Fabricio Coloccini has admitted that he is glad he stayed at Newcastle United through the relegation to the Championship.
The defender claimed that he "felt responsibility" for the side going down and decided against a move away.
The Argentine was roundly criticised in the Toon's doomed 2008-09 campaign but has since become a stalwart of one of the Premier League's meanest defences.
"People left and I suppose I could have too," said Coloccini.
"I was thinking 'I have a black star on my career CV' because we were going down.
"But I felt responsibility and wanted to turn it around. I wanted to fix the damage and repair things."
Coloccini moved to St James' Park from Deportivo in August 2008 for around £10m.
