DETERMINED chairman Freddy Shepherd insists Newcastle United will never welcome back controversial winger Laurent Robert - even if Portsmouth decide they don't want him.

Robert, never shy of the wrong sort of headlines during his days' at St James' Park, faces an uncertain future at Fratton Park after his refusal to sit on the bench at Sunderland on Saturday.

The Frenchman, who claimed he was injured after hearing the news he was a substitute, has been fined two weeks' wages by Pompey despite apologising to everyone connected with the club.

The whole scenario smacks of his time at Tyneside, which was highlighted by the way he was fined around £140,000 for launching a verbal attack on manager Graeme Souness in the press just a day or so before moving on.

Portsmouth, despite chairman Milan Mandaric insisting he has forgiven the former Paris St Germain star, are thought to be contemplating ways of offloading Robert.

But Newcastle chief Shepherd has told Pompey to forget about sending him back.

"When Portsmouth signed Robert from us it was a permanent loan deal until the end of the current season, and a deal which will see him stay there after that is all done and dusted as far as we are concerned," said Shepherd.

"I don't know what arrangement Robert has with Portsmouth but it has nothing to do with us and all I can categorically say is that he will not be returning to Newcastle United."

Robert actually witnessed Portsmouth's 4-1 win at the Stadium of Light from the stands, as manager Alain Perrin had to make do with the embarrassment of naming just four substitutes.

To try to prove his injury he flew to France on Sunday to see a specialist, only to return and learn he had been fined by the south coast club.