An unbelievable scene unfolded for Newcastle United: Matt Targett was accidentally left behind at Seoul airport as the team flew back to England after their pre-season tour in Asia.
The English defender didn’t board the return flight with the rest of the squad following Newcastle’s friendly match against Tottenham (1-1) on Sunday, August 3. The club only realized the mistake after landing back in Newcastle. According to internal sources, the mishap was caused by a logistical mix-up between the staff and transport services.
Club reassures fans: Targett is safe and sound
Thankfully, there’s no injury or serious issue. Targett is perfectly fine and is expected to rejoin the team within hours, travelling separately back to the UK. Newcastle quickly moved to reassure fans and the player’s entourage, stating that he had participated in the full pre-season tour.
A rare but amusing slip-up
Incidents like this are extremely rare in professional football, but they go to show that even top-tier clubs aren’t immune to organizational hiccups—especially during lengthy overseas trips. Newcastle is taking the situation in stride and hopes to quickly put this unexpected but humorous episode behind them… even if Matt Targett might have preferred not to be the punchline.
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