Alan Smith was stunned by the welcome he received from Newcastle fans for their victory over Sampdoria.

Smith said: "I thank the fans for the reception they gave me, it was incredible. This is a massive club with fantastic support and I'm delighted to be here.

"I couldn't wait for the game and it was great to get 90 minutes under my belt. I was trying to time my runs to get on the end of things and thankfully I managed to score. I just can't wait for Bolton now, but it's important we get a good start to the season.

"The crowd here is desperate for success and players are desperate to live up to that and want to achieve as much as possible."