Our first meeting with Chelsea this season was ended with bad result for us. We have been controversially lost 2-1 by an offside goal, and put more pressure to the former manager. But for the next home fixture against the London team, Kevin Keegan is ‘deadly serious about trying to beat Chelsea’.

“The one thing that’s important for me is that we get the chance to test ourselves against one of the big four.” Keegan said, “I don’t think it’s our cup final, it’s Chelsea’s cup final and our chance to see how we’ve progressed. But it’s a game I’d like to win.”

The same feeling also expressed by our Cameroon international Geremi. He is determined to help Newcastle to victory against his former club.

“It’s the last game at home, in front of our fans, against one of the big teams,” he said. “We’ve been playing well in the last few weeks and it’s a big opportunity to send a message, it’s a big test for us to see how far we can go.”

From our last 14 home meetings in premiership encounters with them we have won seven times, three draws, and lost four. In 2004/05, Geremi’s own goal gave us 1-1 draw, while the last win against them at home was in 2005/06 with a goal from Titus Bramble.

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We are now nine points clear of the relegation after bagged in two victories against Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday, and Keegan wants a hattrick this weekend against Reading.

Keegan has warned everyone that the job is not finish yet. The last six games with three of them are playing at home, are as crucial as before. Keegan adamant to keep the pace up and not allow Newcastle players to take their foot off the gas.

“I want them to kick on and finish the season on a high so that everyone thinks ‘I can’t wait to get back next season to see what happens’.” Said Keegan in the official site, “And that’s not just the players, but the staff and supporters as well.”

On the other occasion, Keegan admits he had been look in weeks at Cameroon star Geremi after his comeback from the African Cup of Nations last January before deciding he need to find a right place for him in his team.

The 29-year-old have a recall at Birmingham City last month and played his part in a 1-1 draw before start to performing very well in subsequent victories against Fulham and Spurs where he has chipped in three assists and first goal for the club in which has won warm applause from his gaffer.

“He’s a real good man to have around your club,” KK told Newcastle World TV, “I had a look at him and thought, ‘Is he a winger or is he a full-back?’, and everything I saw on the training pitch made me say, ‘I have to find a place in the side for him’.”

Keegan also praised ex-Real Madrid and Chelsea man as an experienced player and his delivery from set-plays is fantastic. His goal against Spurs is a clever one and Keegan said he was delighted for him.

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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.

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Barton was spend the New Year’s in jail after involved in two separate incidents with another group at a McDonald’s restaurant in Church Street, Liverpool, at 5.30am last Thursday.

The Guardian report Barton was collected from Liverpool prison by his solicitor Daniel Weed and Peter Kay, the chief executive of the Sporting Chance clinic in Hampshire.

Members of Barton’s family were also waiting outside the prison. Barton made no comment as he passed out through the gates and got into a waiting car.

Weed said: “Joseph Barton has been granted bail with conditions until he appears at Liverpool magistrates court on January 16.”

Meanwhile, also from the Guardian, United captain Geremi has responded to a writ issued against him by the agents IMG which claims the midfielder illegally prevented it from negotiating, and profiting, from his move to the north-east club. Were he to lose, the case could cost Geremi up to £150,000.

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Our current team squad have 4 International players from 3 African countries. Habib Beye and Abdoulaye Faye both come from Senegal, while our new skipper Geremi is from Cameroon. The last one is the prolific Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins.

Geremi, nicknamed Mandela by his fellow team-mates, is experienced in leading the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in numerous African Nations Cup campaigns. His leaderships was honoured him as the new Toon skipper in the correct mindset to be Big Sam’s on-field leader.

Despite his career already seen him take in the delights of La Liga with the Galacticos Real Madrid, Middlesbrough faithful admire him during his one season loan at Teesside. With Chelsea he emerged as one of the popular figures amongst the Blues fans.

Geremi feels that his time on Tyneside was his biggest challenge to date and underlined the importance of the Toon faithful and their magnificent backing.

He told the Chronicle: “I know all about the responsibility of being a Newcastle player. You are carrying the hopes of millions, and if you don’t live up to it you won’t be here too much longer.”

Toon skipper realised that Newcastle United have a big, big fan base, one of the biggest, loyalest and most passionate supporters in the world.

“Listening to them sing your name gives you so much motivation. You want to repay them – so hopefully we can by winning a trophy.” Geremi added more.

The African quartet of Martins, Geremi, Habib Beye and Abdoulaye Faye will be off around six weeks of Newcastle United season when they link up with their respective countries for the African Nations Cup.

For United No 9 Oba Martins, his task of filling Alan Shearer’s boots and famous shirt was never going to be easy – and in many Geordies’ eyes, the tasks are probably impossible.

At his first season with Newcastle, Martins got things off to a slow start. But he answer the Toon Army doubts with his feet on the ground and netting home 17 goals on his first taste of English Premier League.

This season only two months old, yet five goals to add to his name already indicated he is much more than just a man who Glenn Roeder paid Inter Milan £10m for. Martins also told the Chronicle about helping his fellow African tema-mates to getting used to life in North-East.

“And they are smiling – which means they are settling in. Maybe they won’t say it now, but I think they will all say they want to play here for four or five years.” Said Martins.

Habib Beye already done so, when he feels sorry for the 2-1 lost against Reading last week. And for Abdoulaye Faye, although not mentioning it already, his fellow team-mates feels he is also enjoying his life with Newcastle and his reunion with Sam Allardyce.

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