Freddy Shepherd is backing his Newcastle United kids to see off Birmingham City in tonight's FA Cup third- round replay because they have "a burning passion to wear the black-and-white shirt." The Newcastle United chairman is absolutely delighted at the way the youngsters have come through and done such a great job for Glenn Roeder. And as United to go in against Geordie boy Steve Bruce's Birmingham tonight, Shepherd told me: "We will have no fewer than eight of our Academy kids in our team and substitutes tonight in Steven Taylor, Peter Ramage, Paul Huntington, Matty Pattison, David Edgar, Alan O'Brien, Andy Carroll and James Troisi. "That's 50% - and it becomes nearly 60% if you include our keeper Steve Harper, who also came through the ranks here. "Even when Manchester United were bringing the likes of the Neville brothers, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Paul Scholes through, they did not have the numbers that we have here at the moment. "It goes without saying that our planning and long-term strategy, which was started with Glenn Roeder at the Academy and has been taken on by Joe Joyce, is finally paying off. "But this does not mean we are not pursuing our transfer targets in the January window. "It cost us £10m to set up our Academy, and at this moment you have got to say it is money well spent as this current crop in the first team have done the club and the city proud. "We will have the kids out again tonight against Birmingham City and everyone at the club has complete faith in them to win this replay. "For me, the one thing that outweighs every other factor is the desire and the passion these young players have to wear the black-and-white shirt of Newcastle United Football Club. "It hasn't been easy for them and, knowing Steve Bruce like I do, it won't be easy for them tonight. But what I like about our young lads is that they haven't bottled it when things have gone against them. "And just look at David Edgar and Paul Huntington. They have goals against Manchester United and Spurs to their names - something that nobody can ever take away from them. I have known some full-backs spend a whole career here without scoring a goal. "And I must say that the win at Spurs on Sunday was one of our best victories. "I came up with the team on the flight from London on Sunday night and the whole plane was bouncing, such is the team spirit Glenn Roeder and his staff have instilled." Shepherd's Geordie war cry will just about bring a tear to Steve Bruce's eye tonight. But it's a Cockney boy, albeit an adopted Geordie, Glenn Roeder, who knows he must keep his youngsters' feet on the ground tonight. But at the same time the Toon boss will be lifted by Shepherd's comments that United are still hoping to bring in some need blood before the transfer window closes at the end of the month. Certainly a signing and a couple of loan players would be a great boost at a time when Roeder hopes to have some of his walking wounded back in the next couple of weeks. There will be no take-over of United in the immediate future, with neither Polygon nor Belgravia being able to put a package together, and Shepherd is now free to concentrate on trying to give Roeder some new faces. But his last word was: "The kids and the rest of the team did us proud at White Hart Lane and I'm sure our fans will turn up in their droves and show their appreciation against Birmingham City tonight." | 
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