Birkinshaw joins Newcastle.

Sheffield have confirmed that they have allowed Sheffield asset James Birkinshaw to link up with Premier League rivals Newcastle on loan.

The Diamonds have lost the services of Christian Henry due to injury and Birkinshaw has been without a Premier League team place since leaving Glasgow earlier in the season.
However, there is plenty of interest in the timing of the move as Birkinshaw will make his Newcastle debut...against the Pirtek Tigers at Owlerton on Thursday!

And Tigers promoter Neil Machin is well aware that the news means that the Tigers face a far stiffer task this week than would otherwise have been expected.

Machin said: "I know people will look at this and say we are crackers for allowing James to join Newcastle right now, but we have never been in the business of leaving our own assets on the shelf."

"I have discussed it with Malcolm Wright and we have to act in James' best interests. Of course, his record at Owlerton means that it makes Newcastle look a good deal stronger at our place this week, and it should be a cracker of a meeting."