Steven Taylor WILL be offered new contract at Newcastle.

Posted on June 10th, 2010 | 86 Comments |

Ready to sign on the line?
Ready to sign on the line?
One of the better pieces of news to come out of St James’ Park has to be the announcement that a new contract is being drawn up ready for Steven Taylor to sign.

I wrote the other day that a contract would be offered to Taylor based on what Luke Edwards from The Journal was saying, and I attracted some stick for writing ‘any old guff’ whilst leaving people ‘disappointed’ that there wasn’t any quotes to back up what Luke Edwards and myself said.

Well now I have those quotes, from Chris Hughton no less, who has today confirmed to the Telegraph that Taylor wants to stay on Tyneside and help his adopted home town club survive in the Premier League rather than walking out of the St James’ Park exit door for pastures new, and that was something that has been a niggling fear for some fans for some time now.

“As I understand it, work is being done at the moment on a new contract for Steven Taylor and we are hopeful he will sign it,” Hughton said. “It is something that we have been working on for a while, but these things do take some time.”

“I’ve had a chat with Steven and he is very much a player we want to keep and from what he has told me, he is also someone who very much wants to stay at Newcastle United.”

To me that sounds like negotiations have already taken place and certain things have been agreed in principal. Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but I see no point in getting a legal contract drawn up if certain terms of it are still likely to change.

It does sound positive though, and it could finally be a show of ambition from the club that indicates we are building for the future. A huge part of next season will be dependant not only on what players we can bring in, but also by making sure we keep the best of our current players on Tyneside.

“As well as looking to sign new players this summer, which I am confident we will do, it is just as important that we keep the players we want to keep – Steven is definitely one of those,” Hughton added.

“He may have missed the end of last season because of injury, but he was a key member of the side before then and he played a big role in getting us back into the Premier League. He is an important player for us and I want him to stay at the club.”

So it does sound, for once, that positive moves are being made behind the scenes at Newcastle, and Taylor has to be a player to keep as he can play in a number of positions. That could come in handy as it now looks like Danny Simpson will miss the first few weeks of the new season whist he recovers from a foot operation. Taylor could slot in at right-back for the first few games of the season, that is of course if we dont actually sign another one in the meantime.

Slowly but surely, things look to be getting done in preparation for next season, and that should ease the concerns of some fans. The club is starting to move forward, albeit at a pace on a level with coastal erosion, but it is moving forward all the same.

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

86 Responses

  1. If Taylor signs a new deal. It effectively signs us a right back and centre half we didn’t have for half of last season. So its a great start!

  5. Ah Stuart, you’ve hit the nail on the head!

    A cynic might say that the club may be going through the motions and present a contract that’ll be rejected. That being the case, bingo – he’s sold and the club can say dearly wanted to keep him!

    Must say, I’d have thought that the contract details would be the product of negotiation – have there been any talks between Tayls and the club?

  6. good news for a change. i hope the fella signs it. Taylor has his flaws but he is a good centre half at the end of the day… and if he left we would not bring in anyone of as good quality.
    Simpson to miss start of prem then!!!

  7. The contract offer will give us an indication of the level of ambition the board has.

  8. If the stories about him are true I’d be very surprised if he gets offered what HE thinks he’s worth.

    Hopefully they’ll be able to meet somewhere in the middle.

  11. My only concern would be if the club really do have such a stringent wage structure. Taylor is in my opinion worth more than £30k a week when you consider what other players are getting.

  13. Has any player signed a contract extension since Ashley arrived at the club?

    I know Given was offered one but he rejected it, so too Owen.

    Sure someone has I just cannot think of any.

  14. stu79…. i think it is impossible to have a 30k a week wage cap in the prem dont you. i know its alot of money as such but it is all relevant to what everyone else is getting paid. 30k is not alot and the lad at 24, is in his prime.

  15. i agree, stu. I reckon around £40k would be fair. I’m guessing he’ll want at least £50k tho.

  17. yes of course, being offered a contract means nothing as such does it. we could offer messi a contract too, i dont think it would lure him in though.
    On a different note though……….it does seem that maybe CH does have a solid idea of who he wants to bring in cos his is very direct about the ones he is not looking at.

  18. TC – 40k would be what I think he’s worth. Lets hope this £30k a week cap isn’t reality. Although if we have no money….

  20. The only time I’ve ever heard a wage cap mentioned is on these blogs. Are there any direct quotes from the club regarding it?

  21. Has anyone seen any definitve proof of this wage cap? I mean was it mentioned in any official statements?

    Or is it what people are running with because it has been printed in the press?

    Just a thought ;)

    EDIT – TC ;)

  22. Well, it’s been well documented in the press – I know it’s only the press, but when they all run with the same story it does tend to have a hint of truth in it.

  23. Nicky Butt signed a new contract in 08/09. If your looking for examples of players not signing new deals, Milner did not agree one and was soon sold. He wanted parity with Steven Taylor and Insomnia if I renember correctly.

  24. I thought Stevie improved last season, but it’s hard to tell considering the competition.

    His positional sense has always been shoddy, but he has enough talent that we would be foolish to sell now.

  25. Ever seen a mackem in Milan says:
    June 10, 2010 at 2:58 pm

    I was kinda hoping for an example of a longer term contract extension than Butt’s piddly little one year jobby.

  26. Wasn’t there a deal in place for Owen if we managed to stay up?

    Good job we got relegated then, if only to get shot of Owen :D

  27. USA consul general in South Africa Alberta Mayberry said her country’s national side was playing at a higher standard than ever before.

    And she added that the Americans’ main aim was to beat England when they meet Capello’s side in their World Cup opener in Rustenburg on Saturday. She said: “The England game is the big one for us.

    “The team are ready, they are mentally in a place where they are prepared to go into battle.

    “One is for sure, they will be aiming to beat the heck out of the English in Rustenburg.

    “Let me say this straight: Our men are preparing to crush your little boys.”

    Hoo-hoo – that’s fighting talk!!!!

  28. toonsy, yeah i guess an agent could go through the crap and taylor could agree to it and sign it when he gets back. For my thinking, maybe a deal has been offered and already turned down, thats why CH is even saying this in the first place.

  29. I’m not too sure Owen was ever really going to stay. He gave the impression he was counting down the days from when he signed in 2005.

  30. Steven Taylor is a future captian of the club if he stays….but from what we have seen of our glorious club management (the board, not Hughton) it could very well be a take it or leave it offer. IF he leaves it, then no doubt he the club will try to sell him asap. Would be interesting to watch developments on this…..wonder if Taylor would let the contract run down, then leave for free… How old is he….would we be entitled to compensation at the end of his contract?

    As for Nicky Butt – his contract extension was due to him as there was clause triggering an extension if he played X games ….the terms would have been pre-agreed.

  31. i think we offered owen a four year deal on 80k a week if my memory serves me right. I cant question owens ability, only his judas ways. If the bloke had been a true mag he would have been well worth keeping on his 80k. We have no-one that comes close to him for ability in the final third. Shame he is a little shit that never gave a wank about us to start with, thats all.

  33. Craig – I very much doubt a player has much to do with it in fairness.

    I would imagine the agent would tell Taylor how much he reckons he could get, Taylor would say yes or no, then the agent would deal with the rest. Taylor would sign it at the end.

  38. Never seen much about Michael Owen in the past 4 years that makes me think he’s better than average (for the premiership). In his younger years he was canny. Now… not so much.

    Andy Carroll is one for the future though. If he comes good this year, we’ll have a nice edge in the final third. Like Peter Crouch only more potential.

  40. yeah i agree that we must keep onto carroll. if we have any ambition at all we need to sign up carroll, taylor, the bull, krul, haris, and a few others that are heading under the two year marker now.

  41. So is everybody looking forward to Saturday? Probably not… you’re probably biting your nails off. I don’t blame you, though. Our international team lead by Donovan the Great will prove too much for your lads to handle. Don’t worry though- there’s no shame in losing to a better team :D

  43. Toonsy-

    Yeah things are getting back quicker than I thought. As for me- I’m good. Just gearin’ up for the WC. Can’t freakin wait!!

  45. OHurley says:
    June 10, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    Day dream believer and a home coming queen!

  46. Andy Carroll is a similar player to Crouch, but the difference between them can be summed up by the following:

    ST would kick the sh*t out of Crouch if he ever tried to start something.

  47. Stu-

    You callin’ me a queen?? Them are fightin’ words where I come from!!

    ;)

  48. I do, I want England to win. My excitement over the World Cup is starting now, or am I excited because I am going out to watch it? Either way, cant wait.

    When England are wiining it gives everyone a massive buzz, that has to be worth wanting, doesn’t it?

  50. Toonsy-

    A Massive buzz for y’all maybe. I’m hoping for a different result hehehehe

  51. OHurley says:
    June 10, 2010 at 3:32 pm

    I’m calling you a dreamer, but if the other cap fits too….

  52. Everyone was freaking out about the whole Glassjawgate thing, but is having a few players no one would really want to f*ck with really a bad thing?

    Carroll, Nolan, Steven Taylor, maybe Enrique? That’s a good few enforcers on the pitch.

  54. maybe in 2014 ST and AC will play for England. That would be cool assuming they still play for the Toon then.

  56. i think CH handled it perfect about when carroll bust taylors jaw when i look back on it. the press were going into over drive and it must have been killing them that not a single word ever came out of our camp. if this had happened the season before, there would have been press leaks everywhere.. a true sign that things are really improving in that dept at least.

  57. You’re right Craig, Barton and Smudge always seem ready for a brawl.

    Our central midfield is much tougher than the relegated group, although I’m not sure anyone would have up and slugged Nicky Butt for fear of killing the geezer. Not that some of his tackles didn’t warrent a good arse kicking.

  58. CC-

    Yeah I sure hope that things are getting better in the press dept. That English tabloid press is UNBELIEVABLE. So much worse than our’s over here (unless it comes to movie star/singer gossip).

    I bet those journalists were PISSED when not one small word came from our camp.

  59. Glassjawgate was just the press making stories, based on one of the many, many training-ground bust-ups that happen every season. It’s just that when it’s NUFC, they make it news and embellish as required to sell rags.

    Talking of press BS… Toonsy, dear chap; another point on your excellent (good news) article, re “The club is starting to move forward, albeit at a pace on a level with coastal erosion”.

    How do you know? How does anyone know what is going on, and at what pace? For all we know we have 20 people working 16-hour days and we’ve got half a dozen deals lined up. People seem to assume the opposite because, like most teams, we’ve not signed anyone yet.

    I suspect there’s plenty going on, and has been all along. Just as in January, it’ll be silence until deals are done, then all of a sudden we’ll have a PL squad.

  60. 59… i love your optomistic side man. with ashley 5-1 against in windows i will not think good unless it actually happens. hope you right though.

    On a different note though……..see milner is on verge of 28 million move no man city. i dont think this is over valued in current market either, its if anything a good deal for city. Another short sighted deal by us though, esp with no sell on fee!!

  61. As for the WC, I’m itching for it to start now. Basically, it’s an excuse to spend the best part of a month sitting in a pub getting excited over nowt of real importance, while talking bollocks and drinking beer.

    Heaven.

  62. Nah – Milner wasn’t worth the £12m back then; it was a good deal… provided, of course, we replaced him.

    …

    ..

    Oh.

  63. I also don’t think he’s enough of the finished article to justify £28m now. He’s good, and a great bloke, but £28m?

    Can’t wait for the new fiscal rules to kick in so this cup-buying b.s. can stop. If you won’t get £28m back as a result of buying a player, that player’s not worth £28m. Simples. That means unless a player is single-handedly going to get you into the champs league, or sell a zillion shirts, he’s not worth anything like that. Get in there, Platini!

  65. Whumpie says:
    June 10, 2010 at 3:55 pm

    “How do you know? How does anyone know what is going on, and at what pace? For all we know we have 20 people working 16-hour days and we’ve got half a dozen deals lined up. People seem to assume the opposite because, like most teams, we’ve not signed anyone yet.”

    How do I know? The simple answer is I don’t. Much like everyone else, I can only really comment on what we see/hear Hughton talking about.

    He has said that we wont be in the marker until June/July, so I would that is moving slowly.

    There may well be things going viral behind the scenes, but we cant see so it’s kind of irrelevant. What we, as fans, see, is what is presented to us. And there hasn’t been much other than denials or dallying at the minute ;)

  66. Seem to remember Taylor asking for 30k.a week a couple of years ago, don`t think he got it, gotta be asking for more now.

    Does this mean he no longer fits the profile and will be sold ?

    If that turns out to be the case, who do we then go after, Wheater perhaps ?

    How did our missed target signing Gillfoyle make out at S********d, did he have a good second half of the season?

    Is Onuoha still available, if so are we still interested or is he too expensive?

    Being Simpson is going to be out for a while, guess our main objective is to sign a decent RB.
    Either that or assign the role to Jonas, may not be as radical as some think, could make a decent attacking wing back, see how he works out with the Argentinos.

    What about the 29 year old Brazilian @ W/Ham, could be a decent signing for a year or two, hear he has a bit of pace, which never hurts, was never really given a chance at the London side and could be a surprise.

  67. chuck

    I would love Onuoha, imagine if Ashley wasnt such a cheap b****** we could have signed some real good players who are still available.

  68. taylor’s new deal,whatever he’s getting now plus two bob a week extra,and a bag of apples from ashley’s back garden.

  69. The recent decision by Blatter, not to introduce the intended rule change regarding home grown players, will no doubt cause a sigh of relief among EPL owners and managers.

    The prospect of facing challenges from clubs through the court`s and most likely loosing, was something that could only weaken the ruling body (FIFA) and therefore dead in the water, thank goodness !

    No word from Platini on this, guess he has been over rode on this one, never thought it would get off the ground to begin with.

    Could have resulted in a EPL of Championship level, no thanks !

  70. Question

    Will Blatters decision now result in UK home grown players becoming less expensive ?

  71. Chuck – Doubt it, there have been no rules like that for years over here and English player values have risen depsite that.

    Thing is, its the Premier League that are bringing the rules in, not FIFA/UEFA, so it wont make a difference over here. Nothing has changed.

    It’s done in Spain and Italy, and they don’t fare too badly out of it.

  72. Hmmm! appears both John Carver and Steve Clarke have become available.
    Probably two of the country`s best coaches, not discounting the two we have already CH and his man friday.

    To miss out on either of these guys, would be almost criminal, grab at least one if not both, the opportunity may never again arise.

  73. Toonsy

    What are you saying ?
    Are you claiming other leagues (Spain & Italy) have restrictions on the number of foreign players they can field ?
    Because it`s obviously contrary to the EU`s policy of free movement of labor and indefensible in regards to law.

    Are you in favor of that being the case in the EPL, if so then some peoples fantasy of an exciting league filled for the most part by home grown players, will probably result in a transformation from the EPL to a league on par with the present second tier.
    That what you want ?

    Anyhow my main point was that homegrowns (take Milner as an example) have recently been commanding bigger asking prices in view of a rule change , now dead in the water.
    As a result of that will prices now come down for those same players ?

  74. No, teams in Italy and Spain (plus other countries) can sign as many foreigners as they like, millions if they wish.

    But they, like in the Premier League, must have a certain number of home-grown players over a certain age contained within their fixed squad.

    Will it make domestic prices drop?

    Technically there will be more Enlish players that will be needed, so on that basis I would say that supply and demand dictates that prices will go up, or have they already gone up?

    Anyway, being “home grown” doesn’t neccesarily mean being English. Tim Krul is home grown for example. If clubs bring players over here young enough then they will skirt round them rules anyway.

  75. European countries will have to changed their laws then.

    They cannot offer proffesional contracts to players until their 16 or 17 in some countries – We can offer them at any age, hence Fabragas going to Arsenal and Macheda going to Man Utd from Lazio.

  77. I know but their not going to put them in the squad if their not on proffesional contracts are they?

    They’ll all come to England to get contracts – So I imagine European clubs will change their laws.

  78. Toonsy says

    Technically there will be more English players than needed, so on that basis i would say that supply and demand dictates that prices would go up……

    Excuse me, but don`t you mean the opposite ?

  79. Did`nt N`Zogbia arrive here under the same circumstance, I recall there was a problem concerning Le Havre`s claim for some sort of restitution.

  80. Yeah, typo :D

    Take the ‘than’ out, and that is what I meant.

    Basically there will be more players needed, so the ones that are overlooked at the minute will suddenly become wanted more in my opinion.

    As I said though, being English doesn’t matter as there are planty of ways around it, and it’s something Arsenal have been doing for years.

  81. Chuck @ 79 – Tes, basially because of what Stuart said, we can poach from foreign academies as we offer contracts, they dont so we can take them for a nominal amount of compensation. Le Havre just didn’t like how nominal our compensation was.

  82. Toonsy
    What i actually said was are there restrictions on the number of foreign player a team can (field) not sign, in Spain and Italy.
    Can either an Italian or Spanish side field 11 foreign players ?

  85. Aye, it wasn’t a sly dig at you and Craig Chisholm either ;)

    You guys need to learn to believe “the truth” aka toonsy ;)

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