AN appointment with David Batty, you might imagine, requires a deep breath and a stiff drink beforehand, not to mention those heavy shinpads stuffed down the socks. You would be wrong.

Batty is a man of surprises. Not least is an affability in marked contrast to the hop, skip and thump image he carries on to a football pitch. The 27-year-old regards football as an "entertainment" and playing for England "never bothered me in that I've thought: `I hope I'm in the next squad."'

That is just the way he is, he says, and everybody is entitled to his opinion - even Alex Ferguson, whose recent remark about Leeds United players "cheating" their manager have stoked up the heat as the championship enters its penultimate weekend.

Football, says Batty, spins on opinions and Ferguson "is entitled to his. A lot of people won't have agreed with it, especially at Leeds."

Having spent nine years at Elland Road, Batty should know. Leeds were the club he supported as a boy, joined and later won a league title with. Now the mid- fielder returns there on Monday night as one of only two of the Newcastle team to know what that means. Peter Beardsley, who won a championship with Liverpool, is the other.

Kevin Keegan and Terry McDermott have both voiced their thankfulness for having such experience in their squad at such a vital time and, since his £3.5 million move from Blackburn eight weeks ago, the Newcastle management have gone into overdrive about Batty in particular.

In Lancashire Batty acquired further title experience having been involved in the run-in last season. He did not, however, pick up a medal this time, mainly because he thought he did not deserve one. A split bone in his rig ht foot restricted Batty to only five appearances the final five and when the medals were displayed at Anfield after the final game at Liverpool, one that Rovers lost, Batty passed the offer up.

"I was about fourth up and there were about 20 medals but I declined," he says in his strong Yorkshire accent. "I thought: `I'm not getting one ahead of a lad whose played 30 games,' so I never bothered."

Blackburn went back into Europe but Batty's most memorable contribution to the Champions League exercise was to provide a chin for Graeme Le Saux's fist, though it is clear his enchantment with Rovers was waning even before that incident in Moscow. "It wasn't the same club that I joined," says Batty, "it was different. I think when there's a change of manager there are going to be successes and casualties, and I was one of the casualties. Nowt against Ray (Harford) but I thought it was a lot better when Kenny Dalglish was there."

Dalglish's predecessor in the No. 7 Liverpool shirt heard of Batty's availability and stepped in, which, says the player, "I was a little bit flattered by" - and relieved.

Being at Newcastle, he says, is "brilliant. Everybody has made me welcome off the pitch and on it. The players we have here could get into any team in Europe, I think. I've been used to playing with good players but some of the players in this team are great, you know. That's the difference."

How come Newcastle have recently lost two crucial games - one at Blackburn? "It looks more important at this stage of the season when a team have a dip in form or results. I think we're playing really well but sometimes we haven't had that bit of luck. Then again, luck evens itself out over a season."

When Leeds took the title in 1992, Batty says their position then is comparable to Manchester United's a few weeks ago. "We were always chasing, so we were the underdogs by far. It was only until United went to West Ham and got beaten there that we were more or less neck and neck."

West Ham did Blackburn a similar favour last year, again against United. "This time," says Batty, "Newcastle have been so far in front, people had been saying they'd won it by Christmas. But United have hauled us back and people are saying we are on a bad run. I think both teams now are looking to grind out a win. It's whoever has the more mettle or whatever.

"Personally, the way everyone is feeling just now, I think second place would be a disaster. Maybe in a couple of years, looking back, people would settle for second place. It's just what you're used to and what standards you set yourself."

Batty is used to high standards but, perhaps surprisingly, international recognition is not his priority. "England, to be honest, has never really... I mean everybody's different and whose right and whose wrong? If international football comes along, yeah, I'll take it, but this is where I earn my living."

Batty's eyes are on the domestic prize and having played eight times already for Newcastle he will collect a medal this time. But only if Newcastle are the best.

And according to Batty: "There is only one way to prove you are the best team and that's by winning the league. And if you don't win the league, then you're not the best. It's as simple as that." That is not just a Batty opinion. It is a fact.