MIDDLESBROUGH chairman Steve Gibson has reacted with 'amazement' to Newcastle's attempts to have Saturday's Tees-Tyne derby postponed.

The Boro supremo believes the Magpies should leave the players with conjunctivitis back on Tyneside and select a squad from their remaining '50' fit players to bring to the Riverside.

Gibson was in no mood to placate Newcastle United, and speaking ahead of the season-opener revealed how he 'chuckled' at reports that a postponement was likely.

Gibson said: "Is the game on? It's always been on. There was never any reason why it shouldn't be.

"There was no credibility to talk that this game could be off.

"Newcastle have over 60 registered professionals. I understand that four or five of them have conjunctivitis. It's a non-issue.

"They (Newcastle) haven't spoken to me directly about it, but there's been some communication between the Premier League, Newcastle and Middlesbrough and the conclusion is, and has got to be, the game is on.

"Of course we don't want them to bring any infected footballers to this club, but that means they have another 48, another 50 players.

"How can the game be off? I think it's amazing that we can even be talking about it.

"I've seen the press this week and had a chuckle at it and ignored it. We started last season with far more than seven professionals injured."

The two clubs haven't enjoyed the best of relationships since a previous Tees-Tyne derby was called off because of snow by Boro in February last year.

The game was cancelled more than 24 hours before kick-off for safety reasons on the advice of the police, safety officials and local referee Jeff Winter, after an inspection of the terraces and stadium approaches.

At the time United manager Sir Bobby Robson hinted that his club would protest over the decision and since then Tees-Tyne relations have been strained.

When asked what if Newcastle asked Gibson directly to postpone the game - would the answer still be no?

"Absolutely. This game has to go ahead," was Gibson's response. "It's beyond the Premier League's restrictions.

"I don't think the Premier League have the authority to postpone the game.

"That's what they told us when we tried to in 1996."

Gibson was of course referring to the infamous non-game against Blackburn in December 1996 when Boro failed to fulfil the fixture and were subsequently docked three points by the Premier League.

At the end of that season the club were relegated - by just two points - costing them millions of pounds in television and merchandising rights.

Boro had more players out back then than Newcastle do now. The Magpies wanted to call Saturday's game off with four players missing - Laurent Robert, Andy O'Brien, Lee Bowyer and goalkeeper Tony Caig - and physiotherapist Derek Wright the latest casualty.

Shay Given has recovered after his bout of the viral eye infection and returned to training on Tuesday.

But Newcastle remain concerned that there is a real threat of spreading the virus to the Riverside, and have reacted with disappointment to the Premier League's response to their pleas.

The club provided medical evidence about the virus and a United spokesman said: "We have had lengthy discussions with the Premier League and explained our position but at this moment the game is still on.

"They have told us they are not prepared to call the game off and that we just have to get on with it.

"This is not about players being injured but about the risk to the players from both teams and also the staff at both clubs.

"If the game has to be postponed then people in Middlesbrough will call us whingers.

"And if we go down there and play the match and conjunctivitis is passed on to the Middlesbrough players then we will get the blame."

A Premier League spokesman said: "We would expect the fixture to be played.

"We are still monitoring the situation and should there be any further developments then we will reassess."

The game is scheduled for a 5.15pm kick off in front of Sky Television's pay-per- view cameras.

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