to Newcastle United in 1999.

Dyer was one of the most sought-after young football players in England after making a big name for himself with Ipswich in the First Division and for England as a youth player. But after Ipswich failed to get into the Premier League through the play-offs, many other teams tried to sign him.

Arsenal, Leeds United, and West Ham United were all interested in Dyer, but Newcastle’s £6.5 million offer beat them all. The 20-year-old felt he didn’t have much of a say in the move, though.

He told Open Goal, “Newcastle wasn’t my first choice; it was just the higher bid.” “It cost £6.5 million.”

“If I knew then what I know now and that all the managers I’ve talked to saw me as a right back, Harry Redknapp saw me as a right wing-back when West Ham United played three at the back, Ruud Gullit saw me as a midfielder at Newcastle, and David O’Leary saw me as a midfielder at Leeds,” he said.

Leeds and Arsenal both bid £5 million, I know. Later, I was called into manager George Burley’s office, where he told me, “We’ve accepted a bid from Newcastle. Go to Stanstead Airport and fly up for your medical.” There is no time for you to think about it.

“Easy for me as soon as my agent tells me the deal.” No offense meant to Newcastle; I had a great time there; we played in the Champions League, and the fans are amazing; but if I had thought about it at the time, I would have waited to see if Leeds and Arsenal raised their bids because Arsenal would have been my dream team.

Despite having a lot of injury problems, Dyer had a pretty good time at Newcastle. After playing 250 games for the team and hitting 38 goals, he was named to the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for 2002–03.

Gullit told Dyer, “You are the only English player I’ve signed. You know why I don’t sign English players? They drink too much beer,” which made Dyer think Gullit might not have been telling the truth when he signed him. I know you don’t drink, though.

“I’m back from Ayia Napa, what the heck! But I was thinking, “I don’t know who did your homework!” Because English players drank, he didn’t sign them, so I got away with it!”

The first player Gullit brought to Newcastle was Duncan Ferguson, a Scottish striker who had been with Everton. Ferguson is no longer drinking, but he did say that he had a drinking problem when he was playing football.

Gullit also brought in Didier Domi, Alain Goma, Alain Saha (on loan), Marcelino, Franck Dumas, and Dyer, who was the second-to-last player he brought in before goalie John Karelse. After only five Premier League games, he was fired from his job at Newcastle and replaced by Sir Bobby Robson.