Former Newcastle United striker Joe Allon insists John Carver would be a great Toon manager.

Allon wrote in the Evening Chronicle: "I've known John Carver for most of my life and if ever there was a leader of men to fit into Newcastle United's current situation it's him.

"Most of the football world knows about John Carver the coach but I've known John since my teens when he was the head apprentice at Newcastle back in the 1980s.

"We always hear plenty about the team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1985 that included myself, Gazza, Paul Stephenson, Kevin Scott, Ian Bogie, Brian Tinnion and Gary Kelly to name but a few.

"He was a big brother figure and he always had the club at heart.

"That's one of the reasons why the players that are at the club now love him too and it was no surprise to hear the likes of Daryl Janmaat and Fabricio Coloccini sing his praises this week in the aftermath of Alan Pardew's departure."