Steve Harper: Promotion is our first priority

Nov 26 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

“The majority of the time we have managed to do that, but we have to continue to do so. We’ve put a good little run together. We had a little blip in October but we have recovered from that.

“Colin Calderwood has a lot of experience of this division and he breaks the season into mini-runs of games. The teams that get out of this division are the ones who put little runs together, win home and away – and the only two who have managed to do that this season are West Brom and ourselves.

“That’s why we are at the top of the league. We’ve got two home games now to kick on and open up even more of a gap.

“Questions were asked of us after WBA beat an in-form Bristol City side last weekend, but we have answered them again at Preston.”

Given Newcastle stereotypes about the love of attacking football on Tyneside, it will surprise some to know that Newcastle’s success this season has been built on a solid defence.

During the days of the Entertainers under Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson, Newcastle defenders were often given a hard time by the critics, but the Magpies have kept nine clean sheets this term with a team which knows the value of remaining solid rather than swashbuckling.

Harper added: “When I first started John Burridge said a clean sheet is like a striker’s hat-trick for a goalkeeper so I’ve been delighted with the last two away games.

“It was a great team effort at Preston. It’s a difficult place to go and it wasn’t made any easier by the strong winds and the rain on the night.

“But we are well prepared, we knew what to expect and they never really looked like scoring. I never had anything particularly difficult to do and it was a fantastic effort.

“We know, with the firepower we have, with a fantastic finisher like Kevin Nolan who got the goal again the other night, we know when we go away from home, if we stay in the game for as long as possible, we are likely to create chances and get a goal.”