Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew is delighted he was able to bring John Carver back to the club.

Pardew says that part of Sir Bobby Robson lives on in the shape of the experienced and well-travelled coach.

Pardew told the Evening Chronicle: "You get big personalities at a big club like Newcastle United. At the moment we have Demba, Cabaye, Shola, Steve Harper, Coloccini and you need to know how to deal with the big characters and how to manage them.

"John gives me different snippets of how to deal with them.

"Bobby dealt with Laurent Robert and Alan Shearer.

"Alan Shearer is a big personality, we all know he is a good guy. But it didn't mean to say he had an opinion - and that he might disagree with Bobby.

"Here's the top fella saying he disagrees with you! How do you deal with that?

"All of those snippets are what I get from John."