Newcastle United favourite Demba Ba has admitted he is dreaming of a return to the club, just to watch them from the stands.
Ba remains a firm fan favourite at St James Park after scoring 29 goals in 54 Premier League games for the club over an explosive 18-month spell.
He arrived at Newcastle on a free transfer from West Ham in June 2011 and hit the ground running, netting two hattricks early in the season and against Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City.
He went from strength to strength from that point. The striker ended the season as Newcastle’s top scorer with 16 goals as Alan Pardew’s side finished fifth in the table. He was also voted as the signing of the season by the Premier League’s managers.
Newcastle United heroes
The Senegal striker also formed a deadly partnership with Papiss Cissé when he arrived at Newcastle in January 2012. They became a striker pairing that is still fondly remembered to this day.
Another devastating season followed in 2012-13 as he netted 13 goals in 20 Premier League games before Christmas. That run included scoring Newcastle’s 1000th goal in the Premier League. It also led to a £7m move to Chelsea.
He went on to score 13 goals in 51 games for the Blues, before spells at Besiktas, SH Shenhua, Basaksehir and Lugano.
Retirement came in 2021 and he’s since moved into management. But Newcastle have remained in his heart. He’s often stated it was the best period of his career.
| Season | Appearances — all competitions | Goals — all competitions | Premier League appearances | Premier League goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011/12 | 36 | 16 | 34 | 16 |
| 2012/13 | 22 | 13 | 20 | 13 |
| Total | 58 | 29 | 54 | 29 |
| Includes substitute appearances. The 2012/13 figures cover Newcastle United only, before his January 2013 move to Chelsea. |
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Demba Ba’s future plans
Now he’s the sporting director of French club Le Havre. He was appointed as director of football in June of this year.
He’s hoping to be there long-term, but should it end at one point, he has a dream he intends to try and fulfil – returning to Newcastle.
“It’s difficult,” he said when asked by So Foot if he can keep his ‘childlike’ love for football as a DoF.
“When I watch a match, I always tell myself I want to learn something. I always need logic and coherence when discussing football.
“That said, when the Le Havre project eventually comes to an end, I might well do nothing for a while. Step away from the micromanagement to simply focus on my academy in Senegal and travel.
“I have a desire to meet more people, exchange ideas, and watch matches just for the pleasure of it. For instance, I’ve never been able to go see a game at St James’ Park since leaving Newcastle, even though it’s something I dream of doing. One day, I hope to.”
