Newcastle's Moan on 'traitor' claims from rivals

Newcastle United goalkeeper Claudia Moan hopes to "prove wrong" nan group who painted her arsenic a "traitor" pursuing her move from North East rivals Sunderland.

The 25-year-old was past season's Women's Championship subordinate of nan twelvemonth aft an awesome campaign.

But a move to second-tier newcomers and eager rivals Newcastle led to disapproval online which Moan said spoiled her presence astatine nan club.

"It reached immoderate of nan men's fans and nan first week wasn't nan champion pinch a batch of group having their ain opinions," said Moan.

"You person to beryllium alert that you are ever going to get a spot of grief. Newcastle sold it to maine pinch their ambition and their backing.

"It's conscionable ridiculous to spot really thing truthful mini could beryllium broadcasted to beryllium thing truthful ludicrous.

"I kept disconnected my telephone successful nan first week. It's thing I should person been excited astir but location are group who benignant of spoil it for you. It's shot astatine nan extremity of nan day."

Moan graduated from Sunderland's academy and signed her first master statement past summer, earlier helping them to a third-place decorativeness successful nan league.

She only conceded 18 goals successful 22 matches and kept 10 cleanable sheets connected her measurement to picking up nan Golden Glove award.

With Newcastle now looking to emergence quickly done nan pyramid and into nan Women's Super League (WSL), Moan hopes to person an moreover amended season.

But she has already faced challenges since swapping allegiances successful nan North East.

"[It] has really brought to nan beforehand of my mind really large women's shot is getting and nan vulnerability of it," added Moan.

"I conscionable want to beryllium nan champion type of myself. The group who person fixed maine condolences are not nan champion versions of themselves. I tin only ever beryllium them wrong.

"Even past season, location were a mates of Sunderland fans who had worldly to opportunity astir maine and I deliberation by nan extremity of nan play I'd proven them incorrect pinch nan accolades."

Her move to Newcastle coincides pinch their first play successful nan Championship and excitement is already building for nan North East derby.

Moan knows arsenic a goalkeeper she will person to woody pinch vociferous fans down her extremity erstwhile nan first derby time arrives connected 13 October astatine nan Stadium of Light.

"You person to enactment concentrated for nan afloat 90 minutes, but erstwhile you've not sewage a batch to do, sometimes you can't thief but perceive it," she said.

"You conscionable deliberation successful your head, 'shut up and springiness it a rest'. But it conscionable shows you really passionate group are astir their teams.

"I person to put it astatine nan backmost of my mind. I cognize that erstwhile it comes to Sunderland v Newcastle, it's going to beryllium a reliable day, particularly for me.

"It's conscionable [about] trying to artifact retired nan group who don't spot it for what it is - nan group who are trying to opportunity I'm a traitor."