Freddy Shepherd has hailed Newcastle United's upsurge in form as Glenn Roeder takes his team into tonight's game with champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. United head to west London with an unbeaten eight-match run behind them and with just one defeat in their last 12 matches - despite one of the worst injury lists in the club's history. In an exclusive interview before flying to London with the United team, Shepherd told me: "I have supported Newcastle United for over 50 years but never in that time can I recall such a run of injuries as we are experiencing now. "Yet in my meetings with Glenn Roeder I have to say he has never used this as an excuse for any bad performance and has always kept his head up. "In recent weeks, the manager, his staff and the players have done a fantastic job for this football club in the most difficult of circumstances. "This is our 29th game of the season so far tonight, and to have had an unbeaten eight-match run when we have been playing in the Premiership and kept our hopes alive in Europe and the Carling Cup at the same time is some achievement." He went on: "This was always going to be a difficult season for us, going into it without Alan Shearer for the first time and then with Michael Owen being injured before a ball was kicked. "While we are looking for a higher Premiership placing, the board cannot complain at the recent efforts of the management and players. "Indeed, if I did not know Glenn Roeder was a Cockney from East London, I would say he was one of us because he shows all the qualities of a Geordie!" In the wake of the dismissals of Iain Dowie from Charlton Athletic and Alan Pardew from West Ham United, Roeder must be having a little chuckle at all those pundits who made him firm favourite to be the first manager in the Premiership to go the journey this season. In fact, his record of 25 wins from 45 games in charge of United gives him a win-per-game ratio which cannot be bettered by any manager in the club's history. Roeder, though, goes to Stamford Bridge having being informed no United manager has won there for 20 years - and Shepherd has never tasted success at Chelsea since he joined the board. However, the United chairman added: " I am sure the players will have a go and rise to the challenge and if they do anything can happen. "What I always say about records, either good or bad, is that they are there to be broken." | 
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