THE start of a new season is normally a time of unbridled optimism but, for Newcastle, familiar storm clouds are already gathering over St James' Park.

This weekend's inaugural Newcastle Gateshead Cup should have been a light-hearted limbering up exercise two weeks before the start of the new Premiership season.

Instead it has rapidly turned into a damage-limitation exercise, with injuries and frustrations in the transfer market continuing to mount.

Incredibly, when the Magpies take on Rangers later this afternoon they will have just four fit defenders and will also be without their first-choice goalkeeper.

In addition, Sir Bobby Robson will be unable to name any of his three summer signings in the starting line-up this afternoon despite officially unveiling Nicky Butt and James Milner at St James' Park yesterday.

Butt is still quite a way from full match fitness after flying back from Manchester United's tour of the United States, Milner is nursing blisters on his foot, while Patrick Kluivert will not be risked as he seeks to regain match sharpness after spending most of last season on the bench at the Nou Camp.

Hardly ideal, but things look even bleaker when it comes to Newcastle's much-maligned defence.

Jonathan Woodgate has undergone yet another scan on his troublesome thigh, Shay Given is nursing an infectious eye injury and stand-ins Robbie Elliott and Stuart Taylor are also sidelined.

Newcastle's defence looked anything but watertight at Ipswich on Wednesday night but, if there are any more problems during the next fortnight, it could look even more insecure when United open their Premiership campaign at Middlesbrough on August 14.

"We're being put under pressure and we haven't even kicked a ball yet," admitted Robson, who is also without midfielder Jermaine Jenas because of a thigh problem.

"We've got a lack of cover at the back and it would seem that (Aaron) Hughes, (Titus) Bramble, (Andy) O'Brien and (Olivier) Bernard might have to play 90 minutes in both games.

"That's going to be tough and, if we get an injury, we're going to be up the creek without a paddle."

Woodgate's situation is creating most cause for concern and, while Robson remains confident that the former Leeds centre-half will be fit to line up against his hometown club in a fortnight's time, the signs are not encouraging.

The England international missed most of last season following a double hernia operation and was also forced to sit out the final month of the campaign after rupturing his thigh muscle in the 2-1 win over Chelsea, an injury that kept him out of this summer's European Championships.

His latest set-back came in training this week and, while Newcastle insist the decision to send him for another scan was nothing more than a precaution, they can ill afford to lose their most influential defender for the crucial early weeks of the season.

"It's a worry to us," admitted Robson. "But we're not over-perturbed about it. We still feel he has a chance of starting the season but we have to be very careful with him.

"Jonathan had a serious injury at the end of last season. It was a massive rupture of his thigh and I was told it would take four months.

"It happened in April so it will be 14 weeks this weekend since he did it. The last 10 or 15 per cent of the recovery is always the most difficult.

"You can make good progress, but you've got to get over that last bit. He's made good progress and he's done very well.

"But he felt a little flutter the other day in training when he was increasing the pace and it startled him."

Newcastle's defensive headaches might have been eased had they been able to sign any of the half-a-dozen full-backs they have been tracking this summer.

But, with Benfica insisting they will not part with Miguel for less than £10m and Tottenham reluctant to release Stephen Carr following an injury to their second-choice right-back Stephen Kelly, Robson is no nearer plugging the hole created by the departure of Andy Griffin to Portsmouth.

"We need another full-back, there's no question about that," he admitted. "It's taking longer than I would have thought, but we'll persevere."

There was at least some good news for the embattled boss yesterday as he was able to officially introduce Butt following his £2.5m move from Manchester United.

The combative midfielder signed a four-year deal on Tyneside this week and Robson is confident he will provide the sort of midfield cover that was so sadly lacking last season as the Magpies contrived to win just two Premiership away games all season.

"He's the sort of player we need because he gives us a better defensive balance," said Robson. "That's why we've brought him here.

"He's the sort of player we want because, in Dyer, Jenas and Bowyer, we've got players who like to play forward and like to get in the box and score goals. Nicky has other quailites, so he balances off our other midfield players.

"We're very satisfied with what we've done. Sir Alex (Ferguson) says we've got a bargain, but that's up to him. Nicky's come here to see out much of the rest of his career. He's signed a four-year contract so he's got everything to give the club. If he plays well over that four years then Sir Alex might be right."