Ambrose hails League talent

Newcastle midfielder Darren Ambrose has warned his team-mates not to write off the Nationwide League’s biggest talents as they prepare to lock horns with Blackburn new boy Jon Stead.

The 19-year-old, who was signed from First Division Ipswich for £1.5m (€2.2m) by Bobby Robson, knows the step up to the Barclaycard Premiership can be made swiftly, as derby rivals Middlesbrough discovered to their cost on Saturday.

Stead, who until a few days earlier had been playing for Third Division Huddersfield, announced his arrival in the top flight with the only goal at the Riverside Stadium to clinch three valuable points for Rovers.

Newcastle head for Ewood Park tonight having climbed into the top four for the first time this season with Saturday’s 3-1 win over Leicester and hoping for a repeat and Ambrose is well aware of the threat Stead could pose.

“Jon Stead scored the only goal for Blackburn at the weekend,” he said. “He’s a good player who was unheard of, really.

“He scored a lot of goals in the Third Division, but he’s come up and shown he can do it here. There are a lot of good players in the Nationwide, so you never know.

“The talent that comes from abroad is amazing – we’ve got a lot of players at Newcastle that are so talented that have come in from abroad, and so have other clubs.

“But you can’t overlook the Nationwide. There’s a lot of talent there.”

Ambrose could find himself the main beneficiary of Nolberto Solano’s recent £1.5m (€2.2m) move to Aston Villa as he attempts to win himself the right-wing berth at St James’ Park.

His presence at the club was one of the reasons why manager Robson allowed the South American to leave, and although he knows he faces stiff competition, he is relishing the task of forcing his way into the manager’s plans.

“[Solano] was a great player and he was loved by a lot of people.

“He’s going to be missed a lot, but he’s gone and it’s opened up the chance for me, although there’s still competition and I’m not going to be guaranteed this place.

“The competition is immense at the moment. There’s loads of talented players at the club, but that makes a good squad.

“Anyone that gets injured, other people can come in, so it’s a good time for Newcastle.”

Solano and Frenchman Laurent Robert have made the wing berths their own in recent seasons, and although Ambrose admires both, he insists he will play his own game.

“I don’t think I’m either of those players,” he said.

“I’ve got my own way of playing and I’m not going to try to be like either of the two. Hopefully, people won’t see me as one of them.

“Both wingers need to go forward a lot more and get the crosses in and we need to score a lot more from open play.

“If I get my chance, I’ll be trying to get a lot of crosses in for Alan Shearer and the other centre-forward.”

Newcastle have fitness doubts over defender Jonathan Woodgate and midfielder Robert for the trip to Blackburn, although Craig Bellamy could make his first start since October 4 after recovering from knee surgery.