Dan Langley had walked through the gates of Newcastle United's training ground on hundreds of occasions, but this time felt different. The goalkeeper knew he would not be coming back.
"I turned and looked at the badge," he told ChronicleLive. "I wouldn't say I was sad. It was more, 'I've done this for six years. I'm proud of what I have done here. This might be the last time that I'm coming out of these gates, but it's not going to be the last time that I'm playing football.'
"Ever since I remember, it's been Newcastle for me. To have the chance to do what everyone in this area wants to do, I'm honoured to have been able to have done it. Those memories will be with me for the rest of my life."
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Understandably so. To think, following years of rejection, Langley was close to giving up on his dream of becoming a professional footballer back in 2017. However, Langley soon had to inform St. Benet-Biscop Catholic Academy that he would not be returning for the start of sixth form after the Geordie was offered a scholarship at Newcastle.
Langley went on to earn his first professional contract, trained regularly with the first team and even had a stint as Newcastle's interim number one. More on that later.
No wonder Langley left the club with his head held high after the 22-year-old was informed that he would be released by Adam Bartlett, the club's head of goalkeeping. Bartlett had been on the other side of the table, himself, in 2005, and the former shot-stopper bounced back from being released by Newcastle to go on and carve out a career in the game. That is what Bartlett now wants for Langley and the pair were 'both on the same page' about the academy graduate's need to go out and play first-team football following loan spells at Gateshead and Spennymoor Town last season.
Langley admitted he 'couldn't be more complimentary' about how Newcastle handled his release and, also, the aftercare the club have provided. Nick Pope, Elliot Anderson and Mark Gillespie are among those who have been in touch while Eddie Howe has also spoken to the 22-year-old.
"He just wished me well on the journey and thanked me for everything I did," he said. "He really did not have to go out of the way to speak to a player that's leaving, but he was class with me.
"When I was on loan at Gateshead, I would come back in and train a few days with Newcastle as well. He would just sit there and talk me through how it's going, what I think I needed to improve from the game I played, what I think I'm doing well.
"He's got a class about him. It was really refreshing for me to see I was not forgotten about even though I was away on loan. When I came back in, the gaffer still had time to speak to me and see how I was doing."
Langley was also liked by Howe's predecessor, Steve Bruce, who ensured the 6ft 7in goalkeeper 'didn't feel like an outsider' when he first trained with the senior squad. Bruce also reassured Langley that he was 'good enough' when a COVID breakout led to the youngster being named on the bench for a Premier League game against West Brom in 2020.
Less than 18 months later, Langley found himself starting the club's first pre-season friendly of the summer against York City after Martin Dubravka suffered an injury, Karl Darlow tested positive for COVID and fellow goalkeepers Freddie Woodman and Mark Gillespie were forced to self-isolate as close contacts. Yet Langley's stint as temporary first-choice did not end there. The former season ticket holder also played a full 90 minutes against Doncaster Rovers just a few days later, too.
Even the most ardent Newcastle fan may struggle to recall the scoreline at the Keepmoat Stadium - 3-2 as it goes - yet it was a night Langley will never forget.
"I remember going into the ground a couple of hours beforehand and my mates were texting me videos of them on the bus going down to the game," he said. "I was thinking, 'I'm playing in a game they're coming to watch'. It was a bit of a mad feeling. What I dreamed of doing was becoming a reality."
No one was prouder that night than Langley's grandfather, Dave Crane, who, remarkably, was also a goalkeeper at Newcastle's academy in his day. It was Crane who bought Langley a Newcastle shirt with DAN 1 on the back for his first birthday. The rest was history.
Crane also had to leave Newcastle behind, telling his grandson it's 'part of the journey', and it is hard to think of another shot-stopper with a close relative who knows exactly what they are going through. Forget Ederson, Thibaut Courtois or Manuel Neuer - it is Langley's grandfather who has been his biggest influence.
"My grandad got me into being a goalkeeper in a way," he said. "I used to be in the garden taking shots at him when he was 55 and I was about seven. I was always confused about how I couldn't score past him!
"My grandad is my biggest idol in terms of looking up to someone. He could do it and he was telling me I had everything to do it so that really kick-started it for me. To be able to go to Newcastle, like he was, and make a couple of first-team appearances, albeit not in competitive games, will live with me forever. He will treasure that as well."
Crane will be among those watching on as Langley embarks on a 'new chapter'. There has already been interest from clubs in the Football League, the Scottish Championship and the NIFL Premiership and Langley is 'excited' about what is to come, having readily admitted that men's football is like a 'different sport'.
Wherever Langley ends up, the first result he will be checking will be Newcastle's and the goalkeeper has vowed to 'drive down and drive straight back' to watch his boyhood club play in the Champions League at St James' Park next season. Even if Langley will be there as a fan rather than as part of the first-team squad like he once was in a previous era.
"I would rather see Newcastle do ridiculously well and challenge for trophies and not be a part of it than stay part of it and the club be more mediocre," he added. "It's just embedded from my grandad into me with him being such a Newcastle fan. It's in your blood when you're from around here.
"Even the day down at Wembley for the cup final, I was standing there as a fan and it was an unbelievable experience for me going down with all my mates. It was a day away from being Dan, the footballer. I was Dan, the fan.
"It was our first cup final and we're all 22 years old. This probably won't be the last time we're here. We're going to have so many more days like this."
