Strikers must earn famous shirt

Feb 5 2010 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

NEWCASTLE United’s number nine jersey will remain unfilled this season for the first time since numbered shirts were introduced in 1939 as Chris Hughton revealed he had deliberately left it vacant until someone proves they deserve to wear it.

Leon Best is the latest centre-forward to have avoided the honour after agreeing with Hughton that he had to earn the right to don a shirt which has been worn by some of the greatest strikers English football has ever seen, including Jackie Milburn, Andy Cole and Alan Shearer. Hughton said: “It’s one of the most iconic shirts around and it’s something I’ve done deliberately. What we have is a lot of strikers here and I’m quite sure that every single one of them would have wanted to wear the number nine.

“It’s been a decision – and my decision – and it’s a bit of everything. When I came to this club I was made aware – not that I didn’t already know – what the number nine meant to this club and it’s a combination of a few things. For some, I think it can be a heavy number to carry, a burden if you like, and wearing it is an achievement which I want somebody to grow into. I want somebody to earn the right to be Newcastle’s number nine.

“It’s a combination of a lot of things, but it’s been my decision.”

Hughton, though, is confident one of his current crop of forwards will step up to take on that challenge in the future with Best already indicating he would relish the chance to follow in some illustrious footsteps.

Hughton said: “I certainly don’t anticipate years going past without a number nine at this club. In saying that, what I don’t want to suggest is that the strikers we’ve got here aren’t worthy of that position or that number.

“It certainly isn’t that. That would give people the wrong thoughts of how I think about them. Each of them has a real strong value to this football club and that’s why they’re all here.”