Newcastle United Football Club

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

• Ground:St James' Park
• Capacity:52193

Magpies to lose Ameobi

08 Nov 2006 - 16:24:45

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Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi is set to miss the rest of the season as he requires surgery on a hip problem.

The 25-year-old has not featured since the 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough on October 22 and is set to fly out to the United States for an operation in the near future.

Magpies boss Glenn Roeder said: "We're close to booking an operation in America. When he has it, that's him out for the season.

"Shola's hip has all but seized up and he will be going for his operation.

"But this is easier said than done because the specialist is so good that all the top sports stars in the States, who have this sort of problem, are queuing up to see him.

"Shola has been scoring in every other game since I took over in February and this shows just how important he has been to us, he will be a big miss.

"We were completely ineffective in the last third of the field on Saturday against Sheffield United and we didn't really create a chance."

Ameobi had scored five goals in 11 appearances this season.