SIXTH Conjunctivitus Victim

By Matthew Jones
August 11 2004

A sixth employee at the club has fallen ill of the conjunctivitis infection which has already seen Shay Given, Andy O'Brien, Lee Bowyer, Tony Caig and Laurent Robert out of action.

Club physio Derek Wright has now picked up the infection which is quickly spreading throughout the Newcastle camp.  It was also reported today that the Football Association officials could even ask the clubs England internationals to sit out next Wednesday's home friendly against Ukraine in an attempt to prevent the virus spreading nationwide.

It was reported also in the Journal, that Sven could seek an alternative venue for the game.  The FA are still intending to stage the Ukraine friendly at St James's, but the issue will be discussed by board members later this week.

Saturday's Premiership fixture away at Middlesbrough has been the subject of hot discussion recently and the big question is, will the game go ahead?  As things stand, the game WILL go ahead, but a Premier League spokesman explained last night:

"With the current information available to us the fixture will go ahead.

"If we receive any further information we will review the situation as and when those new facts present themselves."

Current rules state that the game could only be postponed if the club could prove that they could not put out a 16-man squad, and with Shay Given returning to training yesterday there should be no problem with that.  The real problem would have arrived if Shay was still out of action, and Steve Harper also contracted the infection.  Reserve team 'keeper Tony Caig also has the infection, so Newcastle would have had to call upon their youth.

Derek Wright did all he could possibly do to try and avoid the infection, and a Magpies' player last night said:

"If Derek can pick it up then anyone can.

"We're all very worried and we were sure Saturday's game would be postponed."