STEVEN Taylor believes unity between the boardroom and dressing room has contributed to Newcastle United's stirring start to the season.

And he has thanked managing director Derek Llambias for “staying out” of team business this term.

United are unbeaten in eight games and sitting fourth in the early Premier League standings, a terrific beginning to the campaign considering the difficult summer the club endured.

Taylor believes that can partially be accounted for by the conclusion of a long-standing bonus row that caused a “divide” between a strong group of players and management for most of last season.

A disagreement over the size and terms of the bonus sheet was an open sore at times last year, with senior players making a stand and refusing to reach an agreement with the club’s hierarchy.

Indeed, club owner Mike Ashley was prepared to give the money set aside for the players to the training ground staff if the club hit the top-10 target which would have triggered payments.

United manager Alan Pardew led from the front in trying to broker an agreement this summer, a successful effort that

Taylor believes has healed some of the wounds from the long-standing argument.

“Yeah, we’ll definitely benefit from (stability),” he said.

“Last season you probably read the chairman and the players couldn’t come to an agreement about bonuses. We had a bit of a divide between the chairman and the players last year. That doesn’t help.

“At the start of this season we sat down with the gaffer and I think it’s important that you have the chairman on your side. He’s been great with us, sat us down and given the lads their bonuses for this season straight away. He has just kept himself to himself, hasn’t bothered the players – (he) has let us concentrate on the pitch and let the gaffer do his job.

“So that’s what you want, it’s been good for us this season.”