Harper makes contract claim

Long-serving goalkeeper Steve Harper has revealed contract talks with Newcastle have "died a death".

The 33-year-old understudy is one of a number of senior starts, including Michael Owen and Nicky Butt, whose contract expires at the end of the season, but uncertainty over the future ownership of the club has led to a deafening silence from St James' Park officials.

Harper, who is the only survivor from Kevin Keegan's first spell as manager at the club, says he has been given no firm indication about whether he will be kept on.

Harper said: "My contract is up in the summer and I haven't been offered a new one. There are a few of us in the same boat and we'll just keep working and see what happens.

"With everything that's been going on, I don't know what the situation is. We're in the dark as well as to whether the club's being sold.

"But I've been fully committed here for the best part of 16 years and I'll remain so until somebody tells me otherwise. When Kevin was here he did mention he would like to give me a new deal but he's not here any more and it's died a death."