THE story at Newcastle United this season has been one of regeneration.

The club as a whole has picked itself off the floor following last season’s relegation, while senior players like Alan Smith, Kevin Nolan and Fabricio Coloccini have earned renewed respect thanks to their performances at a lower level.

But if there is one player whose career remains defiantly unfulfilled, it is surely Shola Ameobi, the striker who boasts every constituent of the goalscorer’s art, but who, for whatever reason, has never been able to combine them into a functioning whole.

When he first burst on to the scene almost a decade ago, Ameobi was touted as a star in the making, a homegrown talent capable of taking over Alan Shearer’s mantle as Newcastle’s local leader of the line.

Nine-and-a-half seasons on it is impossible to escape the conclusion that his performances have never really lived up to the predictions that preceded them.

True, Ameobi has scored 58 senior goals in 260 appearances and, even this season, the striker boasts eight goals from ten games.

But thanks to a combination of injury, inconsistency and an inability to hold down a regular starting spot in the first team, the Nigeria-born marksman remains something of a nearly man. And with his 28th birthday having passed last October, time is nearly running out for him to engineer an improvement.

“Five years ago, I had big ambitions,” said Ameobi, who is expected to return to Newcastle’s starting line-up for this evening’s Championship promotion clash with West Brom.

“I wanted to be Shearer’s successor, wear the number nine shirt, play for England and go to the World Cup. So my career has not been fulfilled.

“I accept that. Five or six years ago, if someone had said this would be my career, I would have been disappointed.

I would be the first to admit I have not fulfilled my potential or scaled the heights I thought I would.

“That is down to me. You can talk about injuries and make all sorts of excuses, but the harsh truth is I have not reached the heights I set myself.

“But I am just turned 28 and there is still time. Anything can happen in football, I have learned that over the last ten years. It is something I am trying to put right now.”

Take veteran goalkeeper Steve Harper out of the equation, and Ameobi is the longest-serving player currently on Newcastle’s books.

He has seen countless highs and lows, from the glory of the Champions League era to the despair of relegation from the top-flight.

Few players have divided supporters’ opinion in as emotive a manner, with the cheers that have greeted his arrival on certain occasions counterbalancing the jeers that have accompanied his departure from the field on others.

“I have had it all from them,” said Ameobi. “They have sung my name, booed me, cheered me and jeered me.

It’s been a love-hate relationship at times, but I understand their frustrations.

“I know I have not reached my potential, and they do as well. They are allowed to voice their opinion, I understand that.

“There have been many players in the past who have come here and not been able to deal with that, but I think I have been strong enough to deal with it.

“Yes, of course it has hurt at times, but I am still here and it makes me more determined.

They know I care about this club, I have grown to love this club and it will always be close to my heart.”

As well as witnessing a whirlwind of emotions during his decade at St James’, Ameobi has also worked under a series of managers, some of whom rated him highly, others who would willingly have sold him had a buyer been found.

Chris Hughton falls into the former camp, and while Andy Carroll and Peter Lovenkrands might have started Wednesday night’s FA Cup third-round replay win over Plymouth, Ameobi remains the current Newcastle boss’ leading light.

“When a manager really believes in me, it helps,” he said.

“I am definitely someone who needs that. It brings the best out of me. My best times were with managers who rated me.

“Sir Bobby Robson rated me and often told me that. It gives you great confidence.

But when you think you need to score a goal just to keep your place, or that if you haven’t scored in 60 minutes, you’ll be coming off, that’s hard.

“I’ve been out for four months this season, so to hear Chris Hughton describe me as his number one striker was great. Of course you want to play every week, but I can understand what he’s been doing. He has four good strikers here, but I know he has faith in me because he has told me so.”

The identity of Ameobi’s strike partner this evening is uncertain, as Lovenkrands spent the weekend in his native Denmark following the death of his father.

The Dane had been pencilled in for a starting spot after his hat-trick in midweek, but has been told he is free to decide whether he wants to make himself available for action or not.

Alan Smith will be back at the heart of midfield, with Harper and Danny Guthrie also returning after being rested in midweek.

NEWCASTLE (probable, 4-4- 2): Harper; Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique; Guthrie, Smith, Nolan, Gutierrez; Ameobi, Carroll.