Lesson Learned For Young Magpies

By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Alan Pardew believes his youthful side received a valuable lesson at Bordeaux on Thursday night, as Newcastle lost their unbeaten Europa League record.

A double from Cheick Diabate saw the Magpies slip to a 2-0 defeat at the Stade Chaban-Delmas in their final Group D fixture - although it mattered little as they had already qualified for the knockout stage of the competition.

And the manager now plans to send some of his younger stars out on loan to further their education again, following a disappointing night in France.

"We will have learned a lot because it was a tough pitch, a dead pitch which they play rugby on and not as good as it looked from upstairs," Pardew told nufcTV.

"Bordeaux played well tonight. Their captain was terrific and kept the ball away from us.

"Really we needed a few eights and nines but we didn't get that.

"I thought the senior players - the likes of Perchy, Shola, Bigi and Marveaux - were all pretty strong, and that is good for the first team.

"Our young players will take a lot from this though. One or two need to go out on loan now and really nail down their position. They have done okay but they need to do better if they are going to play for Newcastle."

And Pardew had a word for Nile Ranger, who was handed a start for United for the first time since April 2011.

"I thought he was a bit rusty, because he hasn't had a lot of football," he said.

"But he deserved it because he has kept his head down and worked harder. He had a couple of moments, but is another player who will have to do a lot more to get in this first team."

To watch the full nufcTV post-match interview with Alan Pardew, click here.