Chris Hughton relief as United beat flu bug

Oct 14 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

“Everyone else is okay. Jose Enrique is fine – he is back training and will play at Forest. Danny Simpson has not trained so much lately, but he trained on Wednesday. Danny Guthrie missed a day last week after he got a kick, but he is fine, while Nile Ranger has had a virus and missed England duty.”

Meanwhile, emerging United star Andy Carroll has revealed he almost left the club before he had ever come close to making a first-team debut after spending two years playing at left-back.

The 20-year-old from Gateshead has been the find of the season in the Championship and scored his first goals for the England under-21 side against Macedonia last week.

The youngster may well have ended up on the scrapheap as a professional footballer as United’s Academy coaches mistakenly decided he was better used as a defender.

He explained: “I started as a striker when I was a kid, but then when I came to Newcastle’s Academy there were so many strikers – and I was left-footed so I got put at the back!

“I stayed there for two seasons, but I showed my colours in training and started scoring goals and they gave me a chance up front.

“I have done some growing since I was a kid. They did put me in as a centre-back a few times, but I always thought that striker has been my position.

“I always wanted to be a centre-forward, and if people think I am an old-fashioned sort then fine. The club found me and scouted me as a striker, so it has worked out really well.”