City boss Glenn Roeder this morning added to the Geordie contingent in Norfolk by agreeing a loan deal for Newcastle midfielder Matty Pattison.
The South African joins ex-Toon boss Roeder and Magpies legend Lee Clark at Colney and will be with the Carrow Road club until January 1st.
With City languishing at the foot of the Championship table, the 51-year-old Canary boss will be hoping he can add some much-needed bite in the middle of the park.
All too often this season, City have wilted in key midfield areas and with the newly-installed chief determined to drag his new charges out of the unholy mess they find themselves in, he will be hoping Pattison won't be the last of the loan additions.
“When I was the Academy Manager at Newcastle, I was told that Matty Pattison would be our best player to come through into the first team and when I saw him play I was not disappointed,” Roeder told the official website.
“When I became the Manager at Newcastle, I used him both as a substitute and starting a number of games. He's a tough lad, the right sort for where we are now – he does not know what it is to lose.”
The 21-year-old, who was called up for national team duty last October for the friendly with Egypt, has made 15 appearances for the Magpies since making his debut against Everton in February 2006. He joined the United Academy when he was 14 and made his second-string bow, also against Everton, in August, 2003.
However, Pattison – who can play on the left or in the centre of midfield – has had some rough luck with injuries and suffered a serious cruciate knee injury in 2004 and was ruled out for the majority of the 04/05 season.
The Johannesburg-born star returned in May 2005, but injured the same knee and was sidelined for a further six months. But United stuck by Pattison and he collected the “Wor Jackie” award for outstanding young talent in March, 2006.
His last outing for the first-team came at Watford on the final day of last season.
Always on the fringe of things at St. James' Park, Pattison himself admitted last season that a loan spell away from the North East could be exactly what he needs and after being linked with Leeds United, he has now got his wish ? a chance of regular first-team football.
“My main aims are to get in the first team this season, said Pattison,” speaking to the Newcastle Chroniscle in September of last year.
“It was great experience being part of the squad in the pre-season and playing against the likes of Villarreal and Lillestrom.
“I'd obviously like to get more of the same but if the chance came up to get out on loan it would be great to get some first-team experience.”
Roeder obviously knows Pattison well through his time with the Geordies and the ex-Toon boss was clearly delighted at the emergence of the young midfielder.
All things considered – with the millions ex-Chairman Freddy Shepherd used to throw at foreign stars in a bid to finally bring some silverware to St. James' Park – making a first-team impression in the goldfish bowl that is Newcastle United is no mean feat.
“It is great for the club to see these young players coming through,” Roeder told Sky Sports in April 2006.
“Matty Pattison made his debut out on the left and he has already had a couple of nasty knee injuries. Last season he had a couple of dark days thinking whether he would ever play football again, so to make his debut and put on a real performance is great.
“I think you saw that by the ovation he received against West Brom when he went off that our fans have taken to him already.”
Tom Haylett
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