North East XI 2009-2010

Just a personal opinion, so don’t hate me.



I do appreciate that Sunderland were operating at a higher level than Newcastle United and Middlesbrough, but I think the Magpies’ success justifies their representation in the following team.



The formation is 4-4-2 because, well, we’re English, it’s what we always do and any attempt to do anything different will only end in tears.



GOALKEEPER - Steve Harper (Newcastle United) - Sunderland’s Craig Gordon gave some of the best goalkeeping performances I’ve ever been lucky enough to see this season and began to look proper world class. But Harper had an almost flawless campaign for Newcastle. He broke the club record for clean sheets, marshalled his defence expertly and he was one of the senior members of the dressing room committee that helped put the house in order last summer.



RIGHT BACK - Danny Simpson (Newcastle United) - Alan Hutton was excellent on loan for Sunderland, but Simpson’s season was a solid body of work. A very reliable player. Interesting to see how he goes in the premier league.



LEFT BACK - Jose Enrique (Newcastle United) - Crowd favourite, proper player and evidence that not everything Sam Allardyce did at Newcastle was wrong. The Spaniard had an excellent year and he could thrive in the top flight next season.



CENTRE BACK - Michael Turner (Sunderland) - Good, old-fashioned, no nonsense, value for money defender. If you want ball playing, beautiful game centre halves then look elsewhere. But if you want an aggressive, committed, brave defender – he's your man.



CENTRE BACK - Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United) - Found redemption in the championship. But while Dexter Blackstock, Shefki Kuqi and Alan Lee didn't cause him to lose sleep, the old nightmares are just around the corner. Never mind Rooney, Torres and Drogba, he needs to cope better with the likes of Kenwyne Jones, John Carew and Kevin Davies.



LEFT MIDFIELD - Jonas Guttierez (Newcastle United) - I still don't think there's enough end product, but he was one of the outstanding creative players in the Championship and he'll be in the Argentina starting XI in the World Cup, so what do I know ?



CENTRE MIDFIELD - Jordan Henderson (Sunderland) - Could’ve been Lorik Cana, who was a great signing for Sunderland, but who got bogged down in the winter. It would've been Lee Cattermole, had he stayed injury free and kept up the stellar form he showed at the start of the season. Instead it's a kid who came from the youth team and looked totally at home in a premier league midfield. Big things might happen for this one.



CENTRE MIDFIELD - Kevin Nolan (Newcastle United) - The Governor. Huge influence on the dressing room at Newcastle and huge influence on the pitch as well. The canniest, most streetwise player in the Championship last season. Truly intriguing to see how he does next year.



RIGHT MIDFIELD - Adam Johnson (Ex-Middlesbrough) - Yes, I realise I’m picking a left-footed Manchester City player and playing him on the right side, but everyone seems to like him on the right side these days and this is the only way I can get any Boro representation into the starting eleven. He's a true talent. Shame he had to leave. But I suppose he had to.



STRIKER - Darren Bent (Sunderland) - First name on the team sheet. A brilliant, brilliant debut season for the Black Cats record signing. Bent is a true predator and has been a huge success on and off the pitch for Sunderland. Don’t worry about the price tag because he’s worth every penny.



STRIKER - Andy Carroll (Newcastle United) - The whole package needs improving, especially off the pitch, but he had a real breakthrough season in the championship. He’s got a fierceness that I really like in a centre forward and he’s actually a really good finisher.



SUBSTITUTES: Craig Gordon (Sunderland) John Mensah (Sunderland) Lorik Cana (Sunderland) Barry Robson (Middlesbrough) Danny Guthrie (Newcastle United) Peter Lovenkrands (Newcastle United) Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland)