Roeder calls for unity in adversity

BELEAGUERED Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder has admitted he is now trying to find out which players in his squad are ready to knuckle down for the inevitable scrap ahead.

The Magpies turned in an insipid, lifeless display against an ordinary but hard-working Sheffield United two days after excelling in Palermo to slump to second bottom in the table after their worst start to a Premiership campaign.

A sizeable proportion of the 50,188 crowd as St James’ Park vented their anger at chairman Freddy Shepherd and his board both during and, in a prolonged demonstration, after the match.