See full Championship table.

This week's Championship fixtures:

Tue 09.02.2010 (all 7.45pm):
Cardiff City v Peterborough United
Coventry City v Nottingham Forest
Crystal Palace v Swansea City
Derby County v Newcastle
Leicester City v Doncaster Rovers
smoggies v Barnsley
Preston North End v Sheffield United
QPR v Ipswich Town
Reading v Plymouth Argyle
Sheffield Wednesday v Blackpool
Watford v Bristol City
West Bromwich Albion v Scunthorpe United

See full Championship fixtures.
 
Loan link:
From Magpie to Seagull 

Media reports on Tuesday suggested that Newcastle had allowed Kazenga LuaLua to join Brighton and Hove Albion on loan, initially for a month.

The 19 year-old reserve team forward/midfielder hasn't featured in the Magpies first team since our Carling Cup defeat at Peterborough back in September - although a groin injury sidelined him until the turn of the year. 

Lua spent part of last season on loan at Doncaster Rovers and is set to make his Brighton debut on Saturday when Norwich City - and fellow Newcastle loanee Fraser Forster - visit the Withdean on Saturday.

Albion boss Gus Poyet commented:

"I've watched him a couple of times and I know his qualities. He can play on the right wing or the left. He is very quick and he is going to bring us something totally different to what we've got."

U18s:
Rivalries renewed 

Newcastle's U18 side renew hostilities with their mackem counterparts today (Tuesday) in a game that was held over from the weekend in order to allow the young Magpies to recover from their FA Youth Cup exploits.

The red and whites are top of Academy League Group D and stand 13 points ahead of fourth-placed Newcastle. Unbeaten at home, the mackems ran out 4-1 winners on Tyneside in the last meeting of the sides, in December.

Kickoff at the mackem academy of plight is at 11am and Newcastle travel with the following squad: 

Alnwick, Robinson, Tavernier, J.Henderson, Folan, Nzuzi, Dummett, McDermott, Newton, McGorrigan, Inman, Airey, L.Henderson, Page, Spear, Adjei, D.Taylor, Williams.

FA Youth Cup:
Quarter Final shaping up

While Newcastle await the outcome of the rescheduled Tigers v Eagles FA Youth Cup tie on Thursday evening, here's an update on how the competition is progressing:   

FA Youth Cup Fifth Round:

28.01.2010 Chelsea 1-0 Portsmouth
28.01.2010 Blackburn Rovers 3-0 Man United
02.02.2010 Ipswich Town 1-3 Fulham
03.02.2010 West Ham 0-3 Newcastle United
04.02.2010 Preston North End 0-3 Everton
08.02.2010 Liverpool 0-1 Watford
11.02.2010 Hull City v Crystal Palace
12.02.2010 Aston Villa v Millwall

Quarter Final Draw:

Blackburn v Everton 
Fulham v Aston Villa/Millwall
Watford v Chelsea
Newcastle v Hull/Palace

Court appearance confirmed:
Carroll charged

From the BBC, Monday:
 
Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll has been charged with assault following a fight at a nightclub.

A man suffered minor head injuries during the incident at Blu Bambu in Newcastle's Bigg Market area on 7 December.

He was taken to hospital for treatment and later discharged.

Mr Carroll, 21, of Prestwick, Northumberland, will appear at Newcastle Magistrates' Court on 25 February.

Championship:
Bluebirds shot down

Newcastle  5  Cardiff City  1

Match report now online

BBC match highlights online here

PS: Thanks to everyone went to LYH to take advantage of their free food offer pre-match. Unfortunately, demand ended up exceeding supply due to the number of people attending - apologies to anyone who was disappointed. 

Extra supplies have been ordered for the next game when this offer runs, on Wednesday week (17th) before the Coventry City home game.  

Scout secured:
Carr completes 
marathon journey 

It's taken almost half a century but Graham Carr is finally on the books at Newcastle United, after his appointment as the club's chief scout.

Graham was briefly with the Magpies as a youngster when Charlie Mitten was manager, but left his native North East in 1961 in order to become a professional footballer, joining Northampton Town. 

Now 65 and still based in the Northampton area, Carr had a long career as both player and manager, before scouting for the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and latterly, Notts County.

Graham is better known to many as the father of TV and radio presenter/comic Alan. 

Alan Carr - not on United's wanted list

 
Youngster arrives:
B68 - NE1 

Following a successful trial in December 2009 during which he appeared in a reserve friendly against Hibernian, it's reported that United have how completed the signing of attacking midfielder/striker Jóan Símun Edmundsson.

The 18 year-old is a native of the Faroe Islands and joins from the B68 club, having previously been on trial at Manchester City.

Capped at U19 and U21 level for the Faroe Islands, his senior international debut came against France in a World Cup Qualifier back in August 2009.

Faroese TV report that Edmundsson moves to Tyneside for the rest of the current season initially, with an option for a longer deal.

The Sunday Sun obtained some quotes from Faroe Islands boss Brian Kerr, who said:

“I don’t think he’s going to be in Newcastle’s first team this season, but I’d expect him to make a very good impression and maybe look to break into the side next year.

“He’s a biggish lad who has good ability. He can beat a man – he has a trick – and he knows how to score goals.

“He’s scored in three Under-21 international matches in the last year, including against Russia, when Colin Calderwood was there to watch him.

“He was playing out wide in a 4-3-3 formation then, but I think he’s better playing through the middle, which is where I picked him for his full international debut against France.

“I spoke to Chris Hughton about him and we had Edmundsson and another lad – Christian Mouritsen – go on trial at Newcastle before Christmas.

“Chris liked them both, but felt that Christian, at 21, needed first-team football which Newcastle couldn’t offer him.

“But Edmundsson has a chance. As well as his ability, he’s incredibly enthusiastic, honest and willing to learn, as the players in the Faroes and across Scandinavia tend to be.

“He won’t be interested in the bright lights. He’ll be there to learn. And though he’s quite shy, he looks the part when he gets out on the pitch.

“Because it’s so isolated, people don’t tend to go and see the players in the Faroes, but there is real talent there, particularly among the young players. They are honest, determined, speak excellent English and are absolutely obsessed with football.”

Thanks to NUFC.com readers Ken Hentze and Tim Readman for their tipoffs.

Reserves:
Afternoon appointment 
at the Bank 

After freezing temperatures caused their game against Scunthorpe last week to be abandoned, Newcastle reserves head back to Lincolnshire again this week.

Alan Thompson's side face Lincoln City on Wednesday at Sincil Bank, with kickoff confirmed as 2pm. 

An 89th minute own goal allowed Newcastle to take a point from the Imps when the two sides met at SJP back in September.

It's yet to be confirmed whether midfielder Joey Barton will be cleared to make his comeback in this game, having now returned to training after recovering from a foot injury.  

FA Vase:
Bay live to fight again 

Current FA Vase holders Whitley Bay endured a difficult Saturday afternoon in Surrey, but managed to keep Chertsey Town at bay and earn a replay.

After early goals from both sides in this Fifth Round tie, Whitley were reduced to ten men and held out for the remainder of the 90 minutes and 30 minutes of extra time.

The two sides will now meet again at Hillheads this coming Saturday (13th) in the replay, kickoff @ 3pm.

FA Vase Fifth Round:

St Ives Town 1-3 Shildon
New Mills 0-2 Norton & Stockton Ancients
Whitehawk 1-1 Marske United
Long Buckby 3-4 Gresley
Willand Rovers 2-2 Barwell
Needham Market 2-0 Daventry Town
Chertsey Town 1-1 Whitley Bay
Wroxham 1-1 Armthorpe

Monday's draw then paired the sides as follows:

Shildon v Chertsey Town/Whitley Bay
Needham Market v Royston Town/Wroxham 
Willand Rovers/Barwell v Norton & Stockton Ancients Gresley v Whitehawk/Marske United

PS: elsewhere in non-league circles, Northern League leaders Spennymoor won a tough encounter at South Shields 3-1.

Blyth Spartans meanwhile went down 2-3 at Southport, ending their recent resurgence. Former Magpie Paul Brayson was on the scoresheet once again.

Gateshead however won on their travels, with Brian Wake scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory at Mansfield Town. The Stags' offer of pay-what-you-like admission prices attracted over 7,000 fans to Field Mill.

Situation vacant:
Great Expectations