Last time I went to the training ground on the Saturday before a Sunday game I had the place (and Alan Shearer!) to myself. No chance of that today as it looked like a coach party had arrived, with about a dozen bairns standing by the gate.

Today was apparently an early start and I'd already missed a few of the players. The first one I saw was Aaron Hughes so I got him to sign a piccy especially for Dougal! Shearer was next but seemed to be in a hurry and as usual was surrounded so I went to speak to Kevin Gallacher who had just arrived. I asked if he would be fit to play tomorrow and he said he would. I commented that he'd had rotten luck with injuries and illness - rueful grin, "tell me about it!". Rob Lee was next and I asked if he would be playing tomorrow - "if I'm selected". I asked how preparations for his testimonial were going, "slowly". "Will it be Barcelona?" "I hope so but we haven't heard back from them yet". I congratulated Cristian Bassedas on his goal. He really is a lovely guy, has made a lot of effort to learn English and gave me a nice smile and a wink! I went to take a photo of Steve Harper and he commented "it would help if you took the front off" - I'd left the lens cap on!

Round to the pitch where the resorves were already running around the far side. The keepers arrived and started warming up and practising. The first team then came out and started stretching, jogging etc. before moving across to undertake some passing practice, one-touch, two-touch, run at player and take the ball off them etc. Alan Shearer and Carl Cort came out with Derek Wright and went over to the far side of the pitch. Bobby joined them and stood chatting to DW who seemed to be telling the two strikers what to do. Very confusing trying to watch 4 different things happening on different parts of the only playable pitch! Shearer and Cort were jogging and then kicking a ball between each other. Meanwhile, the main group started a practice game. No sign of Kieron Dyer, which was worrying. Also no Alain Goma. They were possibly working in the gym as both had arrived earlier. Jamie McClen and Olivier Bernard were with the first team. Given and Karelse were in goal so it looks like Harper isn't 100%, although Bobby was asking him later if he was fit enough to be on the bench (according to Clarky!).

The practice game was good, played very fast and mostly on the ground. They were concentrating on using what they had been working on previously with Mick Wadsworth telling them how many touches to take - "two, dos, deux!" Aaron Hughes is getting better at telling people what to do although he isn't a shouter, unlike Stevie Caldwell who at one point was told not to argue with the referee! It ended up a draw at 3-3, although I missed some of the goals as I was watching Shearer on the far side of the pitch who was having a kick-about with Derek Wright and trying to take the ball off him. Amusing to watch a short, fat baldy guy against England's no 1!

Some of the players then drifted off but a number stayed for shooting practice. The yellow men were set up in front of one goal while Nobby, Gavilan and Cordone took free kicks. The other group were running onto the ball as it was dropped by John Carver and shooting from some way out. I was amazed to see Shearer taking part in this but he looked good. Apparently the Journal had reported Given, Lee and Gallacher as being out but they all looked fine to me. Don't believe everything you read in the press!

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2001

Answers

Excellent report, Steph! You sure Harper wasn't prepositioning you? ;-))

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2001

Or propositioning. Or something. Never mind, I'm off to study the dictionary. ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2001

Tee hee!

I was a bit harsh on the Journal -they didn't say anything about Lee - it was Hughes. Who also looked fine!

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2001

You might have missed an opportunity there Steph. Are you sure he was talking about the camera?

Great report. Thanks.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2001

Yeah - great report Steph. Shame I ddn't get there until they'd almost finished. Anyway, Clarky and I had a great chat and I think we've sorted oot aal the Toon's problems. Watch this space..........

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2001

Excellent as ever Steph! (:o)

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2001

Wooh hoo. See you in the Strawberry in about ten minutes, Steph.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2001

LOL: prepositioning you. A great expression, Ciara.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2001

Errrr... I think the last 2 postings were from Dougal pretending to be Ciara to confuse everybody!!

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2001