Parker to lead Magpies as Given gets deputy role

NEWCASTLE have appointed midfielder Scott Parker their new captain following the retirement of Alan Shearer.

Magpies manager Glenn Roeder also revealed Irish international goalkeeper Shay Given will be vice-captain at St James’ Park.

Parker, 25, will lead the Magpies out against Lillestrom — managed by former Manchester City striker Uwe Rosler — in the Intertoto Cup at St James’ Park today, with goalkeeper Shay Given acting as his deputy.

Roeder said: “It’s such a big honour, and in Scott and Shay, they have all the qualities I was looking for. However, Shay’s position as a goalkeeper came into it and obviously Scott as a central midfielder is more in touch with the whole side.”

Roeder, meanwhile, is refusing to feel sorry for himself despite having been robbed of Michael Owen after his devastating knee injury while on World Cup duty with England.

Newcastle have been linked with a growing list of potential targets, including Ruud van Nistelrooy, Fernando Torres, Jermain Defoe, Darren Bent, Dirk Kuyt, Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

But as he prepared for today’s clash with Lillestrom, Roeder put on a brave face.

He said: “We are all hugely disappointed, to say the least about what happened to Michael.

“We have got to pick ourselves up and stride forward without Michael.”