A MEMBER of Newcastle United's French legion went back to the classroom yesterday to help teach his native language.
Winger Gabriel Obertan was at Excelsior Academy in Scotswood, Newcastle, where he took questions from year nine students in French about his education, hobbies and his new life in the North East. The event was arranged by the Newcastle United Foundation.
The foundation has teamed up with Routes Into Languages and Newcastle City Council to develop the Double Club programme which will also see football used to teach Spanish and German.
Mr Obertan told the students his best pals at the club were Danny Simpson and Leon Best. Asked about the Geordie accent he said: “It took me a couple of weeks to get used to it but after that it was OK.”
Excelsior Academy headteacher Lynn Aitchison said: “With the numbers of pupils choosing to study a foreign language we need all the help we can get to boost the numbers and using Newcastle United resources and foundation staff will be the perfect combination.”
The Double Club programme will run throughout October and November.
