NEWCASTLE fans’ favourite Cheik Tiote has revealed he snubbed Chelsea in January to remain at Newcastle.

The Ivory Coast international made it known recently he was a closet Blues fan because the team is full of players from his home country.

But the 24-year-old midfield destroyer ignored their overtures because he was happy to stay on Tyneside and signed a new six and a half year deal.

“If you come to a new club in a new country it is important there is a good atmosphere at the club,” said Tiote. “As soon as I arrived here the players made me feel welcome.

They helped me settle in and meant I could do a good job on the pitch.

“Newcastle life is good for me. It is not like London. London is too busy, there are too many people. Newcastle is not so busy. That makes it easier to focus on your job. For me it is important.

“I would like to be here for a few years. I can learn here. I feel settled here. I enjoy it here.

The fans are good and the new manager likes me. The club has looked after me and I do my best for the team and the fans.”

Tiote’s midfield partner Kevin Nolan has made it known he was not happy with Johan Elmander’s reaction following Ryan Taylor’s dismissal for a two-footed tackle.

“Ryan is an honest lad and it was an honest tackle,” said the United skipper. “ The boy (Elmander) has gone down like he’s been shot, which is not nice, because two minutes later he’s up and running around like a madman.

“That’s what we don’t like about it, but it’s two-footed and we’ve got no complaints. We know what Ryan is like though. He will never hurt, or try to hurt a fellow pro.”