By Matthew Jones
February 1 2003

Sir Bobby Robson today saluted Freddy Shepherd for pulling off the Woodgate deal. There has been lots of speculation recently to whether or not the deal will actually go ahead, but Woodgate is now a Magpie. Meanwhile, Gary Speed has tipped JJ to be a future part of the England setup.

Bobby Hails Shepherd

Newcastle Uniyed boss, Sir Bobby Robson today hailed and praised his chairman Freddy Shepherd after Newcastle completed their £9 million swoop for Jonathan Woodgate - who today passed his medical!

Woodgate's signature took Sir Bobby's spending total to £60 Million. Three-and-a-half years ago there was barely a penny in the bank.

Although Robson has generated much of that himself by offloading players and guiding his side into the second phase of this season's Champions League, he was quick to praise Shepherd. Ofcourse, Woodgate will be essential to the future Newcastle's Champions League quest.

"It's true, I came here with no budget at all to work with and I was told that from the outset," said Robson. "They had money but it had already been spent.

"But that was three-and-a-half years ago. We have obviously taken out a lot of players - something around the mid-30s, I think, in the time I've been here, so we've made some money as well.

"But the chairman, Freddy Shepherd, has provided the club with a lot of money over the last three years when you think of Hugo Viana, Jermaine Jenas and Laurent Robert, of course, we've bought Andy O'Brien, and Craig Bellamy, just to name a few.

"We've now spent a sizeable amount on Jonathan. The chairman has put his money where his mouth is and he's provided me with a sizeable chunk of money that we've speculated on.

"We've restored the club, we've turned it around and I can only pay my respects to the chairman and the board. We have made a little money, but they've found money.

"He's a very supportive chairman. He wants Newcastle to be the best."

Jenas for England?

Jenas scored his fourth goal in five games against Tottenham Hotspur in midweek to secure another league victory as United moved into second place in the Premiership.

Gary Speed has said,

"JJ's done fantastically well, just like he did when he came in for Kieron Dyer earlier in the season," said Speed. "He did very well then.

"Everybody already knew what a fantastic player he was but he's shown great maturity over the past few games. He's been brilliant for us.

"If he keeps on going the way he has been then he can't be too far away from the England team. I don't think there are many better than him in the country right now.

"He's been getting into the box and has done very well to score goals from midfield. They've been match-winning goals as well."