WITH Titus Bramble's hamstring injury forcing Glenn Roeder to field yet another remodelled back four this evening, Robbie Elliott has described being a defender at Newcastle as "the hardest job in football".

The club's defenders have been subjected to sustained criticism yet again this season, despite a defensive record that is almost as good as any in the Premiership.

Newcastle have conceded just 29 goals in their 26 games - the seventh best record in the league - and have already kept nine clean sheets this term, three more than they managed in the whole of last season.

Most defenders would feel justifiable indignation at such an impressive record leading to nothing but strife, but when it comes to Newcastle, as Elliott knows only too well, such a paradox is merely par for the course.

The 32-year-old was still in his first spell on Tyneside when Kevin Keegan's United side narrowly failed to win the league title in 1996.

In the critics' eyes, Keegan's cavalier football was to blame for Newcastle's late collapse, with defensive weaknesses undermining the team's undoubted attacking flair. That the Magpies conceded just two goals more than champions Manchester United was conveniently overlooked.

"When it comes to criticism, defence is probably the worst position to play in," said Elliott, who will make his 12th start of the season when Everton visit St James' Park later today. "And when it comes to defending, Newcastle is probably the hardest club to be a defender at.

"You just have to look at the way Jean-Alain (Boumsong) and Titus have been treated this season, they've been tortured. We've all had it and, for the vast majority of the time, I think it's been very unfair.

"In many ways, nothing has changed from the days of Kevin Keegan. Kevin's side took so much flak for its defending but, in the cold light of day, the stats simply didn't add up.

"We had some exceptional games that finished 4-3 but, over the course of a season, people forgot about the games in which we'd defended solidly and kept a clean sheet.

"Unfortunately, that mud has stuck. The reputation has been around for years now and I don't think it will ever change."

Outsiders are quick to jump on any defensive mistake made in a black and white shirt but, increasingly, the perception of a problem exists rather closer to home.

Boumsong and Bramble have both been the focus of criticism from the St James' Park faithful and a commanding centre-half would be at the top of most United supporters' wish-lists.

Elliott accepts that defenders will never be fans' favourites but, after also spending time at Bolton, the Gosforth-born full-back claims Newcastle's love of the number nine shirt makes it particularly hard for players at the other end of the pitch to command respect.

"We joked about it with Stephen Carr when he first came here," he said. "He had no idea of what the feeling up here was about the defence.

"It's been a shock to a lot of the boys because it's a surprise to see a club as big as this having quite so much mud thrown at it.

"You read the papers, you hear things on the radio and you even hear the fans' reaction during the game at times. They're very quick to tell you what they think nowadays.

"We've been lucky enough to have had some fantastic centre-forwards - people like (Peter) Beardsley, (Les) Ferdinand, (Faustino) Asprilla and (Alan) Shearer. Newcastle is all about the number nine shirt and scoring goals. Defenders simply aren't seen in the same light."