LEE Clark will continue his love affair with Newcastle United next season after chairman Freddy Shepherd assured him he would be offered a new deal regardless of who he appoints as manager.

Clark's current contract, which involves both playing and coaching duties, expires at the end of June and there had been fears that Graeme Souness' successor could deem the 33-year-old surplus to requirements at St James' Park.

But, while the veteran midfielder is unlikely to be offered another playing contract despite making 20 appearances this season, Shepherd has promised to keep him involved in some capacity next term.

"I know that I'll be at the football club next season," said Clark, who made his Newcastle debut under Jim Smith in September 1990. "But at this moment in time, I don't know what capacity that will be in.

"I'm going to sit down with the chairman and talk over what he sees me doing.

"My current contract as a player runs out this summer. I've spoken with the chairman already and we've agreed to sit down and talk further as the season comes to a close.

"I know I'll be staying at Newcastle in some capacity - at the moment, we just don't know what that will be."

Clark made a surprise return to Tyneside last August and, on signing for Souness, admitted his playing appearances were likely to be few and far between over the course of the next nine months.

A glut of midfield injuries soon put paid to that, though, with the Wallsend-born schemer finding himself on the bench on the opening day of the season and coming off it in August's goalless draw with West Ham.

His subsequent involvement in the squad has restricted his ability to learn the coaching ropes, although reserve-team boss Tommy Craig has started him along the path that will eventually lead to the FA badges he needs to become a manager.

"I've been doing a bit of coaching behind the scenes," said Clark. "I have to give great credit to Tommy - he's been fantastic with me and given up his own time to help me learn.

"The young players have also been great with me. They've put in extra sessions so I could spend time with them and learn the ropes.

"It's been great and I've loved it. Coaching is something I've always been in to, I started taking notice at a young age and not just playing the game oblivious to everything else that was going on around me.

"The tactical side of the game has always interested me, and going into that arena has always been part of my thoughts."

In the meantime, though, Clark will devote his energies to ensuring the Magpies finish as high up the Premiership table as possible.

Last weekend's 3-1 win over Tottenham, in which the midfielder was a 63rd-minute substitute, ensured European football remained a remote possibility despite Newcastle's struggles this season.

United lie 11 points behind sixth-placed Blackburn, a huge gap to make up with just six games to play but, mathematically at least, not an insurmountable obstacle.

The gap might have been much less had Lee Bowyer displayed Saturday's form throughout the rest of the season.

The one-time England international utterly outclassed the likes of Michael Carrick and Jermaine Jenas, providing a throwback to the days when he was sweeping all before him as Leeds made the semi-finals of the Champions League.

"I played against him when he was at the peak of his form and he was a nightmare to play against," said Clark. "He came very close to being an England regular and, in hindsight, he probably should have been.

"He was playing on the biggest stage of them all in club football and proving himself as one of the best midfielders in Europe.

"He's been showing glimpses of that form in the last few weeks. He's been improving all the time, and his display against Spurs was the one that topped the lot.

"He's a fantastic player when he plays like that.

"We know he's really energetic and he can play a huge part in taking this club forward.

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