Several of Taylor's colleagues revealed their misgivings over the club's ownership saga and their lack of a permanent manager after last weekend's friendly against Shamrock Rovers in Dublin.

However, the 23-year-old insists the adversity into which the Magpies have been plunged since relegation from the Barclays Premier League has simply served to forge a tighter bond between the players who remain on the books.

That unity has come from a week-long training camp in Ireland during which caretaker boss Chris Hughton subjected the squad to three training sessions a day, the first of them at 7am.

Taylor said: "After the Shamrock Rovers game, they [the players] were asked these questions, and people might think that's what the fans want to hear.

"But it isn't because they don't realise what it's like. Dublin was the best thing that's happened to Newcastle United this pre-season. It's the best thing we could have done.

"We had to stick together. All these training sessions, I know they have been tight and close together, but we are not complaining.

"We have got no moaning any more. In the Premier League, maybe for some players it was a bit easy-going, but it's been difficult, it's more strict and people are realising that.

"The fans at this moment probably think the club is a shambles and the players haven't got a clue what is going on. They probably think we are fighting in training.

"But with us, it is completely different and I just wish they could even spend one day just looking at the training ground and the way we are going on with each other.

"It's a much better team-bonding."

Taylor's comments came after Saturday's 7-2 friendly victory at Darlington in which he scored his side's sixth goal.

Shola Ameobi grabbed a double and Damien Duff, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez and Andy Carroll also struck as the League Two side were swept away despite two goals from 40-year-old assistant manager Dean Windass.

Newcastle were without Sebastien Bassong and Obafemi Martins, both of whom have been at the centre of speculation over moves away from St James' Park this summer, although Hughton insisted they were left out only as a precaution after resuming pre-season training later than the majority of their team-mates.

The only down side for Hughton was an injury to midfielder Nicky Butt, who partially dislocated a thumb, although he is expected to miss only a few days of training.

But with less than three weeks to go before the opening day trip to West Brom, there is a growing optimism, coupled with a healthy realism, within the dressing room.

Taylor said: "We are just thinking about one game at a time. We have got West Brom as our first game and we have just got to win that game.

"I don't care how ugly it gets, we need to get the result we need, and that's all we are going to look for."

Meanwhile, efforts to sell the club are ongoing with Alan Shearer still waiting to see if he will be appointed manager.

Whoever does eventually get the job will have to radically re-shape the existing squad simply to reduce the wage bill, but Taylor is adamant he is not agitating for a move.

He said: "I have got two years on my contract and unless Newcastle sell me, I am still a Newcastle United player."