Newcastle United chairman Chris Mort says Steven Taylor can become a standard bearer for young talent in the Northeast.

Although he was born in Greenwich, because that's where his policeman father Alf was stationed at time, Taylor considers himself very much a Geordie.

Mort told the Evening Chronicle: "I'm delighted with the progress Steven's making, and indeed of the young Geordies we're developing in the Academy side.

"Steven's absolutely black-and-white in terms of his loyalty, and the more players we can develop like that through our Academy system, the better."