New director of football Joe Kinnear says his playing experience will give Newcastle United an advantage in his role.

Kinnear is convinced he can form a working partnership with manager Alan Pardew and chief scout Graham Carr as the club sets about the task of improving the squad for next season.

He said: "Some directors of football have never played the game.

"I'm lending my experience as a manager for all those years - 10 years at Wimbledon, two years at Nottingham Forest, two years winning promotion at Luton and, of course, almost two years at Newcastle. I would still be there had it [a heart attack] not occurred."