City loan star Fraser Forster admitted that he doesn’t fancy sitting on the Newcastle substitutes’ bench next season, as the Toon get ready to mix it with the big boys once again.
The 6ft 6in goalkeeper has been in outstanding form this season but with a return to the north east on the cards and Steve Harper in front of him, he may well be let out to play in 2010/11.
With Norwich more than likely to be back in the Championship, Toon boss Chris Hughton may well see Forster’s current home as a preferable option. And Forster revealed that he just wants to play football…it’s as simple as that.
“I’ve had a good season here and I’ve also been at another couple of clubs but you can never get enough experience,” said the Hexham-born player, speaking to reporters yesterday.
“Steve Harper has had a brilliant season as well so he will rightfully be No 1 at Newcastle next year and of course I can push him in pre-season. But I really want to be playing first-team football rather than sitting on the bench somewhere.
“So I will have to see what is happening in pre-season – if I’m not playing then I want to be out playing somewhere else.
“I always think of Newcastle as a Premiership side and they are a massive club – a bit like Norwich in that they are in a league they shouldn’t be in. But we’ll just have to see what is best for me and best for Newcastle next season.
“I went and trained there a couple of days last week and they are delighted that promotion is sorted now – hopefully they can push on and win the league. Everyone is delighted up there and it’s similar to here really, hopefully Norwich can push on, get promoted and be champions.”
In the short-term, Forster will be looking forward to a possible first-team return at Leyton Orient tonight after completing his two-match ban for that Good Friday red card at Tranmere.
And he’s itching to get back on the pitch, even though it’s not certain that impressive deputy Declan Rudd will automatically step aside.
“Hopefully I will be back in the team – I hate watching matches and not playing. I missed two big games but there are another two big games coming up and hopefully I’ll be back in the team to contribute again.
“Declan is a good ‘keeper and I think, like me this year, that he needs to go out on loan and play some games somewhere. But he has done very well when he has come in.”
City travel to east London to face an Orient side desperate for points themselves, as new chief Russell Slade takes over with the O’s on the edge of the relegation zone.
And Forster insists that the league leaders mustn’t let complacency creep in, as Norwich look for the first of two wins that will clinch promotion.
Saying that, after Swindon only managed a home draw with Exeter last night, they could be as good as up come 9:45 tonight if City win and third-placed Leeds are defeated at Carlisle. The gap would be 12 points with four games to go, with the Canaries enjoying a healthier goal difference.
“Everyone is playing for something at the moment, whether it’s for the play-offs or to stay up. Every game is a tough one and if we’re complacent we will get punished – it is important we go there, do the right things and play how we can play. That should be enough for us.”
Paul Lambert’s men go into tonight’s Brisbane Road encounter with injury doubts hanging over Wes Hoolahan and Gary Doherty and one definite absentee is skipper Grant Holt, with the 30-goal striker now facing two games on the sidelines after amassing 10 yellow cards.
But Forster is unfazed at the prospect of having two of City’s ‘Three Musketeers’ out of action. As the Canary boss admitted yesterday, it’s a squad game.
“We have a big squad here and whoever comes in will do their best, I’m sure they will do a job. Luckily I don’t have to make those decisions but we have a squad of quality players – whoever comes in, you fancy them to take their chance.”
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