Confirmed: Woodgate To Miss Euro 2004

By Matthew Jones
May 1 2004

Newcastle United and England defender Jonathan Woodgate, will definately miss England's Euro 2004 challenge due to a torn thigh muscle picked up in the Magpies' victory against Chelsea last weekend.

At the time, he was ruled out of the rest of the season and there was a chance that the ace would miss England's summer campaign in Portugal, although Sir Bobby refused to rule his centre-back out of the competition at that stage.

Earlier this week though, Sir Bobby admitted that his defender was unlikely recover in time for the competition and it was feared that it would be another three months beforehe would be fit again.

On Friday, Woodgate visited a specialist in muscle tears, where it was confirmed that his injury would not heal in time to make Sven Goran Eriksson's squad.

It is beleived now that Chelsea defender John Terry will partner Arsenal's Sol Campbell at the competition.