David Ginola gives explosive truth on Newcastle United exit and bitter clash with Kenny Dalglish

David Ginola has suggested that Kenny Dalglish pushed him out the door at Newcastle in a row over speaking to journalists.

The Frenchman, speaking in a new book being released for Christmas, has revealed some of the explosive arguments he had with the former Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers boss during their short time together at St James' Park. Dalglish is deemed the man who split up the Entertainers by selling Ginola, Lee Clark, Tino Asprilla and Peter Beardsley in 1997 although others argue he was building for the future when signing stars like Gary Speed, Shay Given, Andy Griffin and Nobby Solano, who all went on to have great careers on Tyneside.

Ginola's £2.5million sale in 1997 to Spurs sparked plenty of criticism for Dalglish at the time just weeks after the club had finished second to qualify for the Champions League for the first time. Ginola would go on to White Hart Lane and win PFA Player' Player of the Year in 1998/99.

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Taking up the tale of his exit in his new book, Ginola said: "I didn’t want to leave the club but when Kenny Dalglish took over from Kevin it was a shock and it just wasn’t the same anymore. I argued with Kenny and he didn’t play me much after that.

"He tried to get rid of all the foreign players Kevin signed. I was frustrated at the time and I said something in the newspapers that if things don’t change, I will have to leave. The following day we had a row. He told me I couldn’t go to the newspapers and say these things. I said, ‘You treat me like I’m having an affair with your wife.’

"He said, ‘How dare you talk to me like that.’ I said, ‘At least I’m talking. You never look at me or talk to me.’ He wasn’t the guy to take us to the top, as it was proved. He didn’t make the most of the players we had.

"Under Kevin, it was such a pleasure every day in training and every Saturday away and at St James’ Park, where the atmosphere was magnificent. I miss those days. One day, those happy days will return."

Ginola has also lifted the lid on Kevin Keegan's move to block Barcelona in 1996 after Sir Bobby Robson attempted a raid on St James' Park to win his signature after the Magpies' near title miss. Ginola said: "Barcelona tried to sign me in 1996 and Kevin told Sir Bobby Robson, ‘No!’ I was back in the South of France for my summer break in 1996 when I took a call from someone with a Geordie accent.

"He said, ‘Hello David, this is Bobby Robson, I want to sign you for Barcelona.’ I thought it was a joke at first. Bobby added that he was going to call Kevin and make an offer. Then I got a call from Kevin two hours later. He told me Barcelona had offered £7 million, which was a lot of money in 1996. Kevin told me he was going to refuse it. Barcelona then raised the offer to £12 million.

"Kevin came back to me and said, ‘I don’t want you to leave. You’re doing very well for us. The fans love you and if I let you go, they will kill me. So, you’re staying here."

The Entertainers 1992-1997 Kevin Keegan's Legacy by Will Scott is available in all BACK PAGE Shops in the North East and online at Amazon or www.newcastlelegends.com