The £16.5million man who hasn't had 'fair chance' at new look Newcastle United

Dwight Gayle will not believe he has a "fair chance" to play his part in Eddie Howe's Newcastle United revolution - according to the football manager who once tried to sign him.

That is the opinion of former Newcastle and Fulham star Lee Clark who feels that Gayle must use suggestions that he is better suited to the Championship to prove people wrong the moment he gets an opportunity again in a black and white shirt. Gayle has been afforded just a single minute of action in the Premier League in 2022 under Howe.

And his future looks far from certain ahead of a big summer shake-up on Tyneside. That said, Gayle also has two years left of his current deal at the club and is settled at St James' Park.

Clark told Chronicle Live: "It's been a tough period for Dwight and certainly while the team has been in the Premier League he hasn't had too many opportunities. "Whenever he drops down to the Championship he's done what Aleksandar Mitrovic has done now.

"In the Championship he scores them for fun. "He will try to counteract that argument by saying he doesn't get a good run of games.

"And that's true. Any player wants that it's never nice getting a few minutes here or there, you need to get into a rhythm. It could be the system Eddie Howe uses. "We have spoken about Chris Wood not getting a lot of goals but he brings different attributes to the team.

"He starts the press from the front, being the focal point - although Dwight may well think he can do that job too. I know he will be frustrated. "He won't want the record of being an unused sub 23 times put it that way."

Newcastle have now entered what will be an intriguing few months in the Premier League. They are essentially safe from the drop but the board's first aim for