Staying up is new priority for Steve

Mar 19 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

HE has spent much of his career waiting for opportunities to prove he is a Premier League goalkeeper, but now Steve Harper must help prove Newcastle United deserve to be in the top flight.

Harper’s great friend and rival Shay Given travelled to Munich yesterday to finally have an operation on his troublesome groin after three weeks of waiting to see whether the injury would repair itself with rest.

It is a frustrating time for the Irishman, who is expected to be out for at least six weeks and is highly unlikely to play again this season. But it means Harper could go on to make more than 20 appearances for Newcastle for the second successive campaign, a feat he had never managed before in his 15 years at St James’s Park.

United, though, will hope the Easington-born shot-stopper does not suffer any injury scares between now and May as they only have the as yet untried 19-year-old Fraser Forster for cover as Tim Krul suffered a dislocated shoulder while on loan at Scottish First Division side Falkirk.

Given is believed to have contemplated the possibility of surgery when he first suffered a reaction to a niggling groin injury during the 5-1 defeat by Manchester United last month.

The 31-year-old was determined to postpone an operation until the summer, but he may now have to be content with trying to win his place back next season – assuming Newcastle build on their battling 1-1 draw with Birmingham City and avoid relegation.

A club statement said yesterday: “After consultation with Dr Ulrike Muschaweck, Shay Given will have surgery in Munich to cure his recurrent groin problems. He is expected to make a full recovery and will be absent for a six-week period.”

Harper has always been a more than able deputy to Given, but he will have an important role to play in the next few weeks. And the 33-year-old knows the Magpies must continue to play like they did in the second half against Birmingham when they look for three points against Fulham at St James’s Park on Saturday.

He said: “We were slightly disappointed not to have won the game, but it was a big point. It stops the rot, but it will mean nothing if we don’t win against Fulham.

“It was nice going home without that sickening feeling of losing another game and it gives us a bit of momentum going into Saturday. It’s about time we bounced back from going a goal behind. It would have been nice to have won, but it was important not to lose. When people have been pointing fingers and asking questions, it’s good to show character.”

Meanwhile, Newcastle fans have again had plans thrown into disarray by the television companies after two of United’s remaining eight games this season were belatedly moved for live coverage.

United’s long and difficult trip to Portsmouth will now kick off at 5:15pm on Setanta on Saturday April 12 instead of 3pm, which means fans will not be able to get back to the North East on the train straight after the game.

The Tyne-Wear derby, having initially been ignored by both Sky and Setanta, will now take place on Sunday, April 20 so Sky can show it live at 1.30pm.