Ex-Newcastle players have scoffed at former Aston Villa captain Gabby Agbonlahor's claims that top players won't want to move to the Northeast.

Agbonlahor believes money wouldn't be enough to entice players to Tyneside.

Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: "Players will go there for the money, let's be honest. When I was playing in the Premier League, Newcastle was the place where you wasn't sure. I didn't want to go, it's far up north, the weather.

"Players want to be close to London, closer to London was the attraction. If you offered a player £40,000 a week at Newcastle, or £30,000 a week at Brentford, they would go to Brentford even on less money.

"Players don't want to live in Newcastle. They're going to want clauses in their contracts. If they go down they can leave for this amount of money."

However, the likes of Gavin Peacock, Warren Barton and Rob Lee have all taken to social media to rubbish those claims.

Ryan Taylor responded: "I like Gabby and people with opinions, it's what makes shows interesting but in this case he's talking absolute rubbish. Can't make statements like that without living there. Simple as that!"

Keith Gillespie also tweeted: "Complete nonsense. Does he even know what he is talking about???!!!"

Jamie O'Hara also had his say on the discussion. He said: "I'm going Newcastle fact.

"I don't get this agenda against Newcastle it's an amazing city, live there on 40k a week you live in a castle play at one of best stadium in world and known globally or be on 30k a week and live in Chelsea in a two bed apartment playing for team who never been in Prem before. No thx."