9 Newcastle Players Who Are Fighting For Their Toon Futures

2) Steven Taylor

The Greenwich-born adopted Geordie has played more than 200 times for the club over the past 10 years. At 29, he is one of the more senior members of the squad and one of a few local faces in the squad at the moment. His kiss-the-badge antics may irritate some supporters but there is no doubting his commitment to the cause - something that cannot be said of everyone after last season's debacle. Injuries - as with many of the others on this list - have taken a toll on Taylor in recent seasons and he has not played since January with an Achilles problem. Solid in the air and more vocal than Fabricio Coloccini or Mike Williamson, there are problems with his footwork if he is going back towards his own goal and he can at times be inconsistent but, when he plays, he arguably seems better at organising the defence than his Argentine captain and he remains a decent option. Current likelihood of coming back: 6/10Recommendation: At 29, Taylor should be coming to his peak years as a centre-back if stereotypes are anything to go by. A reasonable defender, one of his main problems has been his propensity to back-pedal when faced with an on-rushing attacker - while he has played at the top level for more than a decade now, it would really boost his game if he learned to deal with trouble higher up the pitch and away from goal. Taylor needs to keep himself on the field if he is not to fall down the pecking order and out of the club. While better than Williamson, if he cannot stay fit, it gives the club more of a quandary. Ultimately, his Shola Ameobi-esque streak of the local lad who always gets a new contract regardless of how long it takes (or how warranted it is) should continue providing he keeps his absences and contract demands within reason.