I don't fear fixture pile-up - Hughton

Jan 11 2010 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

NEWCASTLE United's impending fixture pile-up will not alter the club's transfer strategy this month - but manager Chris Hughton is desperately hoping it does not worsen this week.

The Magpies boss promised there will be no panic buying ahead of the club’s next Championship game, a meeting with West Bromwich Albion a week today which could be crucial to both sides’ title ambitions.

Already in 2010 Newcastle have lost one game – Saturday’s trip to Reading – to the cold weather and gained another with an unwanted FA Cup third round replay at home to Plymouth Argyle.

With the temperatures showing no signs of rising Wednesday’s replay could yet be postponed, making an already congested fixture list even busier.

More games in less time will put greater demands on Newcastle’s squad, but Hughton has not added to his list of January targets – a right-back, centre-back, centre-forward, and a replacement for Geremi if and when the midfielder leaves.

“There are always issues with fixture pile-ups and injuries, and you just have to deal with them along the way,” Hughton said. “It won’t alter our thinking.

“If any of the signings are done before the West Brom game, that’s a bonus. But we’ve got to focus on the games we’ve got coming up against Plymouth and West Brom.

“This game against West Brom could have a big bearing on the title race at the end of the season, but at this moment we don’t know.”

With Newcastle currently locked in a game of brinkmanship with Leeds United over top target Jermaine Beckford, Hughton had no progress to report on the transfer front yesterday.

The Magpies have made a £1.5m “final” offer for 26-year-old Beckford but Leeds – who have title ambitions of their own in League One – have no need to rush the sale of their top-scorer. They will be hoping Beckford’s winning FA Cup goal against Manchester United can entice higher bids, and anyway prefer to land a replacement before selling.