NEWCASTLE United have launched a tit-for-tat reprisal against Intertoto Cup rivals Troyes by complaining to UEFA that the French side's ground was unsafe.

United hit back after Troyes made moves to have the Magpies kicked out of the competition for fielding Peruvian international Nolberto Solano in Tuesday's goalless final first-leg.

Troyes' case is based on the belief that winger Solano may have been ineligible to play following claims that the validity of his Greek passport was under investigation by immigration officials.

UEFA are due to deal with Troyes' complaint today, but it seems certain to be thrown out after United revealed that Solano has now been re-registered as a Peruvian national with a work permit which lasts the length of his current five-year contract.

Nevertheless, United have increased the tension between the clubs ahead of the St. James' Park return leg a week on Tuesday, by protesting about the "inadequate facilities'' at Troyes' Stade de L'Aube.

Around 500 United fans were stuck at one end of the ground on concrete with no seating.

United's safety officer, Dave Pattison, said: "It was far from being an ideal situation, but we accepted that the game would go ahead as planned.

"We made our position perfectly clear and we're pleased that the UEFA delegate supported our view on Wednesday. The matter is now in the hands of UEFA.''

Meanwhile, United skipper Alan Shearer has handed manager Bobby Robson an unexpected bonus by refusing to rule himself out of the decider with Troyes. Shearer is stepping up his recovery from a second operation on his tendinitis-affected knee after visiting leading specialist Richard Steadman in Paris this week.

Now Shearer looks to have a realistic chance of being fit to make his comeback in the St. James' derby clash with Sunderland a fortnight on Sunday.

He said: "Things could hardly be better and I can't wait to get back into the swing of things. I have experienced no pain or stiffness and I'm doing everything in training.

"Now I'm ready to do what the rest of the first-team squad are doing. The opening game of the season at Chelsea might be a bit too soon for me, but the Troyes game is only a couple of days later, so who knows? It will be up to the manager on that one.''

Shearer's return would offer Robson a rich array of attacking options, with Carl Cort close to resuming training after injury and £16m new boys Laurent Robert and Craig Bellamy vying for places with Shola Ameobi and Lomana LuaLua.

Robert, signed from Paris St. Germain for £10m, is due to make his United debut tomorrow in Robert Lee's testimonial at St. James' against Athletic Bilbao.

He has also been named in the France squad for the game against Denmark in Nantes next Wednesday

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