Source: PA
Hughton relaxed over difficult week
Newcastle boss Chris Hughton is confident they will emerge from their latest difficult week stronger for the experience.
Considering the circumstances in which Hughton's reign as manager was launched in the wake of relegation and a max exodus of big-name players, the events of the past few days may seem relatively routine by comparison.
However, the Magpies' relief at a late fightback against Wigan to snatch a 2-2 draw and avoid a third successive Barclays Premier League defeat soon dissipated when it emerged that 21-year-old striker Andy Carroll had spent a night in a police cell and is facing a charge of assault.
Add to that the departure of assistant Colin Calderwood for the vacant manager's job at Hibernian, and it amounts to a testing time for former Tottenham and Republic of Ireland defender Hughton.
He said: "They are testing times, the obvious and of course results and wanting to win football matches. But these are periods you have to go through and certainly at this football club, we have been able to go through these periods and if anything, it has made us stronger as an outfit and stronger as a team.
"I see no reason why we can't do that again."
