Newcastle United defender Aaron Hughes has signed an improved contract
at Newcastle United. The length of the contract remains the same, i.e.
it keeps him at St. James' Park until the end of the 2006/07 season,
but the financial terms have been improved.

Last season Hughes made 47 appearances for United, and increased his
tally of Northern Ireland caps to 35.

Brought to St James' Park as a teenager by Kevin Keegan in 1995,
Aaron made his senior debut at, of all places, Barcelona in the 1997/98
Champions League, then took his FA Cup and Coca-Cola Cup bows before
finally making his league debut at Sheffield Wednesday in January 1998.
Aaron was honoured with the captaincy of his country when he won his
24th cap against Spain in Belfast on 17 April 2002.

A delighted Aaron said:

"I am very happy to have signed the new contract and am looking
forward immensely to the new season. We have a good squad here at St.
James' Park and hope to have a successful season both domestically and
in Europe."