"Stand up and be counted" says former skipper Kevin Nolan

Nolan, who scored 30 goals during a two-and-a-half year spell on Tyneside between 2009 and 2011, is back at St. James' Park this Friday evening, when he will be in conversation with former BBC Newcastle commentator Mick Lowes at NINE Sports Bar & Lounge.

The Merseysider, whose hat-trick in a 5-1 win against local rivals Sunderland eight years ago this month secured his place in Newcastle United folklore, still keeps a close eye on his former club - and has called on the current side to "stand up and be counted" against the Seagulls at the weekend. 

"I watched the last game against Man United, just before the international break, and you were just praying that they could hold onto that 2-0 and get through because the international break would just have seemed much, much more rosy and everything a lot more at ease at the club," Nolan told nufc.co.uk.

"But the goal in the last few minutes was a massive kick in the teeth. What they've got to do is not feel sorry for themselves. They've got to stand up and be counted; this is the time now where you've got to stick together as a whole club - never mind just the players, the players have actually got to drive it.

"It's not down to anybody else except the players to make sure that they stick together and pull out a performance, not just against the Manchester Uniteds - they've got to pull out those performances week in, week out because more often than not, if they perform like they did against Man United in the first 60-70 minutes, then you're going to go far and you're going to get the results and everything you need.

"Even though they haven't had that first win at the minute, they should be pretty positive after such an unfortunate 90 minutes last time out."

Nolan played a huge role on and off the pitch as Newcastle won the Coca-Cola Championship title in 2009/10 and was named skipper for the following campaign as United finished 12th in the top flight.

"When you speak to all the lads we played with in the two-and-a-half years I was there, the camaraderie and the togetherness that we showed was the reason why we finished so well in the Championship and then why we finished so strongly in the Premier League in the first year back, even though we lost Andy Carroll in the January transfer window," he explained.

"When you're losing your top striker for that money, it can sort of derail you but it didn't because of what we had. We wanted to prove to people that we weren't just a one-man team, we were a team, and that's what these lads have got to do.

"They've all got to stand up and be counted because there will be 52,000 fans in there and about 51,500 of them will be mad Geordies wanting them and willing them to get that first win. So they've got to build off that and relish that. That's what we did as a team; we relished the fact that we were one of them and we wanted to do the best for them, as well as ourselves as a team, and we knew if we performed, they would get right behind us.

"The least any Geordie wants is that you're trying and you're working hard - that doesn't mean kicking someone up the backside, that means you putting 50-50 challenges in, running back, running the extra yard, giving your all for everything, and if the lads give that on Saturday I'm sure they'll get the result that they deserve."

Newcastle pipped Brighton to the Sky Bet Championship title in 2016/17 but both sides enjoyed solid top-flight campaigns last term, and while the Magpies have started slowly this time around, the Seagulls beat West Ham last time out and are currently 13th.

The job Hughton has done at the Amex Stadium does not surprise Nolan, who said: "I played for Chris and I saw him last week - we were at a dinner together - and I'm delighted how well he's done. He was a fantastic manager for me and it was quite sad to see him go when he did and how he did, but it's in the past now and we move on. 

"You see what he's done since he left Newcastle, and Brighton are certainly not going to make it easy for Newcastle on Saturday.

"Chris will know that if they keep them quiet for 20-30 minutes, and you get to half time and the lads haven't broken the deadlock yet, then you might hear some grumbles and some players might start feeling the effects of that. He'll have his team well-drilled and ready and it should be a tense affair - but one I think there'll be plenty of drama in, I imagine."

Nolan - who recently left the managerial position at Notts County after leading them to League Two play-offs last season - never played for Benítez, but as a boyhood Liverpool fan he holds a great deal of admiration for the Spaniard.

"I think he's done a fantastic job since he's gone in there," Nolan said. "He's done really well for the club - I think he's taken to the Geordies in a way you very rarely see foreign managers do, and you can see the love the Geordie faithful have got for him.

"But he's got to just make sure he gets his lads up for the challenge because it's going to be a tough one, as it always is in the Premier League. You never get any easy fixtures.

"It's always the same with Newcastle; whether they're at the bottom of the league or top of the league, something's always going on and it's crazy to think the headlines that it creates, but what he's got to do it try to keep the lads' feet on the ground and keep them concentrated on the most important thing: getting three points on Saturday."

Friday's event at NINE Sports Bar & Lounge starts at 7pm (BST) and tickets - costing £15 - are available from the venue or from gigantic.com.  

"It's something I did recently in Nottingham and one of my mates, Mick, asked if I fancied doing one in Newcastle and coming and speaking to a few Geordies and seeing how it goes down," explained Nolan.

"I loved my time up here and being around the ground and in and around the city will be great. I haven't been back too many times since I've left but I'm really looking forward to it and hoping we sell plenty of tickets.

"It'll be a good laugh; there'll be a few stories which you probably haven't been told and a few extra bits to stories which they may think they know about, but they might not know the ins and outs. 

"Hopefully we'll have a bit of fun and laughter during the night, like I did when I was up there."

Tickets for An evening with Mick Lowes and Kevin Nolan cost £15 and are on sale from NINE Sports Bar & Lounge and gigantic.com