Shepherd wants his Magpies to swoop

NEWCASTLE chairman Freddy Shepherd has ordered Bobby Robson’s battle-scarred troops to forget about licking their wounds and make their season one to remember.

United have been left limping into the end of an eventful campaign with four certain starters confined to the treatment room and a crippling inability to win games away from St James' Park threatening to derail their bid for Champions League qualification and UEFA Cup glory.

Saturday's Premiership defeat at Manchester City, coupled with wins 24 hours later for closest rivals Liverpool and Aston Villa, left the Magpies off the pace in the race for fourth place.