Alan Pardew makes juts the one enforced change today with Steven Taylor coming in for the injured Mike Williamson.
It’s a good chance for local lad Steven Taylor to show his manager he’s still as good as he was a couple of years ago, and Steven will get to add to his 11 appearances for Newcastle this season.
Tim Krul again gets the nod in goal, and Shola Ameobi and Peter Lovenkrands remain as the two up front strikers.
A small surprise is a place in the bench for young local lad, midfielder Ryan Donaldson, with other teenagers on the bench including James Tavernier, Shane Ferguson and Nile Ranger.
Newcastle will not get a better chance this season for a win than today, and Birmingham have been very poor on the road all season, with just a couple of wins.
For Birmingham, former Newcastle players Stephen Carr and Lee Bowyer start, and Newcastle transfer target Seb Larsson is also in the starting line-up up front as a striker.
Spurs loan player David Bentley gets a position on the bench this week.
Newcastle owe their fans a committed performance this afternoon, and if they can reach somewhere near their best form should be able to win this game.
Howay The Lads!!
Teams:
Newcastle: Krul; Simpson, Taylor (S), Coloccini, Enrique; Barton, Tiote, Nolan (c), Gutierrez; Ameobi, Lovenkrands
Subs: Harper,Tavernier, Ferguson, Taylor (R), Donaldson, Ranger, Kuqi
Birmingham:Foster: Johnson, Jiránek, Ridgewell, Carr; Ferguson, Bowyer, Fahey, Beausejour; Larsson Jerome
Subs: Parnaby, Phillips, Hleb, Bentley, Doyle, Davies, Derbyshire
NUFC News 24/7 
411 comments so far
NUFC STEVE
May 7, 2011 at 2:18 PM
Comment #1First!!!
ToonDownSouth
May 7, 2011 at 2:19 PM
Comment #2I hope Pards lives up to his reputation of being good with young talent.
Lallana at Southampton had options to go to Championship and Premiership teams, but wanted to stay at Saints because he rated Pardew so highly.
geoff777
May 7, 2011 at 2:19 PM
Comment #3Is Airey injured?
I’d rather see him getting a chance than Kuqi.
NUFC STEVE
May 7, 2011 at 2:19 PM
Comment #4I don’t know how he can play that exact team again after Liverpool !!!!UNBELIEVEABLE!!!!
ToonDownSouth
May 7, 2011 at 2:20 PM
Comment #5Wickham scores for Ipswich. I want that lad up front for us next year.
Stuart
May 7, 2011 at 2:26 PM
Comment #6Simple really NUFC STEVE, hes got no choice. Due to injuries and our tiny squad as it is we basically have 11 first team players and the youth lads.
Best team he could put out, unfortunately.
geoff777
May 7, 2011 at 2:26 PM
Comment #7@toondownsouth
My prediction … Elmander, Bothroyd on frees and the big buy – Carlton Cole.
But then I don’t think Ashley will spend the 35m never mind the money from two transfer windows.
Much rather see Wickham in myself.
CheickTiote
May 7, 2011 at 2:28 PM
Comment #8@steve
He’s got no choice mate, unless ofcourse he wants to field a under 18s team.
Our main problem, and has been for the last two seasons is that if a player plays badly then they’re still playing next game aswell, no insentive to do well. Unlike last year when apparently the competition for places was fierce. Now there is no competition at all! And many players just go AWOL.
ToonDownSouth
May 7, 2011 at 2:29 PM
Comment #9I dont think Ashley would sanction paying money for anyone of those players ages. But I know your worries.
Personally I think we’ll be nicely surprised. Graham Hunter on Revista La Liga said we’ve put in a bid for Osvaldo of Espanyol – but there’s always a worry that that’s just a ploy for season ticket sales.
cheikmate
May 7, 2011 at 2:29 PM
Comment #10i wud like to see ferguson, ranger and tavernier all start in the last game like. its bin this exact team lineup for months and its so inconsistent.
Any links for the game anyone ??
GeordieGerman
May 7, 2011 at 2:30 PM
Comment #11NUFC STEVE, I’m just hoping that they are feeling guilty and want to put things right.
coolcatcarter89
May 7, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Comment #12Ferguson and Ranger should be starting.
GeordieGerman
May 7, 2011 at 2:32 PM
Comment #13Hope to see lovenkrands and Shola get into double figures today. 😀
ToonDownSouth
May 7, 2011 at 2:32 PM
Comment #14Yeah I don’t blame Pardew too much for sticking. I don’t think we can all assume that all our youngsters are Premier League quality.
I do worry that if we had a couple of better CM’s, I’m not sure if Pards would have the balls to drop Nolan or Barton. They’ve both been SO bad lately, but they appear to have a lot of influence.
I’m a big fan of Guthrie, but he hasn’t got a look in this season. Funny how when he played against Manchester United instead of Nolan, we play fast attacking football (in the first half).
coolcatcarter89
May 7, 2011 at 2:33 PM
Comment #15They’re playing 4-5-1. Nolan will be swamped.
CheickTiote
May 7, 2011 at 2:33 PM
Comment #16@toondownsouth
Most of the season tickets will get bought anyway, especially with this price freeze and incentives the club are offering. So I probably think that our bid for Osvaldo was to get him here.
Baro
May 7, 2011 at 2:40 PM
Comment #17We will win this and get all 3 points!!
ToonDownSouth
May 7, 2011 at 2:41 PM
Comment #18I’d hope so. I think Pardew (and us too I guess) may have over estimated the pull of the club. It worries me hearing that we’ve ben turned down in almost every approach we’ve made so far.
Although I understand that it’s probably all garbage spewed out bu newspapers, unhappy that Barton and Rooney haven’t done anything of interest to write about lately.
Wickham’s meant to (according to wikipedia, the most reliable source ever, I know) have a buy out clause, believed to be about 15 mil. Don’t think we’d stick that much cash up!
gonz
May 7, 2011 at 2:42 PM
Comment #19@ cheickmate,
http://atdhenet.tv/ usually has every football game available, sometimes it isn’t the best quality, but it never fails. Also Veetle is a good one to find most games aswell.
Baro
May 7, 2011 at 2:42 PM
Comment #20STEVEN TAYLOR TO SCORE FIRST GOAL! A HEADER OF COURSE! I REALLY MISS US SCORING GOALS OFF OF CORNERS.
Baro
May 7, 2011 at 2:43 PM
Comment #21MARK MY WORDS….
“STEVEN TAYLOR WILL SCORE…”
ToonDownSouth
May 7, 2011 at 2:43 PM
Comment #22@ Baro, that’s the type of enthusiasm I like to see! 😛
roshan MAGPIE
May 7, 2011 at 2:48 PM
Comment #23he should have given Airey a place in the bench
hainesy
May 7, 2011 at 2:48 PM
Comment #24If we score ONE I will cry 🙂
shearermania
May 7, 2011 at 2:51 PM
Comment #25geordie german….
hows those beers tasting……
shola and loverpants in double figures
kuqi and nolan upfront..
you should be a comedian hehe
Partizan
May 7, 2011 at 2:52 PM
Comment #26Baro…I hope he scores in the right net 🙂
Steve_48
May 7, 2011 at 2:52 PM
Comment #27Any decent link today lads?
gonz
May 7, 2011 at 2:54 PM
Comment #28@Steve_48, http://atdhenet.tv/
Steve_48
May 7, 2011 at 2:56 PM
Comment #29Cheesrs Gonz the one below is also ok ATM
http://www.eusoccertv.com/
cheikmate
May 7, 2011 at 2:59 PM
Comment #30cheers gonz
arcarius
May 7, 2011 at 3:01 PM
Comment #31thx steve_48, smooth link but i cant understand shite
gorskino10
May 7, 2011 at 3:02 PM
Comment #32good luck lads
Stuart
May 7, 2011 at 3:02 PM
Comment #33Any english links kicking around?
Thump
May 7, 2011 at 3:04 PM
Comment #34Looks like atdhe.tv thinks we’re West Ham and Blackburn.
rknufc
May 7, 2011 at 3:05 PM
Comment #35ny english linkssS?
aDeadlyTicTac
May 7, 2011 at 3:06 PM
Comment #36http://realtvsport.com/channel-4.php
Perfect for me.
Thump
May 7, 2011 at 3:10 PM
Comment #37@TicTac: Palemoon can’t find the server at http://www.realtvsport.com.
gorskino10
May 7, 2011 at 3:10 PM
Comment #38in these 8 minutes how many times has Strolla lost the ball? doing his typical role then 🙁
ToonHero
May 7, 2011 at 3:10 PM
Comment #39i havent been less excited about a newcastle attack force, ever.
gonz
May 7, 2011 at 3:10 PM
Comment #40http://stjamesstream.blogspot.com/ english commentary. the others are in foreign language, but I shall try the realtvsport one aswell. thanks