Given gets second bout of penalty blues

NEWCASTLE keeper Shay Given was heading back for Tyneside last night having suffered a second bout of penalty shoot-out misery in the Far East.

Despite saving superbly from international team-mate Damien Duff and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink from the spot, the 27-year-old was unable to prevent Chelsea snatching a 5-4 FA Premier League Asia Cup final win on penalties as Jermaine Jenas proved the villain.

Given found himself in a similar situation in South Korea last summer as the Republic of Ireland’s remarkable World Cup campaign came to a sad end in a shoot-out defeat by Spain.

“When I was in the Far East last year, I was in a team which lost a penalty shoot-out and now the same has happened again 12 months later,” he said.

“Spain, of course, beat the Republic of Ireland in South Korea last year in the World Cup on penalties, so I suppose you could say I have no luck with this sort of thing.

“But at least this time I had the consolation of saving a couple of the penalties from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and my Republic of Ireland international colleague Damien Duff.

“I know Damien very well, of course, and when he came up to take his penalty I laughed and said ‘I know where you are going to put it’.

“He kept his head down and wouldn’t look at me and I guessed right. But Damien’s a good lad and a tremendous player and I’m sure he will be a revelation at Chelsea.”

Given, who sat out his side’s first game as Steve Harper was given a rare opportunity, was in fine form throughout the match to deny Hasselbaink and strike partner Eidur Gudjohnsen on several occasions.

But his efforts in the humidity of the Kuala Lumpur night took their toll.

“People think that goalkeepers stand around for a lot of the time in a game, but I still lost five kilos out there and I certainly wouldn’t want to play a full season in those conditions,” he admitted.

“In fact I had to change my gloves four times in the match because they were drenched in sweat.”

Meanwhile, the Magpies will play in front of full houses once again next season after it was revealed that they have sold 42,200 season tickets and have a waiting list of around 3,000.

The club has managed to cut the existing waiting list for season tickets by 2,500 for the new season.

Three thousand seats have to be put aside for travelling supporters for the Premiership campaign with 4,500 being taken care of by the occupants of executive boxes and a further 2,500 being put on general sale for each game, taking the total to a capacity 52,200.