The pair were sent off for fighting each other during the Magpies' 3-0 home defeat by Aston Villa on April 2, 2005, and were later made to issue a shamefaced apology by then manager Graeme Souness.

However, Bowyer insists they remain friends and blamed the temporary fall-out on their will to win.

He told the Evening Chronicle: "It was a moment of madness. Everybody regretted it afterwards. But we are winners.

"When you play football, you have to be that way. You have to want to win. Sometimes it goes too far - that's what happened that day.

"I'm sure if we'd been winning 3-0, it would never have happened."

Newcastle had already been reduced to 10 men following defender Steven Taylor's dismissal when Bowyer and Dyer locked horns eight minutes from time, leaving referee Barry Knight little option but to act.

Bowyer said: "We were all trying to pull in the same direction and it was just a moment of madness.

"Kieron's a nice lad and I still see him. I saw him at Sir Bobby's [Robson's] golf day and we had a beer and a laugh."