Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has backed midfielder Cheik Tiote to become a regular leader in the club's starting lineup.
Tiote returned from injury to help Newcastle to a 1-0 win over Aston Villa last weekend, and after responding positively to being temporarily handed the captaincy earlier in the campaign, Pardew believes that the 27-year-old has a big part to play for the Magpies.
The 52-year-old reporters: "He is an important player to us, and the captaincy when Colo (Fabricio Coloccini) was out changed him a little bit.
"He knows now that in my mind, he is our vice-captain and he has to play the role that it involves.
"It's a big club, so he has a lot of responsibility and he's dealing with it very well. In fact, it's spurred him on."
The Ivory Coast international has made 25 appearances for Newcastle this season.
