Injections into his kneecap aren’t the only thing causing sidelined Kent all-rounder Ben Harmison discomfort this month – the plight of his beloved Newcastle United and his former coach John Carver is also causing him heartache.

Harmison was on the books at St James’ Park as a teenager and played under the guidance of then academy boss Carver, who oversaw an eight-game losing streak that left them on the brink of the Premier League relegation zone.

Harmison said: “I’m a big Newcastle fan but my friends and I are losing interest with what’s happened. The Sunderland game was the biggest thing`. There are 11 lads there who are not even passionate.

“It’s a massive club, they are still getting 55,000 fans every week. To see lads walking around, not looking interested, is hard to take.

“I’ve lost interest a little bit. Hopefully, they stay up and can sort it out but there’s no ambition and it’s going to continue as long as the chairman is there.

“Everyone wants Mike Ashley out. I don’t think he’d be bad if he put the money into the club that he’s made over the years.”

Harmison and Carver crossed paths when Carver was in charge of the club’s school of excellence in the late 1990s and early 2000s before becoming assistant boss to Bobby Robson.

Harmison said: “I feel sorry for John Carver. I used to play for Newcastle when I was 15-16 and John was my academy manager then. He’s been at the club all his life and he’s been hung out to dry a little bit, working with players who don’t want to show the passion that he’s got. It’s hard to take.

“Hopefully, he’ll stay at the club. Everyone speaks highly of him – he’s an excellent coach.

“It’s just disappointing he’s been thrown in at the deep end with a depleted squad not trying their hardest for him.”

One footballer who played with Harmison in those days was Steven Taylor, who has gone on to appear more than 200 times for the Magpies.

Harmison said: “He was probably the only one who went through from my year but from an early age he was destined to play. He used to play centre-forward in those days.

“You wish he was still there at the moment. He’s got passion, he wouldn’t stand for this.”

Harmison himself hopes to be back in action this month after treatment on a knee problem and is set to play in the Kent League for Folkestone on Saturday.

He said: “I picked it up bowling last year, a partial tear of the patella tendon. We thought it would go away in the winter with a bit of rest but I didn’t give it the best rehab. I did not spend long enough off it.

“I came back for pre-season but in the second net session bowling, it flared up again. I’ve given it six to eight weeks. I’ve had four or five injections in it and done a bit of strength work.

“Hopefully, I’ll be back fit soon. There’s a 2nd XI game against Surrey on the 19th which I’m looking to get back for. I need to try and score some runs and get back into the team. It’s frustrating. It’s the first time I felt I was pushing for the sole all-rounder spot.

“I’m dying to get back out there. I’ve had a couple of tough weeks, sitting and watching the lads. I haven’t missed a ball. You want to get out to help the bowlers, bowl some overs, and help the batting but I’ve been quite lucky in my 10 years that I’ve never had a long-term injury.

“When you have an injury you’ll do anything you can to get back. The injections are not nice but it’s got to be done.”