Jonjo Shelvey has revealed that Newcastle United offered him a relegation release clause when he signed for the club in January 2015 — but he turned it down, determined to help the side fight their way back to the Premier League.

The former Liverpool midfielder arrived at St James' Park just days after an altercation with a Swansea City supporter during an FA Cup defeat to Oxford. Despite the turbulent circumstances surrounding his departure, Shelvey was clear-eyed about his commitment to Newcastle.

"The night before that Oxford game, I knew the deal had been done and I was going to Newcastle," Shelvey told FourFourTwo. "I drove up there and never looked back. I was so excited."

Turning down the escape route

Newcastle were struggling badly at the time. Steve McClaren had failed to stabilise the side, and even Rafa Benitez's unbeaten run at the end of the campaign proved insufficient to prevent relegation from the top flight.

Shelvey joined alongside Andros Townsend in that January window, and the club offered him a contractual safety net — a clause that would have allowed him to leave if Newcastle dropped down a division. He rejected it outright.

"Me and Andros Townsend joined in the January window, and they gave me the option to add a relegation clause in my contract so I could leave. But I didn't want that. I was there for the long haul. I'd always loved playing at St James' Park, so I was going there to stay. The club paid a lot of money for me, so I felt it was my responsibility to get them back in the Premier League."

Eight years on Tyneside

Shelvey's loyalty proved well-placed. He went on to make over 200 appearances for Newcastle United across eight years, helping them earn promotion from the Championship and re-establish themselves as a Premier League club.

"It was the right decision, and I really enjoyed my season in the Championship," he added. "I loved living in Newcastle and we settled there as a family."

For Shelvey, the choice to embrace the challenge rather than seek an exit represented a defining moment in his career — one that shaped his legacy on Tyneside.