Come On Ashley - End Hughton's Nightmare!

Last updated : 26 July 2009 By Footy Mad - Editor

He gets the same questions thrown at him day after day - "who will take over and when" - and he just as much in the dark as the fans.

But he has said he wants the new manager appointed "as soon as possible", probably before has a nervous breakdown or ends up like Joe Kinnear.

Caretaker manager Chris Hughton: “It was disappointing and embarrassing.

“It had been a very good pre-season until then. This is a major disappointment in the pre-season programme but it’s not the be-all and end-all.

“We start again on Monday and I’m absolutely sure the lads will put in a good training session and be in a good position to go into a tough game on Wednesday (when Leeds United visit St James’s Park).

“Over a pre-season you know there will be highs and lows. I just thought we didn’t have as much in our legs as on other occasions.

“What you can’t do is beat ourselves up over one result.

“It’s a major blip in what’s been a good pre-season so far.”