Shay Given expects NU to avoid relegations

Goalkeeper Shay Given expects his former club, Newcastle United, to avoid relegation against all the odds. Newcastle have been down in the drop zone for much of the season.

This led to manager Steve McClaren sacked from his role. The former England boss could not see out one single campaign with the Toon Army. Given played at Newcastle for several years and was regarded as a stable option for the managers. He has since moved to different clubs over the last couple of years and is now currently playing with Stoke City.

He was last seen at St James’s Park in 2009 and he represented the club in more than 350 matches. The club has already experienced a relegation once since the turn of the century. There is a distinct possibility that a second could be on the way. Newcastle are already cut off from the rest of the teams trying to avoid relegation with only Swansea being involved – apart from the three teams in the relegation zone. For a couple of years after coming back to the top division, Newcastle enjoyed relative stability due to the presence of Alan Pardew.

Pardew, though, was not welcomed by the club supporters who did not see him as one of their own, not least after he took the suad on a Southampton yacht charter rather than off on a boat in the Tyne.

“It isn’t a nice situation for them to be in, but I do really think that they will get out of it.They made some really strong signings during the January window and I think on paper, they look a really good side. I am sure that it will all click and they will pull themselves clear – hopefully, not until after Wednesday night’s game mind.There will be some anxiousness and nervousness around the place at the moment, but that is to be expected when there are only 11 or 12 games to go and you are involved in a relegation battle,” said Given.