Newcastle midfielder Jack Colback is growing increasingly irritated at the refusal of the chasing pack in the race for promotion to the Premier League to go away.
The Magpies and Brighton have set the pace at the top of the table for several months now, but having established a significant gap between themselves and the rest, they have been unable to break away with Huddersfield, Reading, Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday still hot on their heels.
Colback, who will hope to retain his place in the starting lineup for Monday night's home clash with Aston Villa, said with a smile: "It's getting irritating now, actually.