Geordie Jack Eyes Big Improvement

By Emily Bulmer

Jack Colback has dubbed last season "dreadful" and insists the 2015/16 campaign must see an improvement for Newcastle United.

The midfielder became a key figure in the Magpies' side after signing from fierce local rivals Sunderland 12 months ago.

Colback netted four times - and received an England call-up - during his first term on Tyneside, which ended with United only securing their Barclays Premier League status on the final day.

But with new head coach Steve McClaren appointed this week, Killingworth-born Colback is looking forward to helping his boyhood side have a much more successful season this time around.

"When I signed here I thought I would be moving away from the relegation battles but that's football for you and it's a tough league," the 25-year-old confessed to nufc.co.uk.

"We got ourselves in a good position and were mid-table come the turn of the year but then we started to lose matches.

"When you do that in the Premier League it's difficult to get out of those runs and we had to take it to the last day.

"The aim at the end was to stay up and we did that but now we really need to perform and do better. We know we weren't good enough last season, especially in the second half.

"This is a great club with a great fan-base. Especially when you're winning games and you're on top, it's an unbelievable crowd.

"That's all our fans ask for. They are not asking for much more than passion and a team that's wanting and willing to win.

"The fans are allowed to have a lot of anger with the run we were on and letting things slip to get in that position - it was dreadful really. There have been a lot of things said but the season is done now and we need to do better this year.

"We need to make sure we have a good pre-season so we can get the Club where it should be, which I think, at a minimum, is top ten."

Season tickets for the 2015/16 campaign are now on general sale. To secure your seat at St. James' Park, or for more information, click here.