Source: Northern_Echo
Pardew prepared to hand Ferguson a start
WITH Jose Enrique a major doubt for Newcastle's trip to Stoke in ten days time, Alan Pardew is ready to hand teenage full-back Shane Ferguson his first senior start at the Britannia Stadium.[LNB] Enrique is awaiting the results of a scan on the hamstring he injured in Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Everton, but unless he makes a rapid recovery, he is unlikely to be involved against the Potters.[LNB] The Spaniard is the only senior left-back on Newcastle's books, and when he departed before the interval at the weekend, Alan Pardew initially opted to move Danny Simpson from the opposite flank.[LNB] The move was reversed when 19-year-old Ferguson was introduced midway through the second half, and with the youngster having more than held his own against the Toffees, Pardew insists he will not be as reluctant to throw him into the fray in the future, starting with the trip to Stoke.[LNB] I won't hesitate with Ferguson like I did at the start (of the Everton game), because I can see that he will be very buoyed by his performance for us, said the Newcastle manager.[LNB] That's good for us moving forward, and it might even be good in terms of the next game, because if Jose doesn't make it, then he will definitely come into contention for starting the game.[LNB] Saturday's cameo was Ferguson's fourth appearance of the season, following a substitute outing against West Ham and Carling Cup starts against Accrington Stanley and Chelsea.[LNB] Pardew has been impressed with the youngster's development, and has also been monitoring the performances of Ryan Donaldson and James Tavernier, who are on loan at Hartlepool and Gateshead respectively.[LNB] The Magpies manager is likely to be an active participant in the transfer market this summer, having banked £35m from the January sale of Andy Carroll, but remains mindful of the need to also promote from within.[LNB] I see one or two players who could do something, he said. Ferguson is obviously one, and Tavernier out at Gateshead is doing particularly well.[LNB] I'd like to think that over the summer there are one or two youth team or development team players pushing to be in next season's squad.[LNB] You hope they will make an impact and that will save us a lot of money and help add a good feeling to the club because we'll be producing our own players and that's important.[LNB]
