A miracle happened at St James Park last Wednesday night. Less than 5 months after undergoing his final session of chemotherapy for a cancerous tumour on his testicle, Jonas Gutierrez made an emotional return to a professional football pitch. Spiderman came on as a 65th minute substitute for Ryan Taylor to the adoration of 50,000 lumpy-throated Geordies inside St James' Park. After everything he has gone through over the past 18 months, seeing Jonas put in a typically gutsy display when The Magpies' chips were certainly down was a joy to behold. It was a performance that epitomised the man to a tee. We all know that work rate and determination is the name of the game when it comes to Newcastle's resident superhero and he proved that his devastating illness hasn't changed things. He showed a couple of flashes of his brilliant best as he tried to haul his side into the Manchester United penalty area. He produced a couple of trademark dribbles that took three or four Red Devils our of the game at a time, a quality this Newcastle side have missed over the last 18 months. The way he seamlessly fitted back into a Newcastle XI was utterly awe-inspiring. How did he manage to pull it off? It was also hugely encouraging as with 10 games to go in the Premier League, John Carver will need Jonas as a couple of injuries has ravaged an already threadbare defensive unit. Once this season has dwindled out to its inevitably, and all to familiar dire end, attentions will turn to evaluating the crop of Toon 'superstars' that are out of contract. Jonas is one of those players. Judging by the way he performed against Manchester United, Newcastle would be silly not to offer one of its loyalist servants a one year deal. He silenced all the doubters that said he couldn't make a return to the Premier League stage, and that needs to be rewarded. After all, he is only going to get better the more game time he is afforded. Every squad needs a Jonas Gutierrez. A team player, a man that will play wherever you tell him to, a character in the dressing room to keep spirits high, a man that knows what the club is all about and can pass that knowledge onto any (hopefully) new players that arrive in the summer. A one year deal would be suitable for both the player and the club. Jonas would be less than a month shy of his 33rd birthday if he was given a new one year deal, meaning his time at the top would be almost be coming to its natural end. Even so, he wouldn't be a regular starter so he should be fresh when called upon. Yes he's never scored or assisted as many as he should have, but he never shirks from his responsibilities, an accusation that can be thrown at a number of the current squad. You know what you are getting with Jonas. Sign him up, Mike.
