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      Salford boss Richie Wellens desperate to get his players in the PUB – but coronavirus restrictions have thwarted him

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      RICHIE WELLENS knows one of the best ways to get into a player’s head is to get a drink into him.
      And if he could do that with his whole team, he might be able to break the mental block that he fears could cost him and Salford City promotion.

      How Richie Wellens’ pub sign might look

      Richie Wellens’ Salford are having an inconsistent season in League TwoCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      But the normal getting–to–know-you exercise he and most managers use to build team spirit and understanding is still impossible because of Covid restrictions.
      Wellens, who quit Swindon for the Ammies on November 4, would by now have had a few nights  out with his squad and staff.
      He declared: “Getting the lads out for a bite and a bit of a bevvy is a great way to find out what makes each individual tick.
      “Nobody is talking about throwing loads of alcohol down necks.

      “But it’s amazing how people start relaxing and letting themselves go a little when they’ve had a couple.
      “Having a good time is great for team bonding.
      “Not only do you get to know your players better, but they get a better picture of who you are.
      “But with the lockdown that hasn’t happened.

      Salford are owned by Man Utd’s ‘Class of ’92’Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      “By now I should have a far better understanding of what makes each player tick than I do.
      “It’s crucial that a new manager finds out who he is dealing with in the dressing room and what the best approach is to get the best out of each individual.
      “And, of course, after 23 games I have a good idea.
      “But in a way, some of them are still like strangers to me because of the Covid restrictions.
      “They show up for training on their own — socially distanced from each other — then go home to shower and change.
      “The players travel to away games on the team bus but me and my coaches have to go separately.
      “Things are complicated enough for all of the managers in these times — but more difficult still when you are taking over a new set of players.”
      Wellens worries about that lack of communication more because he can’t work out why his side keep throwing away points at the end of games.
      He said: “Since I got here we have lost 12 points from winning positions in the 90th minute.
      “That has to be about some psychological block — maybe it’s to do with the fact that this club has come so far, so fast.

      “We are the best footballing team in the division but that means  nothing if you don’t make it pay.”
      Wellens was brought in by Gary Neville and the rest of the members of Manchester United’s Class of ’92 to replace Graham Alexander.
      The 40-year-old, who last season took Swindon out of League Two, is charged with continuing the climb that has seen four promotions since Neville and Co took over seven years ago.
      He said: “My job was made clear from the start and it’s a challenge I gladly accepted.
      “Promotion is the target this  season without question.
      “But every time we look like  getting on a run we stumble — when we win two in a row, we can’t make it three.

      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      “I’d love the chance to just sit around, have a meal, let the lads relax and really dig into what the problem is.
      “Pubs and restaurants will be fully open on May 17 but our season ends on May 8.
      “That’s too late for me to do what I’d normally do with a new bunch of players.
      “So I’m going to have to think up another way to find out what’s going on in their heads — socially  distanced, of course.” More

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      Steven Alzate hopes ‘hectic’ Leyton Orient season can help him in Brighton’s Prem survival bid

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      RELEGATION dogfights are nothing new to Steven Alzate.
      In fact, his introduction to professional football was a scrap for survival — and one far graver than Brighton face this season.

      Steven Alzate is calling on his experience at Leyton Orient to help Brighton seal survivalCredit: Rex Features

      The Colombian made his debut for the League Two side four years agoCredit: Getty

      The Albion midfielder, 22, made his bow four years ago playing for Leyton Orient in League Two.
      To call it a madcap campaign would be a huge understatement, as the O’s dropped out of the Football League to the backdrop of internal chaos.
      Alzate reflected: “I remember that season being a bit hectic, a bit crazy. I must have had at least four different managers.
      “At one point, quite a few of the youngsters got chucked in to play because the squad wasn’t getting paid, so a few players refused to play.

      “I had made my debut just before that madness. So it was a bit of a crazy one but I had to make the most of my opportunity and show what I could do.”
      It was actually five bosses, with hopeless owner Francesco Becchetti going through Andy Hessenthaler, Alberto Cavasin, Andy Edwards, Daniel Webb and Omer Riza.
      Webb was the one who gave Alzate his chance, two days before he was given the bullet.
      It puts into perspective the relative calm the Colombian is enjoying at the Amex under Graham Potter, even if they have been sucked into a relegation battle thanks to Fulham’s resurgence.

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      Liverpool boast the most-valuable squad in the Premier League

      The gap to Scott Parker’s men is just four points ahead of today’s crunch clash at West Brom.
      Relegation is clearly a threat but it does not tell the whole story of Albion’s campaign.
      Potter’s side had been on a six-game unbeaten run before Monday’s 2-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace, which included superb wins over Tottenham and Liverpool.
      Their style of  football has been lauded by the likes of  Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, while exciting talents such as Ben White, Tariq Lamptey and Yves Bissouma are emerging.
      Alzate would like to consider himself part of that group and now has his chance to impress, with Solly March set to miss the rest of the season injured.

      Pep Guardiola is a big fan of Graham Potter’s style of playCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      The Londoner added: “Naturally, if you’re towards the bottom of the table, you’re going to  be thinking ‘we need points ASAP’.
      “I feel we shouldn’t be panicking too much because we have been playing good football.
      “Sometimes we have lacked that cutting edge. We haven’t scored as many as we want to.
      “But we are aiming to keep  working well as a team, keep  playing well and I’m sure the goals will come.
      “I feel we shouldn’t be too worried about relegation at this moment.”

      Alzate has won four caps so far for ColombiaCredit: Getty
      Born in Camden to Colombian parents, Alzate opted to play for the South American nation and now has four senior caps.
      His heroes growing up were Steven Gerrard and Radamel Falcao, the latter of whom he is now proud to call an international team-mate.
      For most, playing with an idol would be a pinch-yourself moment.
      But Alzate’s reaction sums up  why he should cope well with the  pressure of Brighton’s predicament.

      The star’s hero growing up was Radamel Falcao, now an international team-mate of hisCredit: Reuters
      He said: “Sharing a pitch with players of the calibre of Falcao and James Rodriguez was an honour.
      “But I wasn’t too fazed. It’s my job. I’ve played with big players before and I’ve played against big players in the Premier League.
      “Falcao’s a lovely, lovely person. From the moment he saw me, he started speaking to me as if he had known me for years. That made me feel really comfortable straight away.”
      Alzate is not of the mindset that Brighton  are befitting of the old cliche of being too good to go down.
      He added: “Of course not. We have to be aware of the position we’re in. That’s normal.
      “We have to respect that we’re near the bottom and we are in a battle. On the other hand, we need to be positive. That’s the only way out of this.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      Brighton vs Crystal Palace as it happened More

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      Joachim Andersen ‘fired up’ by detractors who reckon Fulham have no chance of Premier League survival

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      JOACHIM ANDERSEN loves to hear people dismiss Fulham as goners this season.
      And no, the Dane has not chucked in the towel on staying up already.

      Joachim Andersen says he is using Fulham’s doubters to inspire their great escapeCredit: Rex Features

      Instead, skipper Andersen is using it as fuel to fire the Cottagers’ fight for survival.
      After a week that saw them pick up two wins and a draw against Everton, Burnley and Sheffield United, Scott Parker’s side are now just three points from safety.
      The Great Escape II is very much a possibility, 13 years on from the original one under Roy Hodgson, whose Crystal Palace side host Fulham.
      Andersen told SunSport: “I love when people are saying that we are going down because it fires me up. I want to show it’s not going to be the case.

      “One week can change everything. We got seven points last week and we’re now three points behind Newcastle.
      “There’s no need to stress. In football, you always get what you deserve. When we played like we did for months, at some point it had to turn.
      “It’s such a big, big goal to keep this club in the Premier League and I feel that from every single player in the squad.”
      Andersen, 24, only arrived at Craven Cottage in October, sealing a deadline day loan from French side Lyon.

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      Liverpool boast the most-valuable squad in the Premier League

      His knack for inspiring others was quickly recognised by Parker, who made him captain after just FOUR games.
      Andersen’s impressive performances leading a hastily-put together backline have proved how adaptable he is.
      That skill was honed at an early age when he left home to join Copenhagen’s academy, before moving to Midtjylland at 15.
      Switches abroad followed, first to Dutch side Twente, then Sampdoria in Italy and then Lyon, where he became the most expensive Danish player ever, before finally, England with Fulham.
      He also credits his father Jacob, a wealthy businessman, for helping him strive for more.
      Andersen said: “It’s not so often that a loan player is the captain of a club. Of course, it’s a huge honour and something I didn’t expect.
      “It’s not something I’m unfamiliar with because in the youth teams for Denmark I was always the captain.

      Joachim Andersen and Scott Parker are plotting a Great Escape II for FulhamCredit: Reuters
      “I’m quite vocal and feel I have some good ideas on the pitch.
      “But it’s also about how I’m raised. I moved from my family at a young age. It helped me to mature and take care of myself.
      “I also have a dad who expects a lot from me. He’s a leader in his work. It’s something I learnt from him.”
      Jacob has often told his son he is his ‘own little business’ and has helped him with opportunities outside football.
      The pair own a clothing company and have invested in stocks. Like many, Joachim has not been to see his old man for some time due to the pandemic.
      He has spent time introducing his girlfriend to legendary sitcom Friends to alleviate the boredom.

      The Dane believes Jack Grealish’s Aston Villa are a great example for Fulham to followCredit: PA:Press Association
      Covid restrictions means it has been tough to adapt to another new country — not that you would know it from his  performances on the pitch.
      He namechecked Jack Grealish, Bruno Fernandes and Brighton’s Solly March as players who have impressed him.
      He feels Grealish’s Aston Villa provide the perfect example for Fulham to follow of how to survive the first season and then kick on the following year.
      First though, Parker’s side must do the hard bit and stay up.
      Asked if he would be keen to stay if Fulham beat the drop, Andersen said: “Yeah, of course. It’s early to say but I will not exclude anything. I’m open.
      “I have to speak with Lyon about my situation there, so it’s a little bit difficult to say because I haven’t spoken to them. We need to see that in the summer.”
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      Fifa planted ‘the law of the jungle’ trees they now wish to bulldoze with new regulations for agents

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      FIFA describe the current power of football agents as “the law of the jungle” with “conflicts of interests rife and exorbitant ‘commissions’ being earned left and right”.
      Bearing in mind football agents earned £470million in fees in 2019 — four times more than in 2015 — it’s not hard to see how they have come to this conclusion.

      Daniel Kinahan is entering the world of football as an agent

      The irony is that it was Fifa who planted the trees that they now wish to bulldoze to the ground, with what look like suitable new regulations for agents.
      This includes caps on fees, more transparency, a licensing system, avoiding conflicts of interest and maintaining high professional standards, all of which should benefit everyone involved in the game.
      But hold on there…
      The rewards of being an agent are so remunerative that others are emerging from the darkness wanting a piece of the action — and I wonder if any kind of reforms will hold them back.

      Alleged drugs chieftain Daniel Kinahan is expanding his sporting management operation MTK Global from boxing into football.
      Kinahan’s record persuaded Irish police in the High Court to name the 43-year-old as a drugs lord and crime boss in his native Dublin.
      “I’ve no criminal record anywhere in the world,” he pleads. But then neither does Vladimir Putin.
      World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury vouched what a nice chap Kinahan is — and no doubt he is very good to his mother.

      Kinahan has previously worked with Tyson FuryCredit: Reuters
      But that is a long, long way from a recommendation that he should glide unchallenged into football.
      The British Boxing Board of Control don’t like his alleged links with crime but say they can do nothing about it.
      They don’t explain why not — after all, they are the governing body for boxing. And what’s the point of having ‘Control’ in your title if you have none?
      So, of all the reforms proposed by Fifa, “maintaining high professional standards” will be the most difficult to translate into an actual regulation. But it is perhaps the most important.
      Representing football players and their careers should only be done by people who protect the integrity of football, prevent abuses and who genuinely have their players’ best interests at heart.
      And as administrators of the game, we need to ensure Fifa award licenses to agents who can and will do this.
      I understand and respect the fact players need to get as much from a short career as they possibly can.
      They are professionals who hold all the hopes and fortunes of our football clubs in their hands, and they deserve every penny they get.
      So I do worry about the influence and characters of the people who want to get the closest to them.
      If this Irishman’s plans do not put a rocket up the underpants of Fifa-dom, it should.

      And where are the PFA in all this? Are they not concerned about having characters like this representing the players? Are they not lobbying to prevent such types getting licenses to represent their union members?
      On the subject of the PFA, it’s hard to understand what role they play in football any more.
      They represent some of the most influential people on the planet (step forward Marcus Rashford) and their union members are keeping the whole country from going off their rockers during lockdown by continuing to play football.
      The PFA should have prestige, power, influence and a mandate for good. They should be driving the discussion on diversity and inclusion in the country by using the power of football to drive positive social change. Their values should represent the high ones set by the players themselves.
      They should be leading on every issue that affects the players, from education, financial planning, social media abuse, dementia, mental health and . . . who can and should represent them.
      When, oh when, is their reform going to happen?

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      Newcastle need Saint-Maximin, Joelinton and Almiron to step up in Prem survival bid after losing Wilson

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      NEWCASTLE will need to hold their nerve if they are going to survive in the Premier League.
      Earlier this season Newcastle looked as if they were always waiting for the opposition to score first.

      Newcastle need the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin to step upCredit: Getty – Pool

      But while Steve Bruce continues to be criticised, in their last five games they have shown fight using a diamond formation.
      And they have come out on the front foot with it, after scoring seven in their last five games, winning two and losing three.
      It should be noted two of the defeats came against a rejuvenated Chelsea side and Manchester United, who they performed well against.
      Prior to the change they had not won in nine and only scored seven in ten matches, so they are definitely an improvement.

      However, the loss of Callum Wilson has put Bruce in a tough situation.
      With 15 goal involvements from the 26 Newcastle have scored this season, he is vital and without him the goals disappear.
      So do they continue without their star player or revert back to their old ways?
      The pragmatic smash and grab approach seemed to have run its course as only West Brom have conceded more.

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      Newcastle’s top scorer Callum Wilson is injuredCredit: Reuters
      So now Bruce will be hoping the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin, Joelinton and Almiron to step up and fill that void.
      They only have seven goals between them and that needs to change.Because the onus is now on Newcastle to go out and get the points they desperately need.
      They will need to continue to be on the front foot as sides like Wolves will be happy to sit back and try and pick them off on the counter.
      It’s a weekend where they could either find themselves six points clear of Fulham or in the bottom three on goal difference.
      I got relegated twice as a player and it is awful.
      No matter what people say, you are always looking out for results of those in and around you.
      But you have to concentrate on yourselves.
      The psychological aspect is key and until Wilson returns fit the others will need to chip in.

      And with the fixtures coming up they have a great opportunity.
      After Wolves they have vital games with both West Brom and Brighton while Fulham will be handling Man City and Liverpool.
      But Fulham are in the ascendency and it is forcing the likes of Newcastle, Brighton and maybe even Burnley to react.
      Because while it looked the relegation fight was over early, it now could go down right to the wire.  More

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      WWE walkout music and John Cena celebrations help Wallace and Millwall in bid to wrestle Championship play-off spot

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      JED WALLACE’S pre-match playlist has led Millwall to wrestle their way back into the play-off picture.
      The Lions winger has taken his role as squad DJ seriously by swapping generic pop tunes for WWE walkout music to get his team-mates fired up.

      Jed Wallace copies John Cena celebration after scoring against BirminghamCredit: Rex Features

      After going ten games without a win between October and December, the South Londoners’ aim of bettering last season’s eighth-place finish looked slim.
      But with the side now on an eight-game unbeaten run, Wallace’s tactics have got Millwall making their own ring-walk back towards the top six spots.
      Wallace, 26, joked: “I won’t take all the credit for it but I will definitely have some!
      “You have to play to your crowd. If I played ‘Fields of Gold’ by Sting or something like that, we certainly wouldn’t go out the way we would want to.

      “But I can’t pick stuff like The Prodigy because someone would get a red card in the first minute of the game because they are too fired up!
      “Usually it is anything from Drake to Kings of Leon to mix it up and keep people happy.
      “But Smudge [Matt Smith] asked for a few wrestler tunes.
      “We had The Rock, Stone Cold and then John Cena. We also like the Shawn Michaels one, ‘I’m A Sexy Boy’, and  The Big Show one is a classic.

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      Wrestling legned Cena has become an inspiration to MillwallCredit: WWE
      “Everyone our age used to watch wrestling on Saturday mornings, with Raw and Smackdown.
      “After games now I watch a few old videos on YouTube of what the greats used to do.
      “I have two kids and I can spend a lot of my time practicing my wrestling moves on them. They absolutely love it!”
      After scoring two minutes into their home match against Birmingham earlier this month, Wallace followed through on a bet with Smith to re- create the  ‘You Can’t See Me’ celebration of Cena.
      But the former Wolves man is now plotting revenge by trying to convince him to go one better next time Smith gets on the scoresheet.
      He added: “I have been on to him about doing the Booker T spinaroonie — it could be interesting seeing his 6ft 6in frame try that!

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      “It is not the same when you don’t score without the fans, so it just keeps us entertained. And when you do score, you’re happy to make a bit of an idiot of yourself.”
      Reading-born  Wallace has been with Millwall for most of the past five years, the first two spells on loan from Wolves before the move was made permanent in the summer of 2017.
      And with 16 draws already this season, Gary Rowett’s side are renowned for suplexing their opponents into some tight affairs.
      Now, after George Evans’ 95th-minute equaliser against Luton on Tuesday kept their unbeaten run intact, Millwall head to fellow overachievers Barnsley today.
      But after watching the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H and many more top wrestling stars, Wallace is confident his team’s choke-hold approach to football will pay dividends in the final 15 games.

      He added: “It can be frustrating when you look at Bristol City, who have lost nearly double the amount of games we have but are only one point behind us.
      “The fans may think it can be boring watching us because it is so tight. We aren’t a team to draw 3-3, win 5-3 and then lose 2-0 — but I don’t know any Millwall fans who are disappointed when we win 1-0. It’s about results.
      “My message to the lads before the games is, how long can we go unbeaten for?
      “Another four or five games and let’s see where it takes us.”

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      McCarthy ‘wants to p*** off’ ex-Cardiff boss Warnock after revealing he cleaned Middlesbrough chief’s boots 44 YEARS ago

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      MICK McCARTHY has counted Neil Warnock as a close friend for 44 years.
      Today they will go head-to-head yet again both hoping to p*** each other off.

      Neil Warnock (then Cardiff manager) and Mick McCarthy (then Ipswich boss) shake handsCredit: Rex Features

      Cardiff boss McCarthy and Middlesbrough gaffer Warnock were team-mates at Barnsley.
      McCarthy even used to clean Warnock’s boots as he came through the ranks at Oakwell.
      The pair first met in 1977 and have gone on to have top careers in management. Both are in with a chance of promotion to the Premier League this season.
      Warnock will always be a Cardiff hero for taking the Bluebirds to the top-flight in 2018.

      Now his Boro team are rivalling the Welsh side for a Championship play-off spot.
      McCarthy said: “I have been in football a long time, but I still have that desire to get the best out of people. I’m 62. Neil is 72, so maybe I have got him in my sights!
      “I’ve gone up against him many times and he’s a good friend of mine. For 90 minutes on Saturday he won’t be. It will be the same for him. He’s always been bright and innovative.
      “His teams are likewise. If we come off the pitch on Saturday and I say to him ‘That was a nice game Neil, you were really nice to play against’ I think he’d be as p***** off as I would be.

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      McCarthy (top left) and Warnock (front row, second left) in their Barnsley daysCredit: Rex Features
      “That’s not going to be the case. We’ll be expecting a tough game because they’ll be wanting a reaction after their result against Bristol City.
      “If I can be half as successful as Neil here, I will be delighted.”
      Veteran Warnock worked wonders at Cardiff to take them to the Premier League.
      But he was sacked in November 2019 before bouncing back at Boro.
      McCarthy was parachuted in by Cardiff in January to replace Neil Harris after the Bluebirds lost six straight games to leave them facing a relegation battle.
      But the former Republic of Ireland manager’s impact in the Welsh capital has been astonishing.

      In-form Kieffer Moore has been a crucial part of Cardiff’s great recent runCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      McCarthy has won six in a row and taken 20 points from his first eight games in charge.
      Cardiff have risen to sixth against all the odds and McCarthy said: “Now we’re there to be shot at, but I’d prefer to be here than be in the bottom six and hunted by those teams.
      “We don’t want to drop out of it. Let’s see what happens. We’re looking forward to Boro because we’re winning. Let’s hope it continues, but when we have a bit of adversity that’s when we’ll see what the team is made of. If they keep playing like this there is no reason why we should get beat.”
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      McCarthy has made a giant, physical Cardiff team a nightmare opposition since taking charge.
       “It’s a tough time at the moment with the games coming thick and fast, but we’re managing as best we can and we were never under any pressure to get in the top six.
      “That might have been said when I came in, but to target the top six? Come on, do me a favour. Did I think we were going to get 20 points from eight games? No.

      “Did anybody at the hierarchy of the club? No. Everybody hoped for it. I’m not that stupid to say I expected it, because I didn’t. There was no pressure, but now I’m not getting carried away.”
      Warnock added: “It’ll be purgatory playing them, but I’m looking forward to it to see if we can stand up to the challenge. Not many teams can beat Cardiff at the moment with the way they’re playing.
      “It doesn’t bother Mick, he doesn’t want to please anybody. He wants his team to be horrible and why not? They’ve got some good players and they defend for their lives. It’s a great recipe so he’ll be loving it.”

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      Newcastle cult hero Steven Taylor praying Toon don’t make it hat-trick of Premier League relegations after 2009 and 2016

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      STEVEN TAYLOR has twice endured the anguish of  relegation with Newcastle.
      And the Geordie admitted that if they suffer the same fate for the third time in the Mike Ashley era, it will sicken him just as much as when he was wearing the black-and-white stripes.

      Steven Taylor was devastated when Newcastle were relegated in 2009Credit: Graham Hughes – The Times

      The Toon Army were also distraught at dropping out of the top-flight in 2009Credit: AP:Associated Press

      Failure to beat Wolves at St James’ Park tonight  could see them in the bottom three if Fulham win at Crystal Palace tomorrow.
      Taylor, 35, is now captaining  Odisha in the Indian Super League, having left Wellington Phoenix last year when coronavirus led to an exodus from New  Zealand’s A League.
      But living away does not ease the pain for the former England Under-21 defender, who has been watching his former club’s games  in his villa in Goa, where  ISL teams are based in their bubble.
      He told SunSport: “Relegation would still hurt me as a fan. You never lose your love for Newcastle.

      “I still get upset when the team loses, even though I’m thousands of miles away rather than out there on the pitch.”
      The Toon diehard knows from bitter experience how traumatic relegation can be, though his  memories of the 2009 and 2016 campaigns felt very different. In both cases, redemption quickly  followed.
      He recalled: “When we lost at Aston Villa on the final day of the 2008-09 season, it was the worst feeling in the world.
      “I don’t think I’ve ever  felt as low as I did  when the referee blew the whistle and it suddenly hits you that you’re down.

      “It was a horrible, horrible afternoon and I was inconsolable for days.
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      Taylor and Newcastle suffered relegation again in 2016Credit: Getty – Contributor

      “But, funnily enough, relegation proved a blessing in disguise because it meant the club could get rid of those players who never really wanted to be at Newcastle.
      “You don’t want to say that it benefitted the club but it really did.
      “Chris Hughton took over as manager and united a dressing room that was professional and fully committed to bouncing back at the first attempt.
      “Promotion was no gimme but we gradually rediscovered the  winning habit and came back a stronger, more resilient team.”
      Seven years later, Newcastle’s top-flight exile was just as short.
      But by the time Rafa Benitez guided them to another  Championship title, Taylor’s Toon career had come to an end.
      His 268th and final  appearance was the most surreal experience of his life.
      Taylor said: “How many players can say they went down after a 5-1 win over Tottenham in an  atmosphere more akin to a side winning  the title? Only at Newcastle!

      Taylor is currently captain of Odisha in the Indian Super LeagueCredit: Instagram @odishafcofficial
      “That really was  a bitter-sweet afternoon. Our fate had already been sealed but Rafa wanted us to go out on a high, and boy did we do that.
      “I just wish he’d come in a bit earlier because the fans took to him immediately.
      “The lads were  receptive to his ideas and it was like the Sir Bobby Robson era all over again.
      “But within 24 hours, I was an ex-Newcastle player  having decided to seek a fresh start rather than accept a new pay-as-you-play deal.”

      TAYLOR’S NEWCASTLE CAREER

      His Toon stint

      2003-2016
      Matches: 268
      Goals: 15
      Promotions: 1 (2010)
      Relegations: 2 (2009, 2016)

      Unlike the Toon Army, Taylor is surprisingly upbeat about the  Mapgies’ survival prospects.
      He added: “You’d think we were ten points adrift not three points clear of the drop zone the way some people are going on.
      “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a great position but I’m convinced there is enough talent in that squad to stay up.
      “Steve Bruce has been getting slaughtered but even his critics would have to agree he’s had  no luck.
      “That Covid outbreak ravaged the squad. Our best player, Allan Saint-Maximin, was missing for two months and no sooner does  he return then Callum Wilson  gets injured.

      “All four frontline centre-backs have had long periods when they’ve been missing too. There’s been little continuity.
      “Wilson’s return is key. If  Newcastle get him back for the run-in, they’ll be fine.”
      And if they are, nobody will be happier than one former player celebrating on his own in front  of the television in a southern India apartment.

      Premier League fans will be allowed back in stadiums for final game of THIS season at all ten matches More