Newcastle United

Steven Taylor has been talking to the Mirror about the dramatic and positive change in the dressing room this season, much of which he attributes to Chris Hughton's management style:

"In the past few years, players kept things in or talked behind people’s backs, which caused arguments and upset some players who then haven’t gone out and performed.

When I first came into the first team set-up, there were three groups: the young lads, the foreign lads and the older players. There’s none of that any more. Everyone is together. The players, plus Chris and Colin Calderwood, stick together.

The players who wanted to be here have shown they want to be here. The players who didn’t want to be here aren’t here.

We were always in the papers, often for the wrong reasons. There was always something bad or negative happening, being said or being written.

This season, that hasn’t happened, because the players here care about the club and aren’t silly enough to talk badly about it.

We realised right at the start of season that everyone was out to nail us, and we haven’t given them the satisfaction."

Taylor also continues to harbour hopes of a place in the full England squad - though is realistic enough to know that the call won't come as long as he's plying his trade outside of the top flight.