GLENN Roeder was manager of Newcastle United for just 15 months, but the lasting impression he left on Steve Harper is why the goalkeeper refuses to rest easily until the Magpies are well clear of 40 points.

While others might talk of top-half finishes or Europa League campaigns, Newcastle’s players have remained steadfastly focused on one goal in their first season back in the Premier League: avoiding relegation.

Common sense tells you the Magpies should be playing top-flight football next term, but Harper refuses to accept the job is done until Newcastle have reached his personal safety mark. Thanks to Roeder, it is not the accepted 40 points.

Roeder’s West Ham United were famously relegated with 42 points in 2002-03, the highest of any Premier League team since the top flight reverted to 20 teams in 1995. It is something the Londoner never tired of telling people in his next management posting, at St James’ Park from 2006-2007, and why Harper is setting his sights higher than is traditionally the case.

“It has happened in the past that teams have gone down with 40 points, even 42,” cautioned Harper, whose Newcastle team are currently tenth with 36 points. “Glenn Roeder used to tell us every day he took a team down with 42 points at West Ham. So that may well be the case again this season.”

The Magpies have nine matches to improve their tally, starting with Saturday’s trip to Stoke City, where they will be looking for only their second win in ten games.

“There remains a lot of work to be done and we are expecting nothing but a tough game at Stoke, which is always a difficult place to go,” he commented.

“After that, we’ve got home games against Wolves, Birmingham and West Brom (all currently in the bottom five), and they’re going to be big games. We’ve also got Manchester United at home and they’re chasing for the title.”