Newcastle United Football Club News

• Nickname:Magpies
• Founded:1881
• Manager:Alan Pardew

• Ground:St James' Park
• Capacity:52,193

Harper handed new contract

27 Jan 2009 - 14:09:05

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Newcastle United goalkeeper Steve Harper has signed a three-year contract extension which will keep him St James' Park until the end of the 2011-12 season.

The news comes as speculation intensifies regarding Shay Given's future. The Republic of Ireland international is tipped to join Manchester City before the transfer window closes on Monday.

Harper has spent the last 16 years with the Magpies following his transfer from Seaham Red Star and has made 111 first-team appearances for the club.

The 33-year-old told the club's official website: "I'm a north-east lad and Newcastle United has always been a huge part of my life and I'm delighted that will continue.

"At the end of this contract I will have been at Newcastle for 19 seasons which is more than half of my life, so that shows how much this club always meant to me.

"I'm delighted it's sorted and now I can concentrate on doing what I have always done which is working hard in training and pushing my claims for regular first-team football."