Carling Cup never-say-die spirit will keep Toon up, claims Smith

Alan Smith insists that Newcastle can stay up this season under Chris Hughton, claiming they proved their never-say-die spirit in the Carling Cup win at Chelsea in midweek.

Smith said: “We’re not going to get carried away just because Chelsea will be champions this season. I think they’re the strongest team in the country, their squad’s so powerful.

“I think all of us going back into the Premier League, we want to stay there. We fought so hard last year in every game to get back into the Premier League and that’s our main concern.

“Working hard and having the team spirit is the main concern for us – but we’ve got a set of lads who will play and work hard for each other. And when lads aren’t playing they still want the other lads to win.

“We’ve got great characters who won’t let standards slip and I think that’s the main thing for us to be able to stay up.

“It’s so easy not to get carried away because everyone will be thinking if we can win this, we can have a challenge in the Carling Cup. But our main concern is staying in the Premier League.

“Everyone might say you should set your standards higher than that but that’s what we have to do first and foremost.”