Ok so if not, where is Monsier Charvit?. He did have injury problems, then Personal problems, but Newcastle seem to have lost him, he's just vanished. Will this be a job for Mulder and Scully perhaps?

-- Anonymous, April 15, 2000

Answers

The aliens abducted him, performed bizarre surgery on his knee, and put him down again in France to get over it. Due back in the Summer.

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2000

NEWCASTLE'S Laurent Charvet will end four months out with injury when he plays for the reserves against Everton at Widnes tonight.

However, Italian team-mate Alessandro Pistone must wait until next Tuesday's trip to Blackburn before he can play his first game since breaking a leg at Sunderland. In mid-December, Charvet ruptured his knee in a freak training ground accident and it was feared he would not play again this season.

Derby were keen to sign the former Chelsea defender in October, but at that stage he was struggling with another knee injury sustained during United's pre-season friendly in Bochum.

A man-of-the-match performance against Spurs in the third round of this season's FA Cup saw manager Bobby Robson heap praise upon the versatile full-back, but within days he was back on the treatment table.

An intensive programme of physiotherapy since Christmas has paid dividends for the player signed from Cannes in the summer of 1998 and, barring any last-minute problems, he will start against Everton. With two reserve games in a week, it is conceivable Charvet could be on Robson's bench for the visit of Coventry a week on Saturday.

However, with Andy Griffin back in the picture and Pistone close to full fitness, there will be serious competition for full-back places before the end of the season.

Reserve team boss Tommy Craig will also welcome back Spanish international Marcelino tonight and the Spaniard is keen to chalk up another first team game before the summer as a disappointing first season in English football draws to a close. Griffin, Diego Gavilan, Silvio Maric and Paul Robinson complete a strong Newcastle line-up but all eyes will be on Charvet. "I talked to Laurent after the weekend and he seems fine," said Craig. "It's great to have him back after such a long lay-off. Alessandro will start full training with the reserves by the end of the week and we intend to take him to Blackburn."

Pistone always claimed he would play again this season after Gavin McCann's tackle forced him out of February's derby at The Stadium of Light.

Only match fitness stands between the former Inter Milan star and a return to first team action. Before his injury, the former Italian Under-21 skipper had become a permanent fixture in United's first team, but since then Aaron Hughes has staked his own strong claim for the left-back berth.

Stephen Caldwell is another player on duty for the reserves tonight and the 19-year-old Scotsman has been rewarded for his outstanding performance against the French Under-21 side last month, with another call-up to face Holland next week.

Team-mate Kevin Gallacher has been named in Scotland's senior squad against Holland's Euro 2000 hopefuls, together with Sunderland winger Allan Johnston, still on loan at Bolton.

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2000