Bramble warns Sir Bobby Robson

By Matthew Jones
January 16 2003

Bramble needs more match pratcice before making a comeback. He feels that he isn;t ready to be considered a 'first-team' player until Feb. He admits that he feels fine but would like to play a few more reserve games to keep himself as fit as possible.

Titus Bramble has warned boss Sir Bobby Robson that he is too short of match practice to be considered for a first-team return until February.

The defender made his long-awaited comeback from a hamstring injury in Tuesday night's reserve-team defeat against Manchester City.

But having been sidelined for almost three months, former Ipswich starlet Bramble claims he will need at least two more second-string matches before he is ready for the Premiership.
But with Newcastle's reserves next in action on 20 January and then 1 February, it seems likely to be next month before Bramble will feel capable of returning to first-team action.

"I feel fine. It's good to be back playing again and to get 90 minutes under my belt," he said.

"The main thing was to make sure my hamstring was all right, and I've no problem with that. Now I have to keep working hard in training and have another couple of reserve games, and then hopefully I'll be ready."