By Matthew Jones
July 26 2005

Having played with Australian international defender Craig Moore at Ibrox for a short while at the start of last season, Magpies' defender Jean Alain Boumsong is backing his sides bid to sign the player. Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness has confirmed he is after Moore, and Boumsong has given his seal of approval.

BOUMSONG SAID: "Craig Moore is a good player and I would love to see him follow me to St James' Park.

"He is a full international player who has captained his country and not only that he is a great guy as well.

"Obviously I played alongside him at Rangers and I would welcome him here.

"I would be pleased to line up with him again but I will be also pleased when Titus Bramble is fit again because I enjoy playing alongside him as well."

Former Ibrox bosses Walter Smith and Dick Advocaat have also both suggested that former Rangers star and Oz defender Craig Moore (aged 29) is the man to fix Newcastle's defensive problems - and have told St James' Park manager Graeme Souness exactly this.

Graeme Souness said: "I was in Scotland at the wedding of one of the sons of Rangers chairman David Murray.

"Advocaat and Smith, who both had Craig in their teams at Ibrox, were there. When I asked them about Moore both said the same thing - sign him."

Moore is a free agent after his contract at Borussia Monchengladbach was cancelled, and has played along side Jean-Alain Boumsong before. The pair were together at Ibrox last season, before Moore sign for the German club following a fall-out with Rangers boss Alex McLeish.

The reason for Borussia cancelling Moore's contract was allegedly because he turned up late for a training session, but this does nor worry Souness, who added: "I have heard all about that. It was an isolated incident and something that has been taken out of context."

With Titus Bramble set to miss the start of the season after breaking an elbow in a training ground accident, and Aaron Hughes and Andy O'Brien having been sold, Souness needs somebody to fill his boots.

He said: "We got £2million for Aaron Hughes and Andy O'Brien - if I can get Moore for nothing I'll consider that a good piece of business."

Craig Moore added: "I am match fit after playing for Australia in the Confederations Cup in Germany.

"I am a free agent and while things did not quite work out for me in Germany I would love a crack in the Premiership with Newcastle."