Kieran Trippier won 54 caps for England. The first weekend in May appeared to offer a glimpse into Kieran Trippier's future. Former England international Trippier still believes he has plenty to give as a player, but he has his sights set on becoming a coach when he eventually retires. It is easy to see why.

Although he did not feature in Newcastle United's 3-1 win against Brighton, the unused substitute certainly played his part at St James' Park. It was Trippier who repeatedly barked words of encouragement and passed on instructions to team-mates while prowling the touchline. Channelling his inner Jason Tindall, he even attempted to get in the ear of Pascal Gross at one point before the Brighton midfielder took a corner kick.

The 35-year-old Trippier did not look like a player who has an eye elsewhere as he enters the final weeks of his Newcastle career. Trippier is understood to have an open mind about his next move, whether that is staying in England or playing abroad, and his three children will be a major consideration in his plans. However, the defender has been focused on seeing the season out before sitting down to assess his options.

His approach should not come as a surprise. Trippier admitted it will be "emotional" to leave Newcastle at the end of his contract, after spending longer at the club than anywhere else in his senior career. He is determined to end his four-and-a-half-year spell on a high, and could even come back into the side for a final run following injuries to Lewis Miley and Tino Livramento. There is likely to be a familiar look to the team which lines up against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, as a result.

Nick Pope, Trippier, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Joe Willock, and Jacob Murphy could start. They all featured when Newcastle ended a 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by winning the EFL Cup last season. It was Trippier who set up Burn's opener in the 2-1 win against Liverpool in the final, before he went on to lift the trophy alongside skipper Guimaraes and previous club captain Jamaal Lascelles at Wembley.

But that had not necessarily been part of Trippier's "selfless" plan, as former team-mate Callum Wilson explained. "He was not interested in lifting the trophy," said the striker, who is now at West Ham. "It took myself and a few other senior players to say, 'Go on, get your hands on the trophy and lift it with everybody - all three of you do it together because it's a team effort'. "Ultimately, he played a big part in that as well so I felt like that moment really summed him up as a character."

Such a prospect felt a long way off when the pair spoke on FaceTime to discuss relegation-threatened Newcastle's plight - several weeks before Trippier joined the club from Atletico Madrid in January 2022. The right-back proved a catalyst, as the first signing in the aftermath of the club's Saudi-led takeover, and convinced others like Guimaraes to follow in the mid-season window.

Yet Trippier's decision to swap life in the Champions League for an immediate survival battle led to accusations of greed externally. The reality was a little different. The Bury native wanted to return to the north of England for personal reasons and took a pay cut to reunite with head coach Eddie Howe, who he previously worked with at Burnley. There was not even a relegation release clause in his contract. Rather than being a mercenary, the La Liga title winner's standards, approach to training and desire to help lifted a group which had only recorded a single victory up to that point.

Trippier's presence behind the scenes quickly struck former team-mate Jonjo Shelvey. "He's a natural leader," the ex-Newcastle midfielder said. "He made a move at a time when the club was struggling and came in with his know-how and knowledge, and helped us massively."

Trippier's experience was evident even after Newcastle suffered a sobering FA Cup exit at the hands of Cambridge United on his debut at a sold-out St James' Park. It was an afternoon when some of his frustrated team-mates stormed past him down the tunnel, rather than applauding the supporters at full-time. Calm heads were needed and Trippier stood up in the dressing room afterwards. He told those around him to forget about the loss and just take one game at a time.

Trippier played a crucial role in Newcastle pulling away from danger - scoring free-kicks in wins against Everton and Aston Villa - and continued to travel with the team after suffering a broken foot to support his colleagues. He remained a key figure in the club's subsequent rise under Howe, as Newcastle ended a long wait for silverware last season and qualified for the Champions League in 2023 and 2025.

The current campaign has been far more bruising for all concerned - Newcastle lie 13th in the Premier League - and the club are preparing for a summer of change under Howe. But Trippier's departure will still leave a gaping hole in the dressing room. "He goes down as one of the best players that's played for me," Howe said recently. "In my time here, he's been a model of consistency. Behind the scenes, he's had that will to win and will to help us prepare to the best we can. "He's been outstanding on the pitch. He's been a really good leader and deserves to go with all the plaudits."

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