Toon favourite Lomana Lualua has been told to clean up his act after leaving his new club Newcastle in the lurch.

The Geordies needed the 19-year-old flyer at Leicester after being rocked by news that jinxed £7m striker Carl Cort faces a further month on the sidelines.

But Lualua is suspended because of five cautions - four of them with former club Colchester before his £2.25m move in September.

Coach Mick Wadsworth said: "It's part of the game we want him to look at and improve. We were not happy at the way he was booked at West Ham."

Newcastle are second in the Premiership's fair play league but Lualua has picked up nearly half their 12 bookings so far this season and boss Bobby

Robson is demanding an drastic improvement in the youngster's disciplinary record.

Robson hoped to have Cort fit for next weekend's derby clash with Sunderland following a worrying six-week layoff with knee and hamstring trouble.

But the former Wimbledon man is no closer to a comeback and saw a specialist this week in a bid to pinpoint the problem.

Cort, who has started only five games for Newcastle, said: "This is the first major injury I've had and it's very frustrating. I've had a taste of the atmosphere and I'm desperate for more."

With Kevin Gallacher also sidelined boss Robson must be pleased that Alan Shearer, with four goals in his last two matches, is in such a rich vein of scoring form.

The Geordies have three away victories this season and Shearer was on the mark when they won at Filbert Street a year ago.

Lualua meanwhile is cursing after missing the chance to impress acting England boss Peter Taylor.

But teammate Robert Lee reckons that despite the temporary hiccup the teenage attacker has what it takes to make it big in the Premiership.

Lee said: "He's one of a dying breed. He's a youngster with no fear who has the confidence to to take on three or four players.

"Football is more of a business than ever with the stakes so high. But Lomana is the sort of players fans will always love. He's still young and he's still learning and people mustn't expect too much too soon. But he's exciting and he's going to get better with age."

Colchester youth team coach Micky Cook is confident the youngster will keep his feet on the floor after opening his eyes with a visit to a factory during his brief Colchester career.

"We took the lads to a local factory with a production line and they worked there for a day," revealed Cook. "It was to show them how fortunate they were to be professional footballers.

"I understand Lomana talked about it when he moved to Newcastle and that shows it must have been a worthwhile exercise."