Given: I Want Trophies

By Danny Wright

Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given has revealed he is desperate to win silverware.

In a candid interview with The Sunday Times, the former Newcastle man admitted he moved to Mark Hughes’ side in the hunt for trophies.

Given, 33, is perhaps the best goalkeeper in the top-flight never to have won major domestic honours after 12 baron years at St James Park.

“The gaffer sitting beside me (Mark Hughes) is lucky enough to say his titles and stuff and I’d love to do the same, talk about winning cup finals, leagues and all that. I’d love to win any cup,” Given told the newspaper.

“I don’t think adulation amounts to very much unless you’ve got trophies. You look at the great keepers through the years, [Ray] Clemence and Peter Schmeichel, they’re remembered for what they won in their lives as much as anything else.”

He added: “I’d hate to look back on my career and have won nothing. I want people to say, ‘He was a good goalkeeper – and he won some silverware’.”

After nearly a decade at Newcastle, and amassing over 350 league appearances for the Magpies, Given knew the time was right to make the switch to Eastlands.

He admitted: “I felt it was right to move on from Newcastle because the ambition there has slightly changed over the last couple of years and I felt I was joining a club that was totally opposite,”

“I can’t say we’re definitely going to do this and that but I’m at a club that excites me and I really believe it will challenge for major honours within the four-year contract I signed.”

Given is sorely missed on Tyneside, where his former club are battling against relegation under the stewardship of club icon Alan Shearer.

Despite leaving the club in January, Given is praying his former team-mate can keep the club afloat.

“It would be a disaster for the people, the club and the city if there was relegation. I hope, please God, that they do it [survive],” he added.