Sympathy for Souness

By Pete Oliver

Cheltenham Town's Craig Armstrong has a degree of sympathy for Newcastle manager Graeme Souness as he bids to deliver what could be the knockout blow for the Magpies boss.

Souness is under severe pressure

Souness' shaky tenure as Newcastle manager may come to an end if his side is knocked out of the FA Cup by the League Two Robins.

The axe is already believed to be hovering over Souness' head but Armstrong - Tyneside born but a Sunderland supporter - feels the criticism of the Scot is misplaced.

"I feel sorry for Graeme Souness in a way, with all the money he has spent and the fans complaining," the 30-year-old defender told BBC Sport.

"He has never been able to pick a first 11. If they had everyone fit and a first 11 out they would be capable of beating anyone on their day.

"A lot of Newcastle fans have texted me saying they hope we beat Newcastle. But I don't like what they're doing. I don't agree with them.

"You can't sort out in a year-and-a-half what has gone on."

At the age of 30 I am still learning - which is something you should always do Craig Armstrong

However, Armstrong does not expect many of Newcastle's supporters to be rooting for the underdogs at Whaddon Road on Saturday.

"They are not going to make it easy. We will have a full house of 7,000 but there will be 1,800 to 2,000 Newcastle fans there and I know how loud they can be. I've been at a derby game against them at Roker Park," he said.

Armstrong began his career at Nottingham Forest, then moved to Huddersfield Town before going to Sheffield Wednesday - for whom he once scored against Newcastle in a pre-season friendly.

A bleak period in which he struggled to earn a regular first-team spot was ended by the arrival of Paul Sturrock at Hillsborough, and even though Armstrong did not figure in Sturrock's plans he had nothing but praise for the Scot as he headed out to Bradford.

That move proved short-lived, but last summer Armstrong was re-united with another manager who had left a last impression when he signed for John Ward's Cheltenham.

"The attraction was working again with John Ward and that two of my best mates from the Forest youth-team (John Finnigan and Steve Guinan) were playing here," said Armstrong, who had previously signed on loan for Ward at Bristol Rovers.

"His man-management is second to none and with his assistant Keith Downing makes training enjoyable.

"At the age of 30 I am still learning, which is something you should always do, and I just want to play football."