Eurosport - Sun, 24 May 15:52:00 2009
Alan Shearer said he will celebrate the biggest success of his career if his Newcastle United side escape relegation from the Premier League.
The Magpies travel to Aston Villa needing a result to stand any chance of survival.
"It would be the greatest thing that's ever happened to me in football, bigger than being appointed England captain, bigger than winning a championship medal at Blackburn," Shearer told the Daily Mail.
Since swapping television punditry for the Newcastle manager's job Shearer has won just one of seven matches, and now with one Premier League game remaining the club's fate is out of their hands.
Their woeful form, before and after Shearer's arrival, has left them third-last in the standings, a point behind Hull City and two adrift of Sunderland.
Second-last Middlesbrough, two points behind Newcastle, are also still fighting for survival on what is sure to be a painfully tense final day of action on Sunday.
Shearer has consistently stated his belief that Newcastle can yet survive but their chances look grim.
They have won only seven of their 37 league games, just two of them away. On the plus side, one of the home wins was against Villa, who have little to play for.
Defeat at Villa Park would see Newcastle drop into the Championship for the first time in 16 years.
Even a draw or win will not be enough if Hull match their result in their home game against a Manchester United team certain to be without several big names ahead of the Champions League final.
Sunderland, at home to Chelsea, have to match either Newcastle or Hull's result.
Middlesbrough need to beat West Ham United away and hope Hull and Newcastle lose. Even then they would need a big swing to overhaul Hull on goal difference.
Comment 47 - 66 of 66
Oh dear oh dear the Big Market will be awash with tears tonight !
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha big club my @#$% !
All together now:
We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when...
But I know we'll meet again
Some sunny daaaaaaaaaaaaay
See you later Big Town United
scratch10, us geordies didn't pick that chubby @#$% as an owner. His folt newcastle been thru so many managers. Can't be easy for the players if they don't no who the manager is from 1 wk to next or if the club's gonna be sold or not.
Respect 2 Shearer 4 trying cos he got he got some pride in his hometown.
Hope they play their best & stay up :)
owen had better decide what he wants to do- play football or look after his racehorses
SCOUSERS IN DISGUISE.NUFC.
YOU GVE LIVERPOOL 6 POINTS EVERY YEAR AND THEY STILL CANNOT WIN THE LEAGUE.
SO WHEN YOU GO DOWN IT WILL BE 6 MORE POINTS THEY LOSE.
Hey Shearer,
Hope you get your wish you will Escape The Premier League BY GOING DOWN
A LEAGUE.
JUST RIGHT FOR A BUNCH OF OVERATED,SCOUSERS IN DISGUISE.
Some of you people aren't very bright or original are you? a lot of the comments on here are just stuff taken from newspapers or even off this site then just mixed up a bit and posted. I remember about 10 days a journo wrote an article here about not being able to get a point a game should mean relegation - now I see it from some of you people.
In the end, next season will be next season with ot without various clubs - no one will notice or care who is missing.
I am a Liverpool fan. What i see at Newcastle is a shambolic team with no ethic in it anymore. Where is the Newcastle team that put on great displays again'st Liverpool United Chelsea in the past? They don't look bothered to me anymore? Michael Owen is NOT the player he once was anymore? If Newcastle DO go down then Mike Ashley needs to take a good look at himself in the mirror & f**kin leave the club!! You Geordies YNWA good luck coz i wanna be playing Newcastle next season coz matches between Liverpool Newcastle are 1 of the best!!
Like many English players, Shearer is over-rated, overhyped! Newcastle needs to play better football. The media can't help you clueless players!!
So if as many believe which looks a fair point on the face of it a team should have 38 points to have automatic survival
Are you advocating a relegation mini league involving all teams without 38points if there are more than 3 teams?
good luck newcastle. man u supporter
GOOD LUCK TO ALL RELEGATED THREAT TEAM...DON'T BLAME OR DEPENDS ON OTHER TEAMS OF YOUR MISERY PLIGHT!!!
allan.davis39 comment 42
But what has his country done in the time he was playing and what trophies has he managed to life?
At the end of the day, Shearer is just another on of those English bigmouths who at best managed to lift a cup of tea in their careers. He is just a hanger on like so many in England and the whole glorification of such individuals is absolutely pathetic. Do the English people really have no one else to look up to or what? There were and to this day, are far better players out there than Alan Shearer. Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott, and so on. Apart from hanging around the goal mouth, Shearer never really got of the ground. As a manager, he is once again, 2nd rate even if his side manages to stay up.
Good luck Newcastle. We want you in the EPL
A Spurs supporter
Im not a fan of Newcastle but at the same time I dont prefer them to be relegated. Come on Shearer,.. I dont think it worked that you play like a player during your training sessions, then on the actual game they dont have you on the pitch. Anyway, whatever, I wont put the blame on you if your club goes down.
From my comment 57, what I meant to say is that being in the Premiership should mean taking at least 38 points from the 38 games, and if there are sides not achieving this by the end of the season, what is the point in having them there, just hanging on. Why not give them the boot and let those in from the Championship who at least would give a better performance in all probability. The likes of Hull are only still hanging in there and would have been mathematically downed had it not been for the miserable performances of other sides before hand.
Ben comment 38:
It must be a very sad life up there in no man's land. Should your so called outfit even survive the drop, with less than 38 points from 38 games, Newcastle would be worthy of a place in the Premiership in my eyes (like anyother side not even capable of getting at least one point per game)
Such dysfunctional sides should automatically be given the boot and their place given to those of the Chapmionship who at least were capable of reaching the playoffs.
ashleyliam2 comment 47:
So what does that make you then. With comments like your on here, this is truly indicative that your kind have absolutely no idea what the whole game is build on. Stick to the facts at hand you immature child, or log off.
Paul Jewell led his team to just 2 wins in a season. Actually, he just wandered around behind his team morosely with his hands in his pockets. But yeah, fingers crossed Newcastle and Middlesborough drop down and get the chance to taste some real work for a few years.
A good manager cannot lead a team to only 7 wins out of 37 matches.Certainly, Shearer is not one of them.On the separate note, Utd wins 2-1 on wednesday.Messi will be under lock and key.
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