BOBBY ROBSON has told chairman Freddy Shepherd to put Newcastle United's Premiership title hopes on ice - until he provides the club with proper training facilities.

As the big freeze kept its grip on the North-East yesterday, Magpies manager Robson admitted he didn't know where his players were going to prepare for this afternoon's FA Cup third-round tie with Crystal Palace at St. James' Park.

United are still looking for a permanent training base after plans for multi-million pound academy facilities at Wolsington, near Newcastle Airport, and Walkergate in the city's east end, hit problems.

They have been hiring the Blue Flame Ground at Longbenton, from British Gas, who are now understood to be in the process of selling the site to the Northumberland Football Association.

Newcastle have earmarked the adjacent Darsley Park for their new academy.

But Robson, who says he could "write a book'' about the saga, is losing patience following a series of setbacks and delays and yesterday delivered a blunt warning that the Geordies won't compete with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal unless they speed up their plans.

Robson said: "It's a question that should be thrown at the chairman. With the weather the way it is at the moment, conditions for training are deplorable anyway, and it's a bit irritating.

"I understand plans are on the table regarding the building of our academy which will include the criteria that the FA are demanding.

"That would involve the building of an indoor area and the quicker that comes, the better.

"This club has to pay attention to that urgently - I want it yesterday!

"Can you tell me where we are going to train today? Everywhere is rock hard.

"We have permission to use our own pitch, but what's the point of that.

"Even the pitch here isn't right because part of it has been relaid and we've got two different surfaces.

"We've got a good surface and an outrageous surface. It would be the worst thing we do could for the match.

"I'm pushing the club in a way that no other manager has pushed the club and I will continue to push the club.

"The chairman knows how I feel and he is, we hope, in the process of doing something about it.

"There is money set aside and they have got to get the trowel out and get cracking.

"Let's not sit on the fence anymore. We've got top players here worth millions and they want us to compete with the top clubs.

"Manchester United and Arsenal have marvellous facilities and we haven't. I could write a book about it.

"Some clubs in this country have indoor areas and some have outdoor areas with undersoil heating.

"If we're going to be the best in the League we've got to provide the facilities for training and development.''

United have been without their own training ground for nearly a decade since former boss Kevin Keegan called in the fumigators to the Geordies' old base at Benwell.

The club then switched to two different locations in Durham City - the University Sports Ground and the Graham Sports Ground at Maiden Castle.

Until this season, they had been training at facilities next to Durham County Cricket Club's Riverside ground in Chester-le-Street.

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