No Stigma Playing For Newcastle Reserves
By Nu Mad
Updated Thursday, 12th July 2007
Kevin Keegan scrapped the Reserve side when he was manager at Newcastle because he said it "degraded international players" and was seen as "a punishment". But Sam Allardyce wants to rid the stigma.
He told Newcastle United's first-team stars that nobody was safe from playing in the reserves next season, and the opportunity to give players match fitness is so important to rid the club of its ridiculous injury list that it has suffered in recent seasons.
Although the United chief was not directly involved with Bolton Reserves, they won the FA Premier Reserve League last term.
Allardyce: "At Bolton players went into the reserve team for a limited time after a good, open and honest discussion with first-team members.
"I would tell them that I really thought it was time they played a couple of reserve games.
"And that was because they hadn't had as many first-team games as I would like, or they would have liked, so we would introduce a lot of senior players into the reserves in one go.
"That made it a talented side who could win regularly.
"The negative side of playing senior players in the reserves is that you are throwing them in with young players. It can be better to train them in the afternoon instead.
"They are already not happy because they aren't in the first team. And putting them into a reserve team that then doesn't win can have a negative knock-on effect. We calculate when is the right time to play them rather than train them.
"There is a time to leave them out and let youngsters develop. In the end it was a perfect solution because we won the League. For a club like Bolton to win the reserve league is quite an achievement."
RESERVES TO PLAY AT ST JAMES' PARK
Newcastle United have confirmed they will play some second-string games at St James' Park this season as a "one off season" because the Magpies have failed to qualify for Europe.
United will play the big fixtures at Gallowgate ... although it is noticable they have arranged the match with the Mackems for Kingston Park.
Lee Clark: "It's great to have some home games at St. James' Park in the new season.
"It's great experience for the younger lads, but it's also a great opportunity if we need to give one of the senior players a game as well.
"I'm sure it will be a big help to us having matches at St. James' Park.
"We'll still be playing games at Kingston Park as well, and I'm looking forward to those too because the ground has had a new pitch laid and it should be a good surface for us."
HOME FIXTURES
Sept 3, Bolton, 7pm, St James'
Sept 18, Middlesboro, 7pm, St James'
Oct 8, Wigan, 7pm, Kingston Park
Nov 26, Blackburn, 7pm, Kingston Park
Feb 11, Man City, 7pm, Kingston Park
Mar 31, Man United, 7pm, St James'
