CHRIS LAKEY Glenn Roeder is set to make a third raid on his former club, Newcastle United, as he rebuilds Norwich City's first team squad.

CHRIS LAKEY

Glenn Roeder is set to make a third raid on his former club, Newcastle United, as he rebuilds Norwich City's first team squad.

The new Canaries boss has already taken Lee Clark away from St James' Park as his assistant manager, and came close to luring striker Shola Ameobi away from Tyneside last week, only for Sam Allardyce to step in and block the move.

Now Roeder is said to be preparing a third raid, this time for Magpies midfielder Matty Pattison.

The 21-year-old South African made his first team debut for Newcastle just three weeks after Roeder took over from Graeme Souness at St James Park and made a dozen appearances for him last season.

But Pattison, whose contract expires at the end of the season, doesn't appear to be part of Allardcye's plans and could welcome a move away from the north-east.

Allardyce gave Roeder's number two Clark the hands off warning when he got in touch over Ameobi, who enjoyed a healthy scoring record under Roeder.

Ameobi scored around a goal every other game during Roeder's reign, but the 26-year-old has only made one Premier League start for Allardyce - a defeat at Derby County.

Middlesbrough were interested in Ameobi and are likely to return when the January transfer window opens - but that is not an option that is open to Roeder, who admitted last week that his target was too good for the Championship and that it would have been strictly loan deal only.

Roeder's problem is trying to sell a team that is bottom of the table to potential signings.

“We will continue working hard on the telephone asking the question,” he said. “Trying to convince managers that the best thing for some of their players not playing first team football would be to come here.

“There's a great facility and a super stadium with large support for their players to get match fitness, so by the time they return to their clubs at least they'll be getting match fit players in. So, back on the telephone Monday and from then onwards working hard to bring in players.”

Roeder has hit a few stumbling blocks and found an unlikely ally in Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock after criticising “fat cat” players who are content to play reserve team football rather than move to Championship clubs on loan.

Warnock has been frustrated in his attempts to strengthen a team that is only a place above City in the table and said he was encountering similar problems to the Canaries boss.

“I read that Glenn Roeder had said that it's difficult to get players in because those from the Premier League are more prepared to play in the reserves because they don't want to travel and stay in a hotel - and he's right,” said Warnock.

“I've spoken to two Premier League players who the managers have said I can have, but the players haven't agreed to come - not just to us but to any team in the Championship.

“I find that incredible that they don't want to play first-team football. It is money, because it shows that these players aren't altogether bothered about playing - but then you don't want those kind of players anyhow.”