Sun, Star, Mirror etc this AM:

BOBBY ROBSON is cracking the whip on his shamed Newcastle stars on their sunshine break in Spain.

The Toon Army boss has been furious with the players since the 2-0 defeat at Charlton on Sunday.

Robson sent his players to bed just after seven and stopped them from drinking on the first three days of their break in La Manga.

He launched into them in the dressing-room after the game, on their way to Spain and again during their week-long trip.

The players have been sent to their rooms after the evening meal on the first two nights at the La Manga complex.

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd, who is also with the party on the £100,000 trip, said: "Bobby has continued to read the riot act since we arrived here.

"This is no holiday for the players. It's been work, work, work. Bobby has got them running their socks off.

"I've hardly seen them because they are out training most of the time. Then Bobby has insisted the players go to their rooms after dinner.

"The players have got to realise performances like this are not acceptable and I think they do.

"It was embarrassing and I felt sorry for our fans, especially those who had travelled all the way to South London.

"We don't play again until a week on Saturday and the players know they owe our fans in a big way."

Skipper Alan Shearer is also on the trip in a bid to step up his fitness levels after a knee op.

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2001

Answers

If you send that bunch of w**kers to bed at 7.00pm they will all come back blind :-))

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2001

Does this mean we're getting back on the not-so-magic transfer roundabout to sign that spring-like French striker Zebedee? Perhaps Dougal has some inside info?

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2001