10 Newcastle Centre-Backs Chancel Mbemba Should Look To Emulate

4. Steve Howey

The start of Howey's career was an unusual one. A midfielder at youth level, he made his first-team debut as a centre-forward in 1989, before moving to centre-back under Ossie Ardilles. Howey made the decision then to stick to a role in defence and was rewarded over the course of his career with four England caps. A key part of Kevin Keegan's side that gained promotion to the Premier League in 1992-93, Howey remained an important member of the Newcastle team in the top flight but, as injuries took their toll, the club were forced to look at other options. Were it not for injuries, Howey would almost certainly have had more appearances for his time at the club. What jobs he had to do in defence, he performed to the best of his ability and with little fuss, proving a valuable member of the side when he did play. A no-nonsense defender in a tackle but useful on the ball, Howey would be a good fit for Steve McClaren's side. The ex-England boss wants to see his Newcastle defenders hold their own more after taking a pasting last season, while also retaining possession more effectively. Coming through the academy setup, Howey was prepared to run through brick walls for the club - and, at 6ft 1in, was built like a brick wall himself. The Sunderland native seemed destined for bigger things and was due to start at Euro '96 before injuries robbed him of the opportunity. The commitment that Howey showed back in the day was in short supply last season and the club could do with a defender that can play in the same classy manner as the big man - could that be Chancel Mbemba?