Former Newcastle United striker Demba Ba has offered a heartfelt message to ex-Toon defender Steven Taylor on social media.
The club are continuing to try and deal with the suspension in play due to the coronavirus pandemic by engaging with fans on Twitter, and acknowledged one supporter’s call to see Taylor’s brilliant work distracting Asmir Begovic when Stoke City visited St. James’ Park in 2013.
Taylor spent the best part of a minute doing all he could to get in the Bosnia-Herzegovina ‘keeper’s head as he prepared to face a Yohan Cabaye free-kick from the edge of the box, whether that be dancing, mimicking or just generally getting in the way.
The former England U21 international’s mind games worked, though, as Cabaye unleashed a pearl of a free-kick to drill the ball into the top corner of the Potters’ net.
Papiss Cisse would later strike home in stoppage-time to seal the win for the Magpies, marking Alan Pardew’s third-straight league victory at St. James’ Park.
Ba had already left the North East following a move to Chelsea when Taylor did all he could to distract Begovic, but the two clearly shared a good relationship.
😂🤣 Steven… I miss you crazy https://t.co/sCvh4DHHUB
— Demba Ba (@dembabafoot) March 19, 2020
Seven years on, Ba has taken to Twitter to voice that he still misses the Toon product, who is still playing professionally in the Australian A-League with Wellington Phoenix for whom he is their captain.
Taylor joined Wellington Phoenix from Peterborough in 2018, following spells with Portland Timbers and Ipswich Town.
Ba, meanwhile, headed for Turkey following his time with Chelsea and is currently plying his trade for Istanbul Basaksehir FK, who sit behind Super Lig leaders Trabzonspor purely on goal difference.
In other Newcastle United news, the club have been backed to reject the chance to sign a €10m man this summer.