ALAN Pardew has called for Steven Taylor to be handed an England recall – because he believes he belongs with Chris Smalling and Phil Jones in the “new breed” of top class English centre-halves.

After two years of intense injury frustration Taylor has returned to his best form under Pardew’s tutelage, extending the excellent run at the end of last season into the first five games of this campaign.

Taylor was Newcastle’s man of the match in front of the watching England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce and likely next Three Lions chief Harry Redknapp at Loftus Road on Monday, prompting Pardew to call for his inclusion in the run up to Euro 2012.

While the United boss is aware that the rise of Jones, Smalling and Bolton’s Gary Cahill makes it a competitive position to break into the national team set-up, he feels Taylor deserves a chance.

“I would put (Steven Taylor) in with the top centre-halves. I think Terry and Ferdinand have been absolutely outstanding but now there is a new batch coming through and Steven should be in that batch.

“I am not saying he should be a starter but I think he should certainly be in that batch.”

It is a personal triumph for the boss too, for Pardew has played a central role in the renaissance of the Academy graduate. The defender was deadlocked on his contract and available for transfer when Pardew took over but within weeks a new long-term deal was agreed and Taylor was back in the first team picture.