Newcastle fans have had to wait a long time before seeing Sol Campbell start a game for the Newcastle first team.

Sol Campbell – first start for Newcastle tomorrow night

But that will happen tomorrow night at Stamford Bridge when the lads take on a strong Chelsea side that has already scored 21 goals in their first 5 league games, and have a goal difference of 20.

Chris Hughton talked about Sol today:

“All the things that we already knew about Sol he has demonstrated since being here,”    “He’s a player of very good experience, he’s good around the place, good on the training pitch – probably the only disappointment is that we got him as late as we did.”

“Up until this moment, he hasn’t been up to speed re his fitness. Everything else we’ve been delighted with.”   “What you have at 36 is what you don’t have as a younger player and that’s experience. The position is a position of experience.”

“Would he be as good an athlete as he was when he was a younger? You can ask the same question of any player that plays in any position.”  “But what he is, is a player of great experience and the position he plays, that’s certainly a plus, more so than a minus, that’s for certain.”

“He’s ready and available, yes. It’ll be a nice game for the XI that start down there.” “I’ll have a squad that every single one of them will want to start down there.”

Hughton was able to secure the services of Campbell in the summner when other clubs were after the experienced and still very good player, and of course those clubs included Arsenal and Sunderland.

But with Newcastle’s center-back pairing of Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson one of the huge successes so far this season, Sol will not automatically be a starter at the club, unless either Mike or Fab see a decline in their form.

And Campbell will have to impress big time against Chelsea, if he is to make the starting eleven in the Magpies’ next game at home to Stoke City this Sunday afternoon.

Hughton continued:

“Sol is a very confident player and confident in his own ability. He doesn’t just see himself playing at a good level this season, he’s planning on going on longer.”

“Where he’s been fortunate over the years is that he’s avoided the big injuries and that’s allowed him to play at the level that he is now. He wouldn’t be the only one that’s played at this age – you look at the likes of David Weir.”

“I don’t know if he will be a regular by the end of the season. You’re looking at too many aspects – form, injury. What we have at the moment is very good form by Colo and Williamson and that’s something that’s been a real pleasing aspect for me.”

“Sol is very much part of a squad that’s competing. How many games he’ll get, we’ll see. He was an Arsenal regular last season.”   “Not that I needed persuasion to take him, but if you’re somebody that’s played games at Arsenal last season – and we’re all very conscious of where Arsenal are and where we are – then he must be doing something right.”

“The pleasing thing is that he’s a good influence around here, a positive influence. When you look around the changing room, that’s something we’ve consistently said.”  “We’ve got a lot of experience and a lot of big players. Other players look around and see Sol there and it gives us a big lift.”

Sol will certainly be a great influence at Newcastle, and especially for the youngsters coming through, but even Mike Williamson has said he will learn a lot from Sol, with training with the former England International every day, and it will be interesting to see whether Mike or Fab start alongside Sol tomorrow night in London.

We would expect Williamson to get the game, and that he continues his amazing form since he arrived on Tyneside last January.

Comments welcome.