Shola has Boro in his sights
SHOLA Ameobi has Middlesbrough in his sights after coming through a behind-closed-doors game for Newcastle United.
Ameobi played 55 minutes of a specially-arranged friendly against Hibernian at the club's Benton HQ yesterday, aimed at boosting his fitness ahead of Sunday's Tyne-Tees derby.
Boss Chris Hughton is without the suspended Andy Carroll, and Ameobi – who made a goalscoring comeback from injury against Coventry City last midweek – is primed for a start, having sat out Saturday's 2-2 draw at Barnsley.
And owner Mike Ashley was among those who watched Nile Ranger and Wesley Ngo Baheng score in a 2-2 draw with the Scottish Premier League club yesterday.
"Shola's a big player for us, and he's spent a lot of time out with a delicate injury," Hughton told the Gazette.
"He's a local lad, and well aware of the significance of games like this, but what we have got is a lot of competition as far as strikers are concerned.
"All of the lads in that department have done well. Marlon (Harewood) came off the bench and scored so it was great for him. It didn't turn out to be the winner for us.
"We've got Nile who is a player learning his trade, and Peter's experience too, so we've got the options."
Reserve team coach Alan Thompson fielded two trialists from the Faroe Islands yesterday – Christian Mouritsen and Johan Edmundsson,
Mouritsen, 21, is a former Manchester City Academy player, while Edmundsson is a full Faroe Islands international, and the pair were recommended by former Republic of Ireland international Brian Kerr.
Hughton was Kerr's assistant during his spell in charge of Ireland.
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Weather for South Shields
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -3 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -2 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South
