Newcastle defender Isaac Hayden claims his favourite film helped create connection with Magpies; and claims Arsenal wanted to keep him

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The centre-back switched the Premier League for the Championship this summer.

Newcastle United’s Isaac Hayden

Isaac Hayden has told the Shields Gazette that he feels that he has had some sort of connection with Newcastle United since watching the film Goal! as a child.

Much of the first film in the trilogy takes place around the city as a youngster, Santiago Munez, previously playing on the streets in the USA is given a chance with the club, with one of the final scenes showing Munez sending the capacity crowd at St James’ Park into a frenzy by scoring a stoppage-time free-kick that takes the club into the Champions League.

And Hayden – who joined the Magpies in the summer – explained how watching what became his favourite movie helped him develop an incredibly positive impression of the side he now plays for.

“I used to get goosebumps watching that film with a big crowd and amazing atmosphere inside the ground,” he told the Shields Gazette.

“Everything about it really, the fans were so passionate, the stadium looked incredible, even the black and white stripes.”

The 21-year-old switched Arsenal for Rafael Benitez’s side during this window, and despite failing to make a Premier League appearance for the Gunners before his departure, he claimed that he was still wanted at the Emirates but decided it was the right time to move, and the right place to move to.

“Arsene Wenger wanted to keep me, but I knew the time was right to move on and I knew this was the club for me,” he added.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wanted to keep Hayden

“It ticked all the right boxes, the fans, the manager, the infrastructure, the players already here and, of course, the film.”

Although the Magpies had endured a poor start – having lost their opening two games – they responded in a wonderful manner in midweek, thrashing Reading 4-1, with Hayden playing a key role in the victory, scoring the first and setting up the fourth.

And if he can keep putting in the kind of performances that take Benitez’s men into the promotion picture, it may not be too long before he is inspiring the club’s young fans in the same way that he was inspired watching his favourite film growing up.