NO REGRETS
Alan Shearer would always get in Toon fans’ best-ever team. But who would the goalscoring star have playing alongside him? John Gibson spoke to Shearer and discovered why the Geordie hero chose Toon over Manchester United
To overtake Wor Jackie’s record is unbelievable
Gazza - a mad lad but with a big heart and an even bigger talent My perfect strike partner... SuperMac or King Kev...
TOP gun Alan Shearer ripped Newcastle United’s all-time goalscoring record out of the grasp of another No 9 legend Wor Jackie in what had become a Hollywood movie shoot-out. No wonder then that the first name on Shearer’s team sheet to mark United’s 125th anniversary is that of Jackie Milburn. “My dad was a Newcastle fanatic and Wor Jackie was his hero,” Shearer told me. “So to walk into our house having broken such a great man’s record meant everything to me. I had made my dad proud. “I invited Jackie’s widow Laura to my testimonial match as a tribute to him. He stands out like a beacon in United’s history. “Every Geordie knows what Jackie Milburn means to this club and therefore this is a special time to remember him.
“For another Geordie – this one from a council estate in Gosforth – to overtake Wor Jackie’s goalscoring record is unbelievable for me. It answers anyone who dares to question why I chose Newcastle ahead of Manchester United.
“I’ve never regretted that decision for a moment.”
A strike force of Shearer and Milburn rivals – in the mind – the great partnership of Alan and Les Ferdinand with the Entertainers.
It was said Big Al and Sir Les were two leaders of line who would never gel, but in their one season together they harvested 49 goals despite both being out for a lengthy time through injury.
Both Shearer and Milburn have statues in their honour within the shadow of SJP which tells us all about what history brought us. An astonishing total of 406 Newcastle goals – Alan 206 and Jackie 200. Naturally, Shearer
would wish for an ace provider to feed the pair of them, and who better than Gazza?
“In their pomp the two Pauls, Gascoigne and Scholes, were the best passers of the ball I ever had with England,” insisted Shearer.
“Gazza was the very best of his generation, a mad lad but with a big heart and an even bigger talent.
“I spoke to him recently. He sent me a photo of himself after he had scaled the fence and climbed on top of my statue. Typical of him, always the laughter maker.
“Paul has had tough times since finishing playing, of course. I worry about him and wish him well.”
Shearer recalled that United were once rich in talent with three young Geordie and England stars on their books at the same time, but incredibly they sold Chris Waddle, Peter Beardsley and Gazza all within a short spell as the eighties ended and were relegated.
“Ridiculous wasn’t it?” grimaced Alan. “What a waste of an opportunity.
“However, thinking of those three lads sets me wondering where the great Geordie kids of today are as far as United are concerned. There doesn’t seem the same quality. What has happened?”
The trio are all worthy of a place in an all-time Newcastle Greats line-up and Shearer hands them that honour as his middle three.
His old mate Shay Given plays in goal with Euro winner Bob Moncur and the elegant Jonathan Woodgate standing sentry.
The Fairs Cup pairing of David Craig and Frank Clark are selected at full-back, although Shearer admits: “I’m only going on what I’ve been told.”
Perhaps the key decision was to hand Kevin Keegan a forward role alongside himself and Wor Jackie.
“It’s tough on SuperMac and Rob Lee but I can only pick 11,” smiled Shearer.
Lee, the staunchest of friends, must have pulled at the heartstrings but another Alan closely worked with squeezes in.
Even though Keegan only played second-tier football at Newcastle he galvanised the club over his twoyear stay and pulled them up by the bootlaces to gain promotion to the old First Division.
KK went on to build the Entertainers, of course, and managed Shearer both at Newcastle and England level.
To walk into our house having broken such a great man’s record meant everything to me. I had made my dad proud