Pancrate and Hall face the Magpies exit door

May 5 2010 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

FABRICE Pancrate will become the first casualty of Newcastle United’s triumphant Premier League return as he will not have his contract renewed.

United are also unlikely to turn Fitz Hall’s loan move from Queen’s Park Rangers into a permanent deal as manager Chris Hughton – who met managing director Derek Llambias yesterday as part of ongoing transfer budget talks – begins to trim the squad which emerged from a difficult Championship campaign with such credit.

Pancrate, signed as a free agent back in November, has been a peripheral member of the squad ever since Wayne Routledge moved to Tyneside in January.

He made just eight starts – five in the league – and struggled to even make the bench towards the end of the season.

The Frenchman, released by Paris Saint Germain last summer, was brought in as an extra body to offer cover on the right wing and has played his part in the promotion push.

However, despite scoring a wonder goal against Watford back in December, when he beat two defenders and lashed the ball into the roof of the net on the turn, he has failed to prove he is good enough for a regular place as a Championship player, let alone the Premier League.

Hughton knows that money is going to be limited this season and although Pancrate is only on a few thousand pounds a week – a pittance compared to some of the wage packets at the club – his departure will still free up vital cash.

The 30-year signed a short-term contract with the option of another year if both parties agreed; Newcastle have indicated they will not take up that option.

Hall’s situation is a little more complicated. The centre-back has looked a

decent player when he has been drafted into the defence following his arrival in January, but Hughton wants to look at other options.

United will be in the market for a new centre-back this summer as Hughton wants four senior players in that position and is still not certain Steven Taylor will sign the contract extension that will be offered this summer.

As Hall has not been first choice at any time on Tyneside – he has been kept out of the team by Mike Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini despite Taylor’s long-term injury – he will be sent back to London this week.

Nevertheless, should United’s transfer strategy begin to unravel, Hughton has not ruled out the possibility of bringing Hall back to add cover in the Premier League, a division he last played in for Crystal Palace in 2005.

Hall is another who would like to stay at Newcastle, but Hughton knows he has to be ruthless and it remains to be seen whether Leon Best has done enough to keep his place in the squad.

Best has not scored in 13 appearances since signing from Coventry in January. His form has not been good enough to persuade anyone he is capable of making the step up to the Premier League.

The Republic of Ireland international cost £1.5m at the start of the year, but Newcastle will accept less than that if a Championship club is willing to take the striker off their hands before the start of next season.

Meanwhile, one of the players looking to replace Hall in the squad is Motherwell defender Mark Reynolds, and the Scot has confirmed that he is likely to play his last game against Hibernian tonight. Reynolds has been watched several times by Newcastle scouts this season, although he refused to reveal his likely destination.

He said: “It’s out of my hands. I have a year left at Motherwell and we need to see what happens in the summer. If someone comes in, it would be something I’d have to consider.

“I have played four years at Motherwell and been involved in practically every game in that period. That’s 170-odd games and two European campaigns.

“There is not much left to do. That’s no disrespect to the club, but as a player you always want to go and test yourself at the highest level. For me, that point might come this summer.

“Next year, I will be 24 and the club wouldn’t receive any compensation for me if I was to move then. If the club want to cash in, as it were, and get the money for bringing me through then the summer would be the optimum time to do that.”