Friday 24 October 2014 16:03, UK
Alan Pardew is thrilled to have Ryan Taylor back in his injury-hit Newcastle squad for Sunday's trip to Tottenham.
Taylor could be called into action at White Hart Lane after more than two years on the sidelines and Pardew says it has been tough watching him battle his way back to fitness after two serious knee injuries.
The 30-year-old first damaged his cruciate ligament in a Europa League tie against Atromitos in August 2012 and then suffered a recurrence in April last year.
What Ryan brings is a real good knowledge and a good understanding, and also professionalism to the training ground that can inspire others.
Pardew has no idea what the look of his team will be on Sunday with a number of players under an injury cloud, although it would be tough to bring Taylor back into the side after playing only 90 minutes for their Under-21 side since his return to training.
But he hopes Taylor's return will be an inspiration to the squad, which was boosted on the pitch last weekend when they beat Leicester for their first Premier League win of the season.
Pardew said: "Ryan Taylor should return this week, and I think if that's not an inspirational story to everybody here and everybody in football, because this is a guy who has had terrible, terrible bad luck with cruciate injuries and he has come back again.
"It was so pleasing to put his name on the teamsheet this week to travel. That's good news for us, because he is a very, very liked guy here.
"He's just a good person to have at the training ground. There's been a lot of talk this week about professionalism at training grounds and what people bring.
"What Ryan brings is a real good knowledge and a good understanding, and also professionalism to the training ground that can inspire others."
Pardew's current injury list includes more walking wounded, rather than long-term victims, and he will have to wait on news of a handful of players before finalising his squad.
Strikers Papiss Cisse and Emmanuel Riviere are undergoing treatment and Newcastle also he doubts over defenders Mike Williamson and Paul Dummett and midfielders Cheick Tiote and Sammy Ameobi.
Pardew said: "We have not got a crisis, but we have one or two we are kind of waiting for - Riviere, is he going to be available? Papiss, Cheick Tiote - and I'm not really going to be clear on any of that until Saturday.
"But we have got players in the group to cope if they don't make it."
