IT’S not especially unusual for a Premier League manager to have his own nickname and terrace anthem. An assistant though? There aren’t many number twos that are showered with the same love and affection as their number one.

Eddie Howe might be the darling of the St James’ Park stands, but when he heads out to the technical area during this afternoon’s home game with Luton Town, the Magpies head coach will be sharing the spotlight with the perma-tanned man alongside him.

Jason ‘Mad Dog’ Tindall is part assistant boss, part Pitbull, part cult hero, part wind-up merchant. Adored by Newcastle’s supporters, as evidenced by the ‘Last Christmas’ reworking that was the soundtrack to Christmas on Tyneside, often derided by opposition managers, as highlighted by Unai Emery’s refusal of a handshake on the touchline at Villa Park on Tuesday night, which immediately sparked a flurry of internet memes. Whatever you think about the 46-year-old, who has been with Howe along every step of his managerial career, he is impossible to ignore.

“It’s not deliberate,” said Tindall, when asked whether he enjoyed being an irritant who gets under the skin of opposition bosses. “It’s just me. I won’t stop being me all of a sudden just because of what people say about me and what they tell me to do.

“If anyone thinks that’s going to stop me behaving like me, or stop me being my real self, then that’s not going to happen. Listen, I don’t mean to get under the skin of opposing managers or deliberately upset anyone, all I’m interested in doing is helping Newcastle United win football matches. Once kick-off is there, my only motivation and goal is to do everything in my power to help the team. If that upsets a few people along the way, then so be it.”

Tindall’s spell is such that the Premier League felt compelled to change its rules prior to the start of the season, allowing just one member of the coaching staff to be standing in the technical area at any one time. Not, however, that it appears to have had much of an impact on Howe’s right-hand man.

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“Was it brought in because of me? It probably was,” laughed Tindall. “But I always say I've never got any problems if any coaching staff want to go and stand up alongside their manager to help their team or talk. I've never got any problems with that for me and to us.

“I think you have to do it in a respectful way, and you have to be abide by the rules. I think we've done that well this year. Sometimes, I might get a little bit carried away, from time to time, but I always get dragged back into my place by the fourth official and that's fine. The rule is the rule, and you have to abide by it. I think it's been fine this year.”

Tindall was also ruffling feathers in the aftermath of Newcastle’s Wear-Tyne derby at Sunderland last month, when he was the instigator of the decision to stage the club’s now-customary post-match celebration picture on the pitch at the Stadium of Light. Was it a pre-planned attempt to further antagonise the Sunderland fans?

“We’ve always had a team photo whenever we win because it's incredibly difficult to win football matches,” he said. “When you look back on your career, you want something to look back on and remind you of good moments, and that's the reason we do it.

“You've got to enjoy the moment of winning because that's what we all want to do. We had so many Newcastle fans behind the goal for the Sunderland one, and the support the fans have given us since we’ve been here has been incredible. Sometimes, it's nice to share nice moments with the fans.”

Clearly, Tindall’s importance to Howe is huge. But having worked in his former team-mate’s shadow for so long, does the long-term assistant not feel compelled to strike out on his own?

“No, I’ve got no ambitions to be a manager,” he said. “I’ve always made it clear that I’m happy in my role, and me and Ed work well together. We’ve been a good team for so long, and that is how I want it to continue.”