NEWCASTLE UNITED are planning to have Jonjo Shelvey available for Saturday’s potentially record-breaking visit of Blackburn Rovers as they await a date for the midfielder’s disciplinary hearing.

The Football Association have been in discussions with the Magpies to determine when it will take place after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of racially abusing an opponent during the defeat to Wolves in mid-September.

Shelvey is confident he will be cleared by the independent disciplinary hearing and that is why Newcastle would prefer to take place after a hectic run of fixtures.

But with time running out before Saturday’s visit of Blackburn, the £10m signing from Swansea seems certain to be in contention for a match which could see Newcastle break a club record.

Rafael Benitez is looking to guide Newcastle to a tenth straight win in all competitions and that will be the first time the feat has been achieved in the club’s history.

And with Benitez keen to build on the five-point gap at the top of the Championship as they head into December, Shelvey is an important cog in his team’s system.

Newcastle then have a quarter-final with Hull City on Tuesday in the EFL Cup before travelling down to Nottingham Forest four days later for a Friday night football encounter.

There are then eight days until Newcastle face Birmingham City at St James’ Park and that could present the best period for the hearing to take place.

The FA could throw the date of the hearing in next week and that would not be ideal timing in the middle of a hectic schedule, with Shelvey pleading his innocence too.

But the serious nature of the case – with the FA claiming an “aggravated breach” – means the FA do not want the issue to rumble on unnecessarily either.

It is understood the alleged offence centred on comments directed at Wolves’ Moroccan midfielder Romain Saiss in the 87th minute against Wolves when Vurnon Anita was sent off for serious foul play.

Saiss is believed to have at least one witness who approached the officials immediately after the game. Shelvey, however, is also believed to have a witness supporting his own series of events.

Benitez, linked this week with the West Ham job, is focused on guiding Newcastle back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

And he took in a tour of landmarks across the North-East this week with his coaching staff to help gain a greater grasp of the area’s history.

The Spaniard plus assistant Ian Cathro and coaches Mike Antia, Antonio Gomez Perez, Francisco de Miguel Moreno and Simon Smith visited places like the Angel of the North, Newcastle Castle and Durham University.

Benitez said: “It (the Angel of the North) is a very impressive sight and up close it really is huge. My staff explained to me how it was constructed and told me it is a symbol showing that from the city’s history, the Geordies have created a new future. I wanted to see close up this incredible symbol of the city.”