Revealed: Jack Colback's extraordinary three-hour commute to training at Newcastle United

Former Sunderland midfielder Jack Colback has been commuting to Newcastle United this season – from Nottingham.
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The midfielder was frozen out by then-manager Rafa Benitez in the summer of 2017, and Colback has since had two loan spells at Nottingham Forest.

Colback and his family moved to Nottingham, and Newcastle team-mate Jonjo Shelvey has revealed that the 30-year-old – who suffered a season-ending knee injury in January – was travelling up to the North East from the city every day earlier this season.

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The journey from Nottingham to Newcastle takes three hours by train.

Shelvey told In The Box: “He comes in, and he's probably near enough the best trainer. Knowing that you're not going to play is so hard.

"When he went to Forest, his missus and kids moved to Forest, so he gets a train to Newcastle every morning from Nottingham, and that's dedication, because he could just sack it off and say 'no, I'm not doing that', and I don't think the club are that bothered about him turning up for training.

"He still comes in and puts it in every day, and I think hats off to him.”

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Colback, out of contract this summer, was left out of Newcastle's 25-man Premier League squad last August after being brought in from the cold by new head coach Steve Bruce for the Premier League Asia Trophy games in China.

Jack Colback.Jack Colback.
Jack Colback.

Speaking after his first game for the club in two years last summer, Colback said: “It’s a bit unexpected, but that’s football sometimes.

“Obviously, I knew I had a year left, but I wasn’t expecting to come back and be involved. Things can change. All I’ve got to do is apply myself and work hard for the team when selected.

“If I’ve got a realistic chance to play, then of course (I want to stay). I loved my time here when I was playing. It’s a great place to play, St James’s.

“I always gave 100% for the shirt. I’ll continue to do that, if selected.”

United signed Colback as a free agent after his Sunderland contract expired in the summer of 2014.