Newcastle United juniors extended unbeaten start to 2008 as they were held to a goalless draw by Middlesbrough in the Tyne-Tees derby, said the official club.

Ben Tozer and Tamas Kadar played in the full 90 minutes at the club’s Little Benton Academy. Kadar teed-up James Marwood for the hosts’ best opening chance before the break, while Michael McCrudden point blank header saved by Matt Atkinson before Dan Leadbitter almost caught out the Boro stopper with a high cross in the closing stages.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Woodgate will not returning to the Magpies squad despite some widespread reports on Saturday that he was set to sign his second spell for United.

“At this moment I don’t think he is going to come to Newcastle, in fact I am almost certain he isn’t. I think he is going to go somewhere else.” Keegan said, quoted from the official club site, “It looks like we have lost him. I am very disappointed. I fully understand though. But I desperately want him to come.”

News from the African Cup of Nations, Martins and Nigeria will need a win on their last group game against Benin to keep their hope alive to the next stage after being held to a goalless draw by Mali at Sekondi stadium yesterday. They will also need the help from Ivory Coast to overcoming Mali.

The other Newcastle’s player, Geremi Njitap has a goal under his name on Cameroon’s 5-1 wins over Zambia. Geremi’s scores in 27 minutes courtesy of his well-struck free kick. Joseph Desire Job scores twice while Achilles Emana and Samuel Eto’o scores the other Cameroon’s goals.

Newcastle United have offered Nigerian international striker, Obafemi Martins a staggering £26 million deal to stay at St James’ Park until 2013.

He is currently away on Africa Cup of Nations duty, with three-and-a-half years of his current contract, but Mike Ashley has sanctioned a two-year extension to Martins’ contract and a fifty per-cent rise from his current wages to £90,000 per week.

As part of the deal, Martins has agreed to forfeit his £13m release clause, which cause him as the subject of many transfer speculation this season with moves to Inter Milan, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Manchester City.

Martins has basically suffered from mismanagement. Allardyce didn’t really know how to play him, that much was obvious. Roeder managed a little better. Keegan will instantly suss it out. Martins possesses deadly pace and the ability to hit a fierce shot.

He will be encouraged to make use of that ability without fear of his manager shouting, and King Kev will get his wingers to time their passes to him as Martins bombs on.

If there is one player bound to benefit from the Keegan effect, it is Obafemi Martins. Let’s face it, he’s a potential we have glimpsed.

Meanwhile, Steven Taylor will also ready to sign a new contract with United very soon after rejected a five-year offer in September.

Obafemi Martins! The official club site poll to pick the Goal of the Year has reach its final conclusion and announced Martins strike against Spurs as the winner.

Martins goal when Newcastle playing Spurs at White Hart Lane in January 14, 2007 collected 49% votes from a total of 2,000 voters.

Martins unstoppable 25-yard shot on goal beyond Paul Robinson help United back in the level game before Nicky Butt sealed the win 3-2 for the Magpies.

James Milner goal in United 2-2 draw against Manchester United came as runner-up with 14% and Emre’s winning strike in the dying minutes against Everton landed in third place with 11% voters. The full list of all the winners can be read on the Official site.

United official site is currently running on a poll to pick the Goal of the Year among 57 goals we are scoring through the years of 2007.

The current vote leader was Oba Martins goal v Spurs where we won 3-2 back in January 14th, 2007 with 61% when I write this post.

Martins goal is also my favorite, when he smashing an unstoppable 30-yard shot beyond Paul Robinson.

Come to second and third so far is James Milner (12.7%) shot in new year’s day 2-2 draw against Manchester United and Charles N’Zogbia (8%) curling shot against Boro in August 26th, 2007.

Go to the official site to vote your goal of the year HERE.

I am absolutely sick of him and don’t rate him at all. I’m not blaming todays result on him either. I’m not making excuses. But instead of agreeing with everyone else I thought I’d raise this issue instead because he’s doing my head in this season.

He has power. But we see this so rarely it’s not even worth talking about because he doesn’t know how to make space for a shot.

For some reason he escapes all blame. There’s something “exciting” about him which makes him immune from criticism.

If he was from Gateshead, looked like Kevin Davies and didn’t do backflips I reckon he’d be getting a torrent of abuse for his woeful passing/control. If we signed him from Coventry instead of Milan would we think of him in the same way?

He’s even starting to look lazy. For someone with his pace he’s not doing a lot of running and when things are going badly I don’t see him trying to put it right. Martins has been the best of a bad bunch of strikers at SJP over the last few years so we rate him more highly than we should.

I’d swap him for strikers from the majority of other clubs in the league. We like to think we should be top 6 when we look at our squad. Owen and Martins on paper makes us look amazing upfront.

But the reality is that the only “footballers” that we currently have fit and available to play upfront are Smith and Viduka. And Viduka has missed a lot of our games.

I was saying this to my mate after the game. I think he kind of agreed. But then mentioned the fact that Martins scored a canny few goals in a crap side last season.

My gut reaction to this is that I honestly believe Ameobi would score quite a few if he started for the majority of games over a whole season and I don’t rate him.

Then there’s the fact that Martins is very young. This istrue But so is Fabregas. So is Milner. But they can trap a ball, look up and pass.

Yes he’s got the raw speed and power. But surely passing, looking up and skill is important too? Bramble also had all the “raw materials.”

Am I being too harsh? Or were we all just crying out for someone different to Shearer to come along and take us in a different direction? So put a load of mis-placed faith in him?

Comments welcome!