JONAS GUTIERREZ is recalling the pranks that are making the Newcastle dressing room a harsh place to survive.... but a happy place to play football again.
For example, expensive suits have mysteriously taken a dip in the bath. His own shoes were packed with tape so they didn't fit, much to the amusement of his team-mates.
Stuttgart uniformDaft antics that are the preserve of naughty schoolboys and dressing room jokers up and down the land.
"At last everyone is smiling," said Gutierrez, one of the first three names on Argentina's teamsheet according to manager Diego Maradona.
The 26-year-old winger is glad he stuck it out through the dark days of his debut season on Tyneside which included four managers, hope, despair, and ultimately relegation. It would have been easy to quit. Some did.
"The first thing that goes through your mind when you get relegated is you want to get the club back. You do not want to be a quitter.
"You can see we have lots of jokes and pranks. Steven Taylor and Ryan Taylor are the worst. They do their worst in the dressing room! It is funny. Clothes in water? You think, 'Oh no.' Then you have to wonder about driving home in your underpants! Replica Suhali leather Handbags It is good, and funny, good for the mood.
"If they do something to me, I get revenge. Last time they filled my shoes with tape. I couldn't get my feet in and they were watching me struggle.
"I didn't know what was wrong with my shoes and then you think, 'Okay Taylor, it is okay, but I will get revenge.' It helps when you can all laugh together. I think all the players think we have a good spirit, watching and fighting for the same thing."
It is a far cry from last season when instability and fear stalked the club and the city. The loyalty and love of the Geordie fans was tested to the full.
Gutierrez, who will play against Watford today, added: "We trying to rebuild the fans' faith in the club even though 44,000 still turn up to home games which is amazing.
"There was far too much change. For a few months the owner wanted to sell, so it was difficult for the owner, the fans and the players. It was unsettling," he added.
embroidered patches
"Four managers is not normal! For the players it made it hard. That was a lot to cope with.
"Now we are together again - you can see that."
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