STEVE HARPER will head out to Bosnia with his Newcastle United teammates on Monday just hours after putting pen to paper on a new five-year deal at St James' Park.

The 27-year-old understudy to Shay Given has agreed the new contract which will signal the end of speculation linking him with a move away from Tyneside.

The decision would appear to be a personal coup for Sir Bobby Robson, whose powers of persuasion helped Harper decide his future remained with the Magpies.

With a European campaign ahead of them to add to domestic cup and Premiership commitments, Sir Bobby knows he needs two top-class keepers at his disposal.

Harper, who played 45 minutes of Newcastle's friendly at Gateshead last night, will officially sign the deal on Monday before he heads out with the squad for Wednesday's Champions League qualifier first leg against NK Zeljeznicar in Sarajevo.

There the Easington-born 'keeper will resume the bench duties which he performed for most of last season, with Given enjoying his best spell of form at Newcastle.

Harper, who signed for the Magpies in 1993 from non-league outfit Seaham Red Star, reached his lowest ebb last December when he was dropped for the Worthington Cup tie with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge - after believing he would start all the games in that competition.

Injuries and form permitting, he will find himself number two to Given this term, with the Worthington Cup again his best chance of any run in the side.

Harper said: "Although there has been reported interest from a number of clubs in me, I have never wanted to play for any club other than Newcastle United.

"My heart has always been with this club and I wouldn't want to be playing anywhere else.

"The buzz at St James' Park is incredible at the moment and I'm very happy to have signed the new deal."

Rangers, Watford and Sunderland were among a number of clubs known to be admirers of Harper's abilities, but the chance of playing in the Champions League with Newcastle, and Sir Bobby's powers of persuasion, appears to have made him stay.

In the past Robson has admitted there is not a great deal to choose between his goalkeepers and has repeatedly stated his belief that he has one of the best duos in the Premiership.

Chairman Freddy Shepherd added: "We are delighted another local lad has agreed a new contract with the club and very happy that Steve is showing his faith in the way things are going at St James' Park."

* North East Fleet Insurance Services Ltd (NFL) have been signed up by Newcastle United as one of their Premier Partners from the start of the 2002/03 season.

* A strong Newcastle side smashed eight past Tyneside neighbours Gateshead without reply last night.

And the Premiership outfit did not take long to get their goalscoring boots on.

Magpies skipper Alan Shearer started the clash and he scored two - one a 35-yard free-kick - in the opening exchanges before being replaced by Shola Ameobi on 22 minutes. And it was Ameobi who added to the scoreline with his first touch of the match two minutes later with a neat finish from a Christian Bassedas through ball.

An own goal from Gateshead's former Sunderland defender David Morgan made it four, before Newcastle striker Carl Cort gave his drained confidence a boost with his side's fifth from the spot.

After the interval it was normal service resumed when full-back Andy Griffin was on hand to tap in another Bassedas pass.

Before full-time Jermaine Jenas smashed two good goals in to complete the scoring at the International Stadium.

* The Football Association are set to ''raise the stakes'' as they battle against the use of drugs by players.

Random tests will be increased 20per cent this season as the FA aim to drive out drug users from football - with players recovering from injury expected to be ''more likely'' to resort to illegal substances.

Alan Hodson, head of medicine and exercise science, said: ''At a time when our positive finds are decreasing, English football has decided to raise the stakes in the battle against drugs. This season we will conduct 1,200 tests."

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