Allardyce acts quickly

Titus Bramble's eventful Newcastle career finally came to an end on Wednesday as new manager Sam Allardyce wasted little time in swinging the axe.

The 25-year-old defender, whose time at St James' Park has been blighted by costly errors, was one of five players released by the club a day after Allardyce was unveiled as Glenn Roeder's successor.

Fellow defenders Craig Moore and Olivier Bernard, as well as keeper Pavel Srnicek and loan signing Oguchi Onyewu, have all been told their contracts will not be renewed.

The announcement comes as no surprise with Bramble, Moore, Bernard and Srnicek all out of contract and United States international Onyewu having failed to make his mark in the Barclays Premiership having joined on loan from Belgian side Standard Liege in January.

But it is perhaps Bramble's departure which is the most notable five years after Sir Bobby Robson paid Ipswich £5million for his services.

The former England under-21 international arrived at St James' Park two days before his 21st birthday having broken through the ranks as a teenager at Portamn Road.