Ben Arfa recalls Newcastle 'hell' and 'humiliation'

 Ben Arfa told www.francefootball.fr: "It was a very, very difficult period. The worst of my career. It was as
if my hell began at Newcastle.
"There, on the first day back in August 2014, I was placed directly with the reserves. A terrible humiliation. Weeks passed and I was always with these young 16 and 17 year olds away from the pros.
"I did not understand. They gave me a nightmare. It was full of little cheap shots. And when I believed in me [getting out] by signing for Nice, they were forbidden to hire me [until July].''
"I had the feeling of being locked in a dark room without a door, or in an endless tunnel. I saw hell and especially no solution to my problems. At that time, I was wrong, I did not see any light. I was a prisoner.
"I was slapping myself every day to not let go. I tried to convince myself that the light was coming back, I was going to find the right path."