At least two weeks have gone by since the last time West Ham striker and former Geordie idol Andy Carroll was linked with a "sensational" return to Newcastle, so it was inevitable that someone would use a slow news day to print the rumour again. The Chronicle were the latest source to link the Liverpool flop with a move to Newcastle, as he is now out of the first-team picture at West Ham (on account of being injured again) and their claims suggest that Newcastle might well be interested in considering the striker. Maybe. Some fans have immediately jumped on the rumour as a bad idea - "he was always a useless lump" or "he's never worth £100k a week" - but there are several reasons Carroll could work as a Newcastle player again. Strictly on loan at first, of course - which would presumably be better for Mike Ashley's purse strings anyway...
