Given Staying Put - Shepherd and Given Comment

NUFC-London.com
By Matthew Jones
December 16 2004

Newcastle United's Irish goalkeeper Shay Given is 'not for sale'. The international shot-stopper has been linked with a move to Premiership rivals Manchester United, but Magpies' chairman Freddy Shepherd insists that the 28-year-old is not for sale.

Freddy said: "There is absolutely no chance of Shay Given leaving St James' Park and nobody has contacted us about him.

"He is not for sale and that's the end of the story."

Given added: "I am baffled by these reports because I have not spoken to anyone," he said.

"I am as frustrated as anyone by our lack of success but I want to stay and win things with Newcastle."

Meanwhile, it is looking unlikely that defender Jean-Alain Boumsong will join the Magpies after the player said: “I have no great interest in quitting Glasgow at all. I'm very happy at Rangers. I like the physical side of the game in Scotland - it's been good for me already.

“I'm happy to continue my education under Alex McLeish and I enjoy playing in front of our fabulous fans. Frankly, unless Real Madrid were to come in for me, I'm really not interested in moving from Rangers at all."