Ex-Newcastle man Temuri Ketsbaia insists former club must take cups seriously

Former Newcastle United midfielder Temuri Ketsbaia has called on current Magpies boss Alan Pardew to take the domestic cup competitions seriously this season.

Newcastle have not won a trophy since the FA Cup in 1955, coming close to ending that drought with Wembley appearances in 1998 and 1999, only to lose to Arsenal and Manchester United respectively. Ketsbaia, who appeared in both of those finals, believes that this is Pardew's only hope of silverware.

"Unfortunately, it's not ­realistic for Newcastle to challenge for the Premier League because, to do that, you have to have a huge amount of money," he told The Mirror.

"It's so hard to compete with Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool. But, of course, there's more possibility to win those two cup ­competitions.

"Anyone who wins something with the club will have achieved something completely unbelievable."

Meanwhile, Pardew has hailed Newcastle's signing of two Nottingham Forest youngsters as a "real coup" for the club.