From today's Daily Express.

Bobby Robson needs Newcastle's board to loosen the purse strings if he is to take the next step in the club's development.

The manager believes he has taken the team as far as he can with limited resources and, after being beaten at home by derby rivals Sunderland, he urgently needs an injection of cash to strengthen his depleted squad and prevent the club's season disintegrating into mediocrity.

Robson's resources are so thinly-spread he was left with Alan Shearer as his sole striker for the derby with Sunderland and an inexperienced 20-year-old defender, Steve Caldwell, to handle one of the Premiership's most dangerous centre forwards, Niall Quinn.

The 67-year-old manager has rebuilt morale in the year since he replaced Ruud Gullit but is being left frustrated as the board adopts a cautious approach on investment because of doubts over the future of the European transfer system. It is not as if the money is not there.

Newcastle, who made a serious approach for Southampton's £8million-rated striker Marian Pahars, have the cash to bring in quality European players rather than the cheaper South Americans Robson has relied on so far.

But Robson seems to have hit a brick wall since persuading the board to allow him to sign extrovert young striker Lomana Lua Lua and Chilean international midfielder Clarence Acuna.

Now Robson needs a partner for Shearer, as well as a quality centre-half to play alongside Aaron Hughes.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

Answers

Well he's got Carl Cort to play alongside Alan Shearer and Alan Goma to play alongside Aaron Hughes. What he does need is something to help us break the injury jinx (if it is that). We need a bit of luck and players to play more than 2 games in a row. Wouldn't it be excellent if there was competition for places? Now I think it's more of a case of I'll get a game soon as someone's bound to be injured. I remember the Liverpool players once saying that they daren't get injured as they probably wouldn't get back in the team again. Sadly, that doesn't really seem to happen with us.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

That's a very good point Kegsy. When Cort is fit it will be him and Shearer up front with Cordone or Lua-Lua coming off the bench, hardly going to fill his boots with that one.

Goma also knows if fit he is going to play until heaven help us Dabs gets fit. We need a CB and a CF with a decent left winger. I heard that Mark Kennedy would be available from Man City. A very talented underachieving player who Bobby could make good and would cost under 2 million.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

I'd certainly would go for Kennedy. Is he that cheap? He did a good match for city the other day.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

I fully expect YBR to do the honeourable thing after a home defeat by the Mackems. No Flowers.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

No flowers!?

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

It would be great if we could get Pahars! Unfortunately, I have a better chance of winning the lottery.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

Has he resigned yet?

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

15 goals from 14 league games.

Speaks volumes.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000