Newcastle had loaned out Shane Ferguson to Birmingham but the Toon director of football tried to sign him after a scouting trip.

Joe Kinnear thought he had spotted a special talent on a scouting trip to Birmingham-only to be told he was already a Newcastle player.

He raved about midfielder Shane Ferguson to city chiefs during the club's capital one cup tie against swansea in september. But when he asked about signing him, Brum bosses thought he was winding them up-because Ferguson is on loan at St. Andrews from Newcastle until the end of the season.

"Ferguson had a potentially good game that night and Joe Kinnear told one of our officials he was interested in signing him.
"At first our guy thought he was joking but then realised Kinnear didn't know Ferguson was already a Newcastle player"

The 22 year old signed with Newcastle in 2011. Blues boss and former Toon star Lee Clark agreed a deal in July to take him back on loan until the end of the season after spending 3 months on loan last season.

His last premier league appearance for Newcastle was last december in a 7-3 defeat at Arsenal.