IVAN Campo has been called everything from a clown to an overweight pub player this season writes Neil Bonnar.

And the biggest barrage of abuse hurled at him from television pundits came during his previous week's performance in the North East at Sunderland.

Critics whistle circus tunes when he comes on, but last night at St James' Park he dumped the clown act and became the ringmaster.

Sir Bobby Robson called him world class, Sam Allardyce hailed his "controlling of midfield, lovely passing, skill and ability" and Gudni Bergsson said he was the best player on the pitch.

Can this be the same Ivan Campo who delivers heart attacks to Wanderers fans on a weekly basis and whose own team-mates do not know what he will do next?

It was and he was fantastic sitting just in front of the back four and delivering measured long range passes as it they were going out of fashion.

He looked for all the world like Glenn Hoddle, carrying space around with him and prompting the majority of Wanderers' attacks in a classy manner that Robson later admitted his side could not handle.