Leon Best admits Newcastle United's success this season is just "crazy".
His partnership with red-hot Demba Ba has yielded 11 goals so far and he is firmly part of the furniture at St James' Park.
Best, who has bagged three of his own this term and had a hand in all three at Stoke on Monday, told The Sun: "It's crazy to think how well we are doing considering the players we have lost. When guys like Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan left, people were talking about relegation.
"Sometimes though you need a change to go forward. People looked to them to produce but now there are the new guys and the others - it's a whole team effort.
"It's more equal now. A few years back I was at Yeovil but I remember always watching Match of the Day thinking 'Yeah, that is what I want'.
"This is the best time of my life. I am playing in the Premier League, in the top five, and have a kid on the way. I am settled, happy. I just didn't feel right before. But now I feel nice."
