600 up for Shay

Congratulations to Shay Given on making his 600th club appearance at the weekend - just a shame it was for Middlesbrough. Not only did he mark that milestone on his debut, he also kept a clean sheet as the Smogs beat Bolton 1-0, new boss Aitor Karanka's first win. Not that he had an awful lot to do - even when the visitors were awarded a late penalty, Jermaine Beckford sent the spot-kick sailing over the crossbar.

Of those 600 appearances, 462 came in Newcastle colours - and the 17 appearances for the Mackems prior to signing for us make Given only the sixth player ever to play for all three sides. Personally I'm delighted to see a player who hasn't had the best of luck since leaving Tyneside back in action.

Meanwhile, one player who won't be following in Given's footsteps is ASBO, who has taken to Twitter to rubbish suggestions he might leave QPR for the Mackems in January: "Me to 5under1and? Somehow I just don’t think so." "I value the time I spent at NUFC. I value the relationship I have with the toon army to this day. I could never play for the Mackems." "It wouldn’t be right. Not sure were the rumour came from. But as usually its nonsense."