I don't know what I'd have become if I hadn't been a footballer; I wrote down 'dustbin man' on a careers questionnaire at school till my dad made me change it to 'joiner'.

When I go home every night, I can look in the mirror and say I have given 110 per cent for Newcastle United. If people aren't happy with that, I can't give any more.

Any change of my style, the way I've played for 10 years, will not be a drastic one. Yes, I've always given as good as I've got; as a forward you have to do that because, if you don't look after yourself, you might find yourself being thrown in a hole and buried.

The FA Cup means a lot. There is a real passion here for the competition which you don't get elsewhere. It's a love affair. It's part and parcel of living up here. People might think I'm daft, but I'm not wrong; I'd rather win the Cup than the League.

There is another side to me which people don't often see, but it's very hard for me to show that. When I do interviews, I'm talking to people I don't know and when you speak to a stranger you don't open up, do you? In my position, people are always looking for something to say about me. And anything I do say, given half-a-chance they'll turn it round into something spectacular so I've got to be very careful. That's why it's only my friends and family who know the real me. Now my wife, Lainya, she could tell you a few stories.

My motto in life is 'if you give 100 per cent then no one can ask any more'.

I want to be around when Newcastle win a trophy because I want to see this place lift off. It will be one hell of a party for a long time.