Taylor: It's Chris Hughton who makes us tick

Jan 17 2010 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

“The players who didn’t want to be here aren’t here. We were always in the papers, often for the wrong reasons. there was always something bad or negative happening, being said or being written.

“This season, that hasn’t happened, because the players here care about the football club and aren’t silly enough to talk badly about it.”

“We realised right at the start of season that everyone was out to nail us, and we haven’t given them the satisfaction.”

And Taylor and co will draw on the first evidence of that new team ethic – when United battled back for a draw at West Brom on the season’s opening day – as the third-placed Baggies arrive at St James’ for tomorrow’s promotion six-pointer.

“We went into that game just telling each other it was one we couldn’t afford to lose because we knew they’d be the one of the teams up there with us.

“We said to each other: just don’t lose.”

It is another mark of the Magpies’ progress that, five months on, anything but victory feels like a major let down.

“When you draw a game, in the position we are, it feels like a defeat,” said Taylor.

“Sheffield Wednesday away, Derby County and QPR at home . . . those games could come back and bite us on the backside.”

But it is progress that Taylor, despite a streamlined squad’s new-found resolve and his regard for Hughton, did not expect.

“I never thought we would in the position we are now,” he admitted.

“I thought anywhere around the play-off area would be great, I think the fans did as well and I’m sure you (the Press) did too.

“But we’ve dealt with everything which has come at us and our home record has been spot on.

“All we are thinking about now is getting back in the Premier League as champions.”

Amen to that.