Forget Bobby Thompson - The NEW Toon 'Little Waster'!

Last updated : 17 October 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

He was a local "turn" on the club circuit who sadly died without getting the national recognition he deserved.

But the new "Little Waster", Celestine Babayaro is back in business (allegedly) but who's willing to bet he'll be back "on the sick" within a fortnight?

Sam Allardyce has only had a few months to assess him, but it seems he has drawn the same conclusion as most of the Toon Army ... get him on his bike ASAP!

The former Nigerian international has not turned out for United since March after suffering a succession of groin and hamstring problems.

But he is finally injury-free and, since joining the Magpies from Chelsea for £1m, he has had 14 different stints in the treatment room!

He only needs 3,756 more to beat Marcelino!

Allardyce: "He is no longer injured and he's training.

"But having not played competitively for such a long time he is short of match fitness.

"This now is the last go at it for Celestine.

"There is a possibility that we may need Celestine in January. We'll have four players away at the African Nations then.

"But we have to get him match fit and then keep him that way.

"The squad will be short in January and we will need all of what we do have left to stay fit after what will have been a gruelling December programme."

He was part of Chelsea's FA Cup triumph in 2000, but ever since he arrived on Tyneside his career has been hit by one problem after another, and he has only played in 68 of United's 142 competitive games games since arriving in January 2005.

He is on £35,000 per week at United, and who else would pay that sort of money for him?

It's very much like Albert Luque, who insisted he would go nowhere unless he got the same wages Newcastle were paying.

But ... that's football for yer!