Southgate Remembers His Old Foe!

Last updated : 10 May 2009 By Boro Mad

Gareth Southgate: "I scored, but he scored twice and got all the headlines in that 3-3 draw, but he's not right to say it was the first time we met because that would have been Palace v Southampton in the South East Counties Div 2. They won about 7-1 and he got about five.

"What were my first impressions of him? Well I was probably a bit naffed off because we probably had to run our nuts off when we got back to the training ground because he got five goals against us.

"He wouldn't have known me, but I would have known him because he was in the first-team squad with Southampton so he was already a bit of a figure, even though we would have been 17 or 18. Anyway, I was more midfield or full-back then, so I'm absolving myself of any responsibility.

"I was an associate schoolboy with Southampton. But I was released by them but Alan was kept on as a YTS.

"I wouldn't say he is misunderstood, but you've got to get to know Alan.

''He's got a good sense of humour and I got on well with him so I don't want to start blowing his trumpet too much.

"It's inevitable that people will question Alan, but you can't judge someone on seven or eight games. It won't be the players he wants long-term and it won't be the club running as he wants it yet. He will have his own ideas about what he wants to do.

"Alan will want the job based on his ability, not just to be a figurehead for Newcastle. I'm sure he has very strong opinions about what he'd want to bring into the club and the types of players and everything. He would want to control that in a way he thinks would breed success."