Alan Irvine has bolstered his midfield ahead of the busy Christmas period with the loan signing of Stoke City midfielder Michael Tonge. Speaking to the official website, the manager said that he had been able to add much needed competition in an area he had been short of numbers for some time.
"We have signed Michael through until after the Sheffield United on 28th December," the gaffer explained to PNE.Com. "There are eight games in that period and we are going to need our full squad during that time in order to cope with injuries, and hopefully not, but possibly suspensions. It is great to have him added to the squad before the emergency loan window closes.
"There is no question that he has a lot of experience. He is not old, but he started playing in league football at a very young age and he has done that very successfully. He can play all the way across midfield and he certainly bolsters an area where we have been a little bit short of numbers, particularly since Barry Nicholson broke his leg."
Tonge, 26, played most of his 300 career games at Sheffield United and will bring all the qualities that earned him a £2m-plus move to the Potteries: "He is a creative player. He is good on the ball and he is a player who wants to take the ball. He is a nice passer and he has got a very good work-rate. I think he will bring all those qualities to our team," added Irvine.
"Michael is obviously not getting the first team action that he wants at the moment at Stoke, so he is very pleased to be coming out and to be given the opportunity to play games.
"Like everyone, he is not guaranteed a game, but we are hoping that he comes in, does well and plays in all eight games for us and does a good job for us. If he does a good job for us then it will be a good job for him as well. He is looking to get some football and hopefully this will be his opportunity to do that.
"He will join with us for training on Thursday morning. We will train again on Saturday and Sunday morning, so he will have a few sessions with us to get to know the lads; to get to know what we are looking for from him and then to prepare for the Newcastle game."
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