By Chris Wright

Henry Winter is many things; chief football writer over at the Daily Telegraph, regular presence on the Sunday Supplement, Britain’s preeminent pseud purveyor of the tortured introduction – and you now add ‘straight-up man of his word’ to that list.

Winter went on record that Newcastle and Mike Ashley would never make a long-term commitment to Alan Pardew when he was first appointed at St James’ Park. and that he would risk freezing his knackers off and swim across the Tyne if such a thing should ever come to pass.

Skip forward a year or two and BAM! Toon go and throw an eight-year deal at Pards. Sadly for Winter, commitment don’t come much more ‘long-term’ than that, with the man himself tweeting: “I honour my bets. I promised to swim the Tyne if Ashley showed long-term loyalty to Pardew. He has, fair play, so time for dip in Tyne…”

This from the BBC:

“Tony Greener, an experienced swimmer and organiser of the annual Tyne 10 Mile River Swim, accompanied him.

“The pair, wearing wet suits, set off from a pontoon at the base of the Tyne Bridge. It took them about five minutes to reach to HMS Calliope on the Gateshead bank.”

Winter also used the swim as a chance to raise a bit of money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. Good lad.

Apparently, Newcastle then dipped into their extensive (-ly naff) club merchandise range and sent Winter an official NUFC towel to dry himself off with as a goodwill gesture.

Well played all round!

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