TOON FEARS PLAY ON GIVEN'S MIND

Given - wants to win silverware with Magpies.

Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given has urged potential buyers to invest in Newcastle as he holds on to his dream of winning a trophy with the club.

The 32-year-old met up with his international team-mates on Saturday with the turmoil surrounding the Magpies both on and off the pitch still ongoing.

Billionaire owner Mike Ashley is desperately trying to offload the club he bought for £134.4million 16 months ago after the fans turned on him and his regime following Kevin Keegan's resignation as manager last month.

But while another turbulent episode in Newcastle's recent history continues to unfold, Given has not given up hope that his stay at St James' Park, which now amounts to more than 11 years, will eventually be rewarded with the winner's medal he craves.

He said: "I have been there a long time now and I would class it as my home. I have been there 11 and a half years or something, so it's a big part of my life.

"At times like this, it's difficult. Because I've been there so long, I feel a little bit how the fans feel. It's been so frustrating.

"I've been through rough times at Newcastle, but this time with the club up for sale and the management up in the air, it just seems like the ultimate turmoil.

"As a player, it is easy to turn around and say, 'I want to leave, I want to do this or that'.

"But I would love to see Newcastle really turn the corner. Hopefully, this is as low as it's going to get and we will turn the corner and things will pick up, the club will get sold and the right people will come in to invest in the team.

"I think someone was quoted as saying things can turn bad quickly, but they can turn really good quickly as well at Newcastle.

"It can go on a bit of a rollercoaster and hopefully that will be the case, and I would like to be part of that.

"I would like to win some things at Newcastle. I know at the minute we are miles off that, but you look at the investors at Manchester City and you know the money they are talking about there.

"If we had someone similar, someone who is going to put money into the team, then things can change in the blink of an eye."

Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Cyprus at Croke Park on Wednesday evening has at least temporarily taken Given's mind off events back on Tyneside.

However, the fixture will rekindle painful memories for the keeper and his team-mates as they reflect upon their recent encounters with Angelos Anastasiades' side.

Given was injured for his country's 5-2 European Championship qualifier defeat in Nicosia two years ago, but played in the 1-1 draw in Dublin 12 months later as the Euro 2008 finals eluded them.

He said: "It has and it hasn't left a scar. We have got to focus on what we do on Wednesday because nothing is going to change the last two results.

"They are in the past, they are history. But if anything, they will make us more aware of how dangerous Cyprus really are.

"They are no minnows anymore. Years ago, people would say they were an easy three points - that's definitely not the case now.

"Even the manager (Giovanni Trapattoni) has been quoted in the last few days saying this is one of the most dangerous games in the group. That shows how far Cyprus have come along.

"We know they are a good outfit, so we know we will need to be right on our game to get the right result."

Cyprus will arrive in Ireland with only a point to show for their opening two games, although that could very easily have been four with Antonio di Natale snatching an injury-time winner for world champions Italy in Larnaca last month and Levan Kobiashvili striking late on Saturday to grab a draw for Georgia in Tblisi.