RYAN Taylor is determined to win a place in Newcastle’s first team, and the utility player has targeted the right-back spot as his best opportunity of increasing his involvement this season.

A brief substitute appearance towards the end of last month’s win over Aston Villa represents Taylor’s only Premier League action so far, although he did feature in the Carling Cup second-round success at Accrington Stanley.

The 26-year-old was an irregular participant last season, starting less than half of Newcastle’s league matches as they romped to the Championship title.

He is keen to be a more central member of the squad this term, and while Danny Simpson should be fit enough to challenge first-choice rightback James Perch before the end of the month, Taylor feels the full-back slot offers his best route into Chris Hughton’s preferred starting XI.

“I would love to cement down a first-team place, but it’s tough at the moment,”

said Taylor. “It is not a nice time for me, but I have got to make a name for myself.

“I have a reputation as Mr Versatile and I suppose if I go through my career with that tag, it’s not the worst thing in the world. But at the same time, I want to establish myself in one position.

“My favourite is right-back, but I don’t mind playing anywhere.

I’ll probably play more games there though, so hopefully my goal and performance at Accrington won’t have done me any harm.”

While the opening month of the season might not have gone exactly as Taylor planned, few other Newcastle players will be complaining about the early stages of the club’s return to the Premier League.

The 6-0 hammering of Villa was followed by a solid 1-1 draw at Wolves, and the Magpies will be brimming with confidence when they entertain Blackpool in their next outing on Saturday.

“I think the Villa game in particular was a wake up call for the league,” said Taylor.

“We have not come back to the Premier League to be pushovers. We have not left the Championship to go back there.

“We like to think we are a Premier League team, and although we have to keep our feet on the ground and keep working, come the end of the season, we will be fine as long as we carry on putting in performances like the ones we have produced so far.”

While the transfer window closed last Tuesday, Newcastle could add another player to their ranks this week after Hughton confirmed out-ofcontract French youngster Nacim Boukhelifa is training with the club’s development squad.

The 19-year-old midfielder, who had an trial at Manchester City earlier this summer, turned down the offer of a contract at Lens despite impressing in the French club’s youth ranks last season.

Meanwhile, the Football Association have confirmed Xisco has received a threematch ban for his dismissal in last week’s reserves win over Sunderland. The Spaniard will be unavailable for the league games against Blackpool and Everton, and the Carling Cup third-round tie at Chelsea.