In a new weekly Saturday morning feature, Scott Wilson and Dominic Shaw take you behind the scenes and bring you the latest developments from the clubs across the North-East.

This week in North-East Insight, we tell you about a guest of honour at St James' Park, Middlesbrough's interesting goalkeeper situation, a new role for an ex-Sunderland coach and the Teessider attracting plenty of interest in the January transfer window.

Newcastle's guest of honour

Richard Masters has had his run-ins with Newcastle United in the past, most notably when Amanda Staveley’s Saudi Arabia-backed takeover of the Magpies was effectively blocked in 2020, but the Premier League chief executive is on much better terms with the club now.

Masters was a guest of honour at Newcastle’s 1-0 win over Fulham last weekend, sitting alongside Staveley and her fellow co-owner, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, in the directors’ box at St James’ Park.

The Premier League chief was a far less popular figure prior to the departure of Mike Ashley, with Newcastle launching an appeal with the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) in an attempt to force the governing body to accept that there was a clear division between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the Saudi Arabian state.

It was only when that distinction was accepted by Masters and his fellow Premier League directors that the PIF was able to purchase 80 per cent of Newcastle.

Boro's plan for impressive young loanee

The current transfer window is obviously dominating Michael Carrick's thinking at Middlesbrough right now, but looking ahead to the summer, there'll be an interesting decision to make when it comes to the goalkeeper position.

Zack Steffen is due to return to Manchester City in the summer and his current wage packet means a permanent deal won't be a possibility. Of course, if Boro win promotion, that changes things, and there might be a conversation to be had as to whether City would sanction a further loan move.

But if Steffen is back at City, it leaves Carrick with a decision to make. Current number two Liam Roberts will be desperate for an opportunity but he could well have competition in the form of promising youngster Sol Brynn.

Brynn has enjoyed an outstanding season so far with League Two Swindon, picking up three Player of the Month awards, his form attracting interest from elsewhere, with Barnsley and Portsmouth understood to be among the clubs who are keen on the 22-year-old.

Reports emerged earlier this month claiming a string of League One clubs were hopeful of loaning Brynn for the second half of the season, which would have presented the keeper with a chance to impress at a higher level. But it's understood that Boro plan for Brynn to stay at Swindon for the rest of the season.

As is the case with Josh Coburn at Bristol Rovers, Brynn is playing and impressing. The loan is working out exactly as Boro would have hoped.

In an exclusive interview with the Northern Echo earlier this season, Brynn told of his desire to return to Boro in the summer and, ultimately, establish himself as the No.1 at his hometown club. Boro will be watching his Swindon spell very closely.

He has 18 months left on his current Boro contract.

Stockdale's new role

Ex-Middlesbrough defender and Sunderland caretaker manager Robbie Stockdale has been on the move this week.

He's left Hull City, where he was first team coach, to join MK Dons as Mark Jackson's assistant head coach.

Jackson left Leeds for League One Dons last month and moved to bolster his backroom team with the addition of Stockdale, who was sacked as Rochdale manager in August after just over a year in charge.

Stockdale said: “I am very happy to be here. I have had several opportunities since leaving my previous job but this is the one that felt right for me.

“After speaking with Mark, it’s clear we have similar ways of seeing the game. I’ll be looking to support Mark and help the Club by offering my experience and my ideas, having been fortunate enough to work under some top international managers during my career."

The Teessider at the heart of League Two transfer battle

Teessider Danny Johnson has had quite the career.

He plays for League Two Mansfield but got there via spells at Boro, Hartlepool, Real Murcia, Billingham Synthonia, Guisborough Town, Cardiff City, Tranmere Rovers, Stevenage, Gateshead, Motherwell, Dundee and Leyton Orient.

He's only 29.

And he'll soon likely have another club to add to that list. Having spent the first half of the season on loan at Walsall, where he scored 15 goals in 30 appearances, Johnson was recalled by Mansfield and now finds himself as the most in-demand player in League Two this month.

Hartlepool are one of at least half a dozen clubs who are keen on the striker, with Mansfield boss Nigel Clough revealing that he plans to sit down with Johnson next week and find out the striker's plans. Pools, who could desperately do with Johnson's firepower in their bid to survive, will be eagerly anticipating the outcome of the meeting.

But whoever wins the battle to sign Johnson this month - if indeed he decides to leave Mansfield - will only have the striker until the end of the season, for the striker, says Clough, only intends to sign a short-term deal, which will mean yet another transfer-tug-of war come the summer.