Source: Northern_Echo
Carroll signs on for five years
Andy Carroll last night expressed his pride at signing a new five-year contract with his hometown team Newcastle United.[LNB] Carroll penned a new deal yesterday to end a lengthy spell of negotiations, which began when he played a pivotal role in last season's successful Championship campaign.[LNB] While there was never any prospect of the Gatesheadborn striker leaving St James' Park, all parties will be delighted that such a long-term commitment has been secured.[LNB] For Carroll, it guarantees improved terms which recognise his talent and ability.[LNB] The 21-year-old has emerged as one of the leading Premier League strikers in the early stages of the season and has leapt to the verge of a maiden call up to the senior England squad.[LNB] For Newcastle, it safeguards the future of one of the club's leading assets and mitigates against the possibility of other clubs making a move for him in future transfer windows.[LNB] All I have ever wanted to do is play for Newcastle United,[LNB] said Carroll, who has scored four goals in seven games since securing the coveted number nine shirt at the start of the season.[LNB] That's been the case since I was a teenager playing for the juniors and reserves, and it's still the same now.[LNB] Every time I pull on the black and white shirt and even more so now that I have the number nine on my back it means the world to me, so to be able to do that for the next five years is brilliant.[LNB] Yesterday's developments round off a difficult week in which Carroll was dropped from the starting line-up at Man City and overlooked for both the England Under-21 and senior squads.[LNB] Manager Chris Hughton was quick to underline the striker's continued importance at Eastlands and he will continue to be Newcastle's lead striker for the remainder of the season.[LNB] Shola Ameobi and Peter Lovenkrands are both below him in the pecking order.[LNB] The Magpies have pledged to stand by Carroll when he appears at Newcastle Crown Court this month to answer a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.[LNB] Hughton has already ruled out any new additions during the January transfer window, so guaranteeing the retention of Carroll's services is a key development.[LNB] Magpies owner Mike Ashley has regularly outlined his vision of Newcastle becoming a crucible for the development of homegrown youngsters.[LNB] As the leading talent to have emerged from the club's Academy for a number of years, Carroll is clearly at the vanguard of such a project.[LNB] We're dedicated to bringing exciting young players through our youth academy to play for the club, said managing director Derek Llambias.[LNB] Andy Carroll certainly fits that bill, having graduated through the ranks here, and we're extremely pleased to have agreed with him a new long-term deal.[LNB] Players like Andy are the future of this club and we have spent a long time putting together a deal that is right for both him and Newcastle United.[LNB]
