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- Michael Owen (knee), as we know, is out till next year with the injury
he picked up at the World Cup.
- Shay Given (abdomen)
is back in training but is few weeks off returning.
- Oba Martins (hamstring) is out for 2 weeks.
- Kieron Dyer (eye) is out for 2 weeks after his freak accident.
- Shola Ameobi (hip) is very doubtful and could be having a operation
very soon.
- Glenn Roeder will have to do a head count on the rest of the squad to
see who is fit. |
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As I’m writing this before the Palermo game, I haven’t
really got a clue what 11 players will walk out at St. James Park.
Providing we get no further injuries and that they aren’t injured
themselves you’d presume
Carr,
Parker, Duff and Babayaro will come back into the team that starts in
Italy.
What an important game to our season this is, a defeat or
draw would have us in a relegation battle and a won would only slightly
ease the pressure of looking over our shoulder at the drop zone. With 2
away games at Man City and Arsenal coming up afterwards, 3 points here
is the only outcome we can seriously consider happening.
Another reason why this is an important game is because it marks my
return to St James’ Park!! (Providing my flights aren’t delayed) I’ve
had many a pre-match drinking venue over the years, Inventions, Union
Rooms, The Trent House, City Vaults, The Strawberry, Idols, and Bar XS
to name a few. However, for this game I will be doing my pre-match
drinking in the unusual surroundings of Heathrow airport and then BA
flight 1334 up to Newcastle.
I leave Melbourne tonight (Fri 3rd) at 23:59 and arrive at
Heathrow at 13:20 on Saturday. Then after a couple of hours, which will
involve a few beers and getting changed into my Toon top, I fly from
Heathrow at 16:05 and arrive in Newcastle 17:15. You will have noticed
that is the same time as the match kicks off. Then plan is my parents
will be waiting with my match ticket and will drive me straight to the
ground. I’m hoping, as it’s only a 10 minute drive to the city centre
from the airport, to be in the ground by the end of half time.
My ticket is in the Gallowgate End upper tier, row S seat 72, which is 5
seats away from where I sat for 11 years. My intention is to ask those
five people to move along, as I want to sit in my usual seat, so I hope
they all oblige. I can guarantee the atmosphere in the back of the
Gallowgate will be turned up a few levels in the second half because I
got over a years worth of singing to release!!
So anyway enough ramblings about me, lets hope that our black & white
fortunes start to rise from here.
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