Joe Kinnear has revealed that Newcastle are tracking £2million-rated Matthew Taylor - but has not given up hope of keeping him at Luton.

The Hatters boss, who has already turned down a £600,000 bid from West Brom, says Bobby Robson has watched the 20-year-old defender.

But Kinnear, who's side are already promoted to Division Two, believes there is still a chance that Taylor could be at Kenilworth Road next season.

He said: "Bobby Robson has been here and I think watching Taylor. It will be a massive loss if he does go, but we'll wait and see.

"I've made him another new offer and I've spoken to him a couple of times recently. He's gone home to talk to his father about possibly changing his mind.

"There's a squeak that we can keep Matthew. He's coming round to our way of thinking, so I haven't given up hope and I have a gut feeling the he might still stay, though I could be proven wrong."

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

Answers

Another Pplayer?

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

What's the point? We need experience NOW.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

I don't know anything about him but it would be consistent with Robson's other signings, no idea where that would leave the Caldwells though

Personally I would be happy if we went down to Smogland and tried to sign Southgate, he's playing some of his best football, is a natural leader and would fit into our team nicely.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

We should have signed him from Villa.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

southgate is a cart horse and has to left feet...

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

I believe Taylor is a FB, Kegsy.

Regarding the Caldwells - iniquitously, we may well have lost Gary who has much more potential than Steve.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

Clarky, Taylor's not a LB by any chance, is he?

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

Over the last 2 or 3 years Spurs have adopted a policy of scouring the lower divisions for very good young players, sticking them in the reserves for 12 months to learn their trade and then gradually moving them into the first team. They have done this recently with the excellent Simon Davies (whom they got from Peterborough in a job lot with Matt Etherington) and Anthony Gardner. Both look to have a very good future at Prem level. They have, however, also brought through youngsters of their own like Ledley King.

I'm not holding up Spurs as some sort of ideal to follow, I'm just trying to show that being connected with a youngster in the lower divisions does not mean YBR has lost his marbles.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

Taylor is said to be a leftback with great speed and a nice left foot. I read somewhere that he has scored 10 goals so far this season.

I agree with that Southgate- idea, but we should have bought him from Villa. I've always been a fan of him and i would like to see him in a black and white shirt.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

Bollox to experience, we just need good players. So much crap written and believed about not being good enough until you are old enough.

Tell that to Owen, Beckham, Bellamy, Jenas, Dyer etc etc

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

Generally agree gus, although you do need SOME experience in our side. Nearly all the top clubs have a few players who are first choice that are over 30, such as Keane and Adams.

However if he is good enough, at left back we need quality more than anywhere else at the moment, we should go for it. £600,000 is nowt if we get in the UEFA Cup, never mind the Champions League.

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2002

Taylor according to Joke Innear is the fastest player in the League & is a left back.

The comment about Keane & Adams being 30+ is slightly valid but MU paid a fortune for Keane when he was much younger and Adams was young when he started in the Arse team (I can't remember who he played with but Dizon & Winterburn were both signed young as well.)

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2002

Dixon and Winterburn were both nearly 24 when they signed for the Arse.

Dixon was signed from Stoke for a fee of £400,000(?) which was set by a tribunal. Stoke kicked up a stink saying this was very unfair and he was worth far more - totally forgetting that they had used a similar tribunal to nick him from Bury for a tenth of that fee two years previously!

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2002

Thanks Jacko - I forgot they're even older now - it was still many years ago.

Winterburn is being released by West Ham @ the young age of 38 & still reckons he's worth a shout - showed tremendous maturity by saying he'd be happy with Div 1. I still think they're both a pair of tw*ts but you have to admire somebody getting on with things like he has done.

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2002

But surely there were senior figures in the Man U and Arsenal squads when Keane and Adams were signed? These two have taken the senior roles now but have learned their trade from others. Keane still has a good three years left as well providing he stays injury free. Adams was superb against us but doesn't have long left in his career.

(I was probably about 7 or 8 when Adams and Dixon were signed and had just started to take a real interest in football - my first NUFC poster was of the Newcastle team with Ozzie Ardiles sitting in the middle, things have certainly got better since I started supporting the Toon)

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2002