Pardew: Abuse won't affect Ameobi

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has backed striker Shola Ameobi to brush off the racist abuse which he was subjected to this week.

Northumbria police have launched an investigation after the 30-year-old was attacked via Facebook just months after his younger brother Sammy, who also plays for the Magpies, was targeted on Twitter.

Pardew condemned the latest incident, but insisted Nigeria-born Ameobi would not be affected by it as he prepares for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Aston Villa. He said: "It's a two-edged sword. There's one side of that that you don't want to see, and it's insulting and everything that goes with it."

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