NEWCASTLE UNITED'S season preparations were thrown into chaos when they were forced to shut down their Tyneside training base - just ten days before the new campaign begins.

While Sir Bobby Robson watched his side go down 2-1 to Celtic in their final pre-season game at Parkhead last night, the club had already closed the doors at their Darsley Park base in North Tyneside as an eye infection threatened to sweep through the squad.

Shay Given and Andy O'Brien were joined on the sidelines by Lee Bowyer and reserve goalkeeper Tony Caig, with the threat so serious that Newcastle have told their players to stay at home for four days.

Robson said last night: "It's a serious, serious business. We lost Shay Given, whose eye is in a wretched state.

"Then we lost Andy O'Brien and then Lee Bowyer, before Tony Caig went down with it this morning.

"The eye closes up with swelling and watering and it's very nasty.

"Many of the players have families to think about and we've had to shut down for four days.

"We've told the players to keep themselves fit for now and we'll be looking for somewhere to train in the meantime."

On the pitch, Craig Bellamy gave Newcastle the lead before Celtic substitutes Momo Sylla and Henri Camara hit back to earn the Bhoys the win their play deserved.

Robson said: "We were in control but in the end we lost the match. Harper made the save of the match in the first half and after we scored I thought we were going to win."

Nicky Butt made his first start, partnering Kieron Dyer in central midfield, with Laurent Robert, despite nursing a rib injury, and James Milner on the flanks.

The opening quarter hour was a cagey affair but the Celtic faithful in the 24,000 crowd should have had plenty to cheer about on 22 minutes.

An astute ball by Jackie McNamara put Stilian Petrov in the clear but, after he'd rounded Steve Harper, his effort was wide of the target.

Newcastle's attacking threat was conspicuous by its absence in the opening half with their best effort created by Robert just after the half hour, skipping inside McNamara only for David Marshall to cut out his cross at full stretch.

But the real danger appeared to be at Harper's end, with the Easington-born Magpies number two at full stretch himself to tip away a superb effort from Aiden McGeady.

The enigmatic Robert was at the centre of all Newcastle's good work but his rib injury forced him off on the stroke of the interval, when he was replaced by Martin Brittain.

Newcastle started the second-half determined to stamp some authority on the game - literally!

Alan Shearer was the first culprit.

The skipper brought down Joos Valgaeren, then Butt repeated the procedure on substitute Ross Wallace.

Just when the game looked to be running out of steam on the hour, Newcastle took the lead.

Brittain fed Dyer, who laid it into the path of Bellamy to rifle in a left-footer from the edge of the box.

The substitutions then added a little spice to proceedings.

Shearer was potentially handed a warning of things to come when he was replaced by Patrick Kluivert.

But a firm handshake indicated there were no hard feelings.

Camara also came on to make his first appearance for Celtic after his well-publicised spat with Wolves and subsequent year-long loan deal.

The Bhoys were buoyed and after Bramble had cut out a cross from subtitute Wallace, and Harper had saved fom subtitute Sylla, they equalised with the two subs again in the thick of the action.

Sylla lost his marker and buried a header from Wallace's corner to make it 1-1 on 72 minutes.

Bellamy and Kluivert both had efforts wide of the target before Camara's shot deflected off Hughes and looped over Harper for the winner.

Celtic (4-4-2): Marshall (Hedman, 45), McNamara (Sylla, 61), Balde (Cuthbert, 83), Valgaeren, Varga (McBride, 83), McGeady (Laursen 61), Petrov (McManus, 76), Lennon (O'Dea, 83), Pearson (Wallace, 45), Sutton (Camara, 61), Hartson (Beattie, 45).

Newcastle United (4-4-2): Harper, Hughes, Bramble, Elliott, Bernard, Milner (Chopra, 90), Dyer (Pattinson, 76), Butt (Jenas,61), Robert (Brittain, 45), Bellamy, Shearer (Kluivert, 61)

Result: Celtic 2 Newcastle 1.

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