Shearer decides to stay on

case n basket

http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.asp?hlid=266536&cpid=8&CLID=&lid=2&title=Shearer+decides+to+play+on&channel=Football_Home

Alan Shearer has confirmed that he will stay on as a player for Newcastle next season.

The former England hit-man had been set to end his illustrious career at the close of the current campaign but has now elected to prolong his time in football as a player.

An excellent campaign has yielded 18 goals in just 30 starts for the St James' Park favourite and this latest news will delight the black and white side of the North East.

Toon boss Graeme Souness intimated that he thought Shearer would continue for another season and now the player has concurred with his manager's wishes.

Despite being in his 35th year, Shearer has proven that he is still one of the sharpest predators in The Premiership and will now report to pre-season training with the rest of his Newcastle team-mates.

Shearer's decision will come as a massive relief for Souness, who would have been left short of striking options - with Craig Bellamy having seemingly played his last game for the club and the future of Patrick Kluivert still undecided.

With Jackie Milburn's goalscoring record in his sights, it is expected that Shearer could well top Newcastle's charts by the close of next season.
It is expected that both player and club will make official statements on Friday.

Meanwhile, Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has confirmed that the club are looking into the prospect of extending the capacity of St James' Park.

''I think we'd look at increasing the size,'' Shepherd told Sky Sports News.

''But our problem is that we've got a victorian building behind the east stand which is very difficult.

''I think we'd have to go over the Gallowgate and go over a road but everything is possible at Newcastle.''

So much for the fairy tale FA cup win in the last game of his career

Then again...

Big Ears

Great News , especially as it looks like Bellamy isn't coming back .
I get the feeling he has stayed on just to break the scoring record for Newcastle and to increase his record as the top premier league scorer , after all when you may only win a Premiership title and scored quite a few goals for England but nothing incredible , you want something to be remembered by , hopefully he will be able to add to his titles won this season and really give people especially in Newcasle to remeber .

Big Nelly

THink half of this is to take some pressure off the team....every game they play in now they spend half the time talking about Shearer and the whole country willing him to win the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup......so the pressure in FA Cup games is enormous.......I would think if they win the FA CUp he will hang up his boots.....

PHB

gee, guess it'll have to be next season then until he retires