Ginola's sideshow provides real drama

The pantomime season has come early to Tyneside. Newcastle United may have hosted worse matches but few can have been as farcical as this ill-tempered shambles of a game.

Peter Beardsley may be about to shine alongside an Australian soap star in the Tyne Theatre's Sleeping Beauty soon, but his former colleague at Newcastle, David Ginola, put in an early wicked witch of a display yesterday.

Ginola always was the talk of the Tyne during his two years at St James' Park and his injudicious remarks about Alan Shearer along with his slightly bizarre criticism of foreigners in the English game at the Oxford Union this week, ensured the fragrant Frenchman would receive a stinker of a reception.

That is what he got. Come his first touch Ginola was booed vehemently. He responded with flamboyant indignation. There were a couple of dives for good measure, a yellow card for moaning (he was one of six Spurs players booked), a face-to-face confrontation with Shearer and a typically mercurial cross to create Tottenham's goal.

He followed it with an aggressive celebration, incensing the home fans even more. All in all, not a bad afternoon at the drama workshop.

Amazingly Ginola's was not the most eyecatching display at St James' yesterday - that came from one of those foreigners he had complained about: Fumaca, a 23-year-old Brazilian.

Given the nature of his efforts, Formica might be closer to the mark. Rejected by Walsall, Crystal Palace, Barnsley and Wolves among others, Fumaca has somehow convinced Bobby Robson he is worthy of a trial at Newcastle. Cue memories of Graeme Souness at Southampton, being conned by a man claiming to be George Weah's cousin.

Newcastle are unbeaten at home since Robson's arrival in September, but something is amiss. Then again, Robson had praise for another Newcastle debutant, Helder, and his contribution consisted of belting the ball as far as he could. Robson did say it was Helder's first game for nine months.

Further Newcastle mitigation was sought in the fact that the team did not get home from Rome until 5 a.m. on Friday and that they have 12 players injured. It was just as well Ian Walker lent a helping hand by fumbling Stephen Glass's fifth-minute header over the line. Oyvind Leonhardsen wasted a chance to equalise shortly after, but Spurs got their goal on the stroke of half-time, Chris Armstrong meeting Ginola's brilliant centre.

Nikos Dabizas had got an unhelpful deflection on that cross, but he made amends with a simple headed winner from Nolberto Solano's corner 12 minutes after the interval.

These two do it all again in a fortnight in the FA Cup, and at White Hart Lane no doubt Ginola will not want some Greek occupying centre stage. Bloody foreigners.

Newcastle: Harper, Hughes, Cristovao, Dabizas, Charvet, Solano (Maric 85), Lee, Fumaca (McClen 81), Glass, Ketsbaia (Ferguson 75), Shearer. Subs Not Used: Given, Beharall. Booked: Solano. Goals: Glass 5, Dabizas 58.

Tottenham: Walker, Edinburgh, Campbell, Perry, Taricco, Leonhardsen, Sherwood, Freund (Clemence 84), Ginola, Iversen, Armstrong (Dominguez 67). Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Vega, Young. Booked: Sherwood, Ginola, Edinburgh, Armstrong, Taricco, Perry. Goals: Armstrong 44.

Referee: P Alcock (Halstead).