BBC Tyne Sport

The Alan Shearer interview
All your questions answered!

29th July 2004

BBC Radio Newcastle organised a question and answer session with Alan Shearer in the warmup to the 2004-5 season. Click HERE for more info and if you want to listen to it click HERE (if the links don't work ... well it's coz it's broken).

It’s exactly eight years to the day that Alan Shearer became the world’s most expensive player and he celebrates the anniversary taking your questions. World’s most expensive once, still one of the planet’s biggest name in football, but first and foremost a Geordie and proud skipper of his beloved Newcastle United.

MICK LOWES: David Maughn from Jarrow has been on the e-mail. He says, to be fair to David, it was he who alerted us to the fact, as today is the anniversary of your signing for Newcastle, do you have any regrets?

ALAN SHEARER:
No. It is a very good question to start with. There was three big reasons why I came here. Obviously one of them was to win silverware, that has not happened. The second one was because I wanted to work with Kevin Keegan, he was a hero of mine. And probably more important then anything is because I wanted to play football for my home town club, Newcastle United. Anyone that has lived here and was brought up here will surely understand that reason. To wear the No. 9 shirt at Newcastle, and obviously captain them for the last few years, it has been everything I hoped it would be and a hell of a lot more. People have to appreciate the feeling I get running out at St James' Park, at the front, with the armband on, with the No. 9 shirt on, it does not get any bigger or better than that for me.

ML:
In terms of that day back in July 1996, do you still remember it pretty vividly, the stage behind, the Leazes End. Ian Coulson from Washington: When you signed from the Toon back in '96, I was in the crowd outside St James' Park, can you remember what was going through your mind?

AS:
I can. It was great excitement. Probably a few nerves as well because I remember when I went to the dressing room at Blackburn to say goodbye to all my team-mates, I remember Tim Sherwood saying to me, "what is the price?". I turned round and said, "I think it is just over £15 million". He said, "there is no pressure on you then?!" I thought, "Thanks very much". It has always been a dream of mine to come up here. I remember that day fantastically well. It was pouring with rain, there was thousands out behind in the Leazes End. When I walked out on the platform and gave everyone a wave, the cheer was fantastic.

ML:
You have dominated Newcastle United since arriving, the manager went on record, most people went on record last week, as saying that Patrick Kluivert is probably the biggest signing since Alan Shearer. One on the text from Alan Richardson in Venezuela. As a Toon Fanatic for 45 years it thrills me to see lots of people in South America wear black and white strips with Shearer on the back. When I talk to people here about Newcastle United, they only know Alan Shearer. Have you ever felt that sometimes we are a one man team with only one international star and other clubs have four or five people know?

AS:
I think that is being a tad disrespectful to some of the players. I have done my job, I think, over the past eight years. My job and my brief is to score goals and that is what I'm paid to do. Thankfully I have done that over the years since I've been here. Hopefully there is a few more to come this season. I think that is a tad disrespectful.

ML:
That is from Venezuela. I don't suppose he can hear unless he is on the World Wide Web. Let's go to our first call of the evening, you can ring up and put your point across, Roger from Morpeth is on the line. Roger, what you want to say?

ROGER:
Hello Alan.

AS:
Hi.

R:
I am a Blackburn fan, I'm not one of them that who boo you.

AS:
It has got less and less as the years have gone by.

R:
No, the crowd has got smaller! When you left did you think you would win more medals, you must have done?

AS:
Yes. Of course I did. One of the main reasons for me coming here was to win some silverware. If you cast your mind back then, Newcastle were the big rivals to Manchester United. I think the season before hand they had blown that big lead they had over Man Utd. Man Utd clawed their way back. I was brought here to try close that gap. There is no guarantees in football. You make the decision, as I did, there is only two or three teams every year that can win something in our league. There are big teams in our league and it has been unfortunate, bad luck, it's been we haven't been good enough, call it what you want. But the fact of the matter is, I and Newcastle have not won anything for a long time. It has been too long because of our magnificent fans up here. As I said...

R:
Do you find it easier going back to Blackburn?

AS:

I do to be honest. I was a little hurt when I first went back there but I think the response I get from the fans now is very good. I think they appreciate that when I made a decision that I wanted to make, it was funny because when I was about to leave Blackburn every phone call or every letter, every time I went out on the street, what that they said to me was, "please do not go to Man Utd. Go anywhere but Man Utd". So I come to Newcastle and still get stick when I come back. But that is part and parcel of football. I have always said it in my mind that if when go to opposing grounds, fans do not boo bad players so I have always taken it in the good term.

ML:
Will you stop booing him when he finishes playing, not you particularly, but the Blackburn fans?

R:
No comment after watching the match with Geordies.

ML:
That was Roger from Morpeth. We have had a text about the Arsenal game, your debut and a hat-trick against Arsenal for Southampton. Brings us on to another e-mail question. Paul in Stoke wants to know, what you think has been the best game in your career? I'm sure you have been asked a million times, what is your best goal or your best goal in black and white, your best game - does one game stick out? Holland in Euro 96?

AS:
Probably. It was one of the best atmospheres I played in, in Euro 96, at Wembley in front of 80, 90,000. The funny thing it is that two, three, four weeks prior to the tournament we were locked up in our training camp and did not understand what was going on outside with the public. Of course it was going crazy and everybody was taken away with Euro 96 and the atmosphere at Wembley was fantastic. The Dutch shirts, and the England supporters were mixing very well and we got a great result and I was lucky enough to get two goals, which was the icing on the cake. Of course in that tournament as well we beat Scotland which made it even better!

ML:
Club games, does one club game stick out, that debut against Arsenal must have been very, very special?

AS:
That is one I will always remember obviously because it was my first start in professional football and to score a hat-trick was beyond my wildest dreams again such a club as Arsenal. At 17 years of age as well, which is still a record for top-flight football. Hopefully it will stand for a long time. To go in there at that age and score three goals, probably did not appreciate at the time because I was so young. At that age you take everything in your stride and whatever happens will happen. Probably not til six or seven years on you think what a decent achievement it was.

ML:
Mention of England at Wembley brings us on, Charlie Carter from London has e-mailed in. Alan you are my hero, have you ever regretted your choice to give up international football?

AS:
No. I have never regretted it at all to be honest because over the past four years, I think it has been four years since I retired, just after Euro 2000 I think it was. The reasons I give still stand to this day. I think my performances over the past four years have justified my decision to retire from international football. It is nice when you hear people, "come back and play for England", "come back and play in Euro 2004". But as I said the reasons that I gave have happened. I have been able to maintain a very high standard of football over the last four years and I'm not sure I would have been able to have done that if I had played for Newcastle and England, particularly with the injuries I had.

ML:
Let's move back to the club side of things, Stephen from Durham is on the line, Stephen you are through to Alan Shearer.

STEPHEN:
Hello Alan.

AS:
Hi.

S:
I am a Middlesborough fan.

AS:
That is not your fault, everybody has their fault.

S:
No doubt you will be looking forward to running out on the Riverside on the first game of the season.

AS:
I am.

S:
They fancy their chances of beating you, they have got Viduka now and Hasselbaink and we won a Cup at last.

AS:
I think the signings that Steve McClaren has made this pre-season have been very, very good. I think Viduka and Hasselbaink will form a tremendous partnership and if they can hit it off then it can cause problems for opposing defences. Hopefully not too much of problem for our defence on the first day of the season. There is Ray Parlour, Reiziger as well, he is added experience in there and they are all big-name players he has signed. I'm sure the expectations for Middlesbrough fans will be very high, particularly after winning a trophy.

ML:
I know that the Tyne-Tees Derby is a big game in any calendar, particularly now that Tyne-Wear Derby is missing for the moment, this game has taken on extra dimensions of late because Middlesbrough, not only a Derby, they are also vying to be where you are, they are vying to get into Europe, they have made big money signings, you have local bragging rights up for grabs. You have a great record there, it promises to be a really good game the first game?

AS:
Middlesbrough are in Europe the same as we are. I am sure that was a factor in the big names going to Middlesbrough in the summer. As I said earlier, I'm sure what has happened at the Riverside is that expectations will soar, rightly so. They will be wanting to call themselves the top dogs in the North East and there is a lot for stake this season.

ML:
Someone was telling me, I know you are a betting man, I think Newcastle are about 10-1 to be top of the Premiership after that first 10 games. Now the start you have got, irrespective of whether you get anything at the Riverside, that has got be a good bet hasn't it?

AS:
I am a betting man. I don't mind the odd pound here or there. You are right in what you say, if we can get off to a good start at the Riverside the games following that are winnable games without doubt. It is not until October or November that we meet what the so-called top three. They are games we will be looking to take maximum points from. But when you look at the fixtures and you say, "these are games that we should win", how many times do they turn round and you kick in the teeth and you do not win them? No. That is why you always get, hear players coming out with that boring old tag, "we will take one game at a time". If we can get off to a good start at the Riverside then hopefully the momentum will carry us though because that was our problem last season.

ML:
You have got to have a better start than last season?

AS:
One of the big factors was confidence because we got knocked out of the Champions' League qualifier which was a big dent to everyone and a big blow to everyone, the players, the management, just the whole football club. I think confidence was dented then and it took as a long time to get over that. Once you give teams like Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea points start it is very difficult to catch them up because they are high-quality teams and we cannot afford to do that.

ML:
Stephen in Chester-le-Street mentioned Viduka and Hasselbaink. It is a fair way from Chester-le-Street to New York City, but Hussain has e-mailed us, who has been your favourite strike partner during your illustrious career and why?

AS:
Probably two. One at international level was Teddy Sheringham. We had such a great relationship, he knew what I was going to do instantly and I knew what he was going to do. He played in a little hole if you like, it is very difficult for defenders to go and mark him. If a defender goes with him then he leaves a gap in behind him which Teddy was fantastic at turning and playing little balls though. We had a great thing going. He complimented me, I complimented him. Our relationship at international level was successful. At club level, I have to say I have been fortunate enough to play with Chris Sutton. We scored a hell of a lot of goals at Blackburn. Mike Newall. Matt Le Tissier at Southampton was very, very good. But I would have to say Les Ferdinand in our one and only a season we played here together at Newcastle. I think we got 49 or 50 goals when we played together in that season as a partnership. It was one of those that we hit it off straight away. We did not really train together, hadn't played together, just gone in and one of those things that clicked. We terrorised defences that season and it was a shame that Les had to go in the way he did because we had a great thing going.

ML:
I know we touched upon it, but we will come back to it because of the two names you mentioned there. Teddy Sheringham, 38, Sir Les is 37, Paul Ince is still going in the Premiership and 36. I saw a good interview with Teddy Sheringham through the summer, he said two things tell you whether you should carry on. Your body will tell you if you should carry on and the fact that the phone stops ringing and nobody wants you! That tells you you should stop playing. You have gone the other way, you have decided that is that. Clearly some players decide that they want to go on for another season. Are you surprised that the likes of Teddy Sheringham, Les Ferdinand, Paul Ince, who are wealthy men, very wealthy men, are still wanting to play on?

AS:

No. I am not surprised at all. Those three names you mentioned, they are great professional players and they have looked after their bodies. The big thing that has not happened to them, they have not had serious injuries. I have had three serious injuries. I have been unlucky with injuries but on the other hand I have been lucky because I've not had the niggling injuries, I'm touching wood here, that a lot of people get. When I've been injured it has been a serious injury. I snapped my ankle, tore my cruciate ligament and had a big problem with my tendon. Those were serious injuries and on another day could have finished a player. But I think he is right in what he says, your body will tell you when you know it is time to retire. But as I said, I will go back to what I said, I plan to retire at the top. Although they are, apart from Paul Ince and Teddy now, they will be both playing in the First Division as it was, whatever it is called. And Les will...

ML:
The Coca-Cola Championship!

AS:
Something like that. I lose track of it. Les will be playing at Bolton and all those three three players will still do very well for those clubs. Let's go back to the calls, go back to the phones, Gateshead - David Huddart. You're on the line, you are through to the Newcastle United skipper. What is your question?

DAVID HUDDART:
Hiya. Hi Alan. I should know your name I have watched you long enough. Sorry I'm probably nervous talking to you. Alan, I have come from a massive family of Newcastle supporters. We obviously want to see our team win a trophy.

AS:
Not as desperate as I am!

DH:
I can imagine. We obviously want to see them win a trophy for ourselves but not just for that, for you as well with it being your last season. The question I want to ask you, do you feel honestly in your heart that looking at the squad that we are going into the new season with this season, we possibly have a better chance than we did at the beginning of last season? How do you rate it?

AS:
I said probably three or four days ago that when you enter a competition you enter it to win it. We go into the Premier League season trying to win the Premier League. If I'm honest I do not think we will win it. I think it will be challenging the top three again in Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea this year. I have to say I think we have a very, very realistic chance of winning the FA Cup or League Cup, whatever that is called now. We certainly have to try and get to the Uefa Cup and progress again as we did last year. We got to the semi-final but were not good enough to go that final yard if you like. With the players we have signed, we have signed Patrick Kluivert, Nicky Butt, James Milner and who knows, maybe another before the start the season, I do not know that. In those three players, particularly in Nicky Butt and Patrick Kluivert's case, they have experience. Both have experience of winning things. That has to be a big bonus and a big help us.

ML: I know you are a fan of Gary Speed, because you were a great friend of Gary Speed, and I know a lot of people listening to this were disappointed by the sale of Gary Speed but nothing in football surprises you, how important was it that they brought Nicky Butt in as a replacement for Gary Speed?

AS: I think it was very important because, with Hugo going, we would have went into the season with Kieron Dyer, Jermaine Jenas, Lee Bowyer, have I missed another one?

ML:
Laurent Robert.

AS:
Laurent Robert, Darren Ambrose and when you look at that midfield it is very light weight. What Nicky Butt will do, he will do the same job as what Speedo did. He will sit in front of the back four, he will control things, organise things, use his experience well. Where we perhaps might miss Speedo is from set pieces. Both defending and attacking. He was a constant threat for us when we had free kicks, and he gave us a big advantage when we defended them as well because he was so good in the air. That is where we might miss him.

ML:
Going back to what you said about cup competitions, I have to ask you this one. I was at a talk in last week with Tony Green and Tommy Cassidy, two great names of yesteryear. Tommy Cassidy brought the house down at the Federation Brewery by having a bit of a go at Newcastle's selection policy last season with regard to the Carling Cup and the fact we had a Middlesbrough fan on tonight saying, we've got a Cup, we are in Europe, you have not got a cup so to speak. I know it is not your job, and it is a bit unfair, do you think the Carling Cup this season should be taken a little bit more seriously?

AS:
I think it will. It was taken seriously last year. Obviously we created a hell of a lot of chances in the West Brom game and it was frustrating for me sat on the bench. But the manager has to try and put players in at some stage and he has seen that opportunity to try and do that. It did not work that evening, that was disappointing, not only for myself but all the players and the manager because it was a chance for us to win some silverware. I'm sure going into the FA Cup, going into the Carling Cup this year, we will be going all-out to try and win everything.

ML:
Going back to the e-mails, Philip in Newcastle. Which penalty miss would you say hurt the most, the one against Sunderland in the Derby or the Champions' League qualifier? I was in tears for both, PS should I call my dog Alan?

AS:
If you call it Alan it probably won't listen to you, and won't want to do what you tell it. Penalties, I will never ever criticise anyone that misses a penalty. I was sat in the Caribbean in the summer when England went out to Portugal on penalties. David Beckham got some criticism for missing his penalty, I think he has missed three on the spin now for England. But you have to show tremendous courage to get up there in the first place. You can take as many penalties as you want on the training ground, practice 9-5, seven days a week, but you will not create that atmosphere you get when you go out and take them in penalty shoot-outs and such important penalties, ie. Champions' League qualifiers and in the last 10 minutes against Sunderland to get three points out of the game. But, which one, it is a tough one. I have to say the Sunderland one because they are such close rivals of us.

ML:
I'm sure the chairman will say the other one!

AS:
You just took the words out of my mouth. The chairman, if he is listening, he would say it cost the club a lot more money to go out the Champions' League than it did to miss that one against Sunderland. But the stick and the criticism that I got from everyone, and still do, for missing that one again Sunderland, it took a long time to get over.

ML:
This might be a bit harsh of me, have you missed a greater percentage of your penalties in recent years, is there a reason for that? You very rarely used to miss, and you have missed a few of late, is that because you were young, fancy free, now you think about it a bit more, you are are a bit older?

AS:
You have obviously looked at the record...

ML:
No I haven't, it is just off the top of my head.

AS:
I might beg to differ. Someone might be out there and able to ring in and say whether that fact is correct or not. On average, over the years, and I would say even when I took them at Blackburn, I think I missed about two a season. That was my last count anyway.

ML:
We will have to get the fellow from Morpeth back on!

AS:
Yes, someone who is out there I'm sure will ring up and tells us that might be different. If my mind serves me correctly, it is about two a season, when I've been getting about seven or eight. You are in a no-win situation. You are expected to score obviously. The keeper, if he saves it, he is a hero. What you shouldn't do is miss the target which I've done once or twice obviously. People say from 12 yards, you get paid all this money, you shouldn't miss the target from 12 yards. They are right, you shouldn't.

ML:
We will take a break in a second as we are about halfway through, we will get on to one of the more serious issues. Joey Nichol from Tantobie has texted in. What are your plans for the future after you do hang up your boots, now you have 99.9% told us, I'm sure you having yet ...

AS:
Where is Tantobie by the way?

ML:
I know it is right because there is a Tantobie, I think it is County Durham somewhere. I'm not sure. It is yeah. It is.

AS:
What was the question?

ML:
Exactly. You're just trying to get away from the question! The question is, what will you do when you hang up your boots, if this is your last season?

AS:
Well I have, or the honest answer is, I do not know. I have signed a contract with the BBC for three years which is this coming season and another two. I have taken - finished my Uefa B licence, which is a coaching qualification you need. And I will take my A licence again this year. At some stage in my life I will need that because ... I am going to stay in the game in some capacity whether that's in management or whether that is going into the media, I haven't made my decision yet. Hopefully I will have a choice.

ML:
Are taking the badges strange for top players, is it like going back to school, filling in books and having to put cones out for players who will be looking at you and thinking, I am embarrassed by the fact Alan Shearer is putting the cones out for me?

AS:
It is strange but they tell us we have to do them so what choice have we got? I don't know how many games I have played over the years, you would think there would be a quicker way of getting players through, international players through who have played 50 or 60 games for their country, but everyone has to do it so why should we be any different?

ML:
In terms of managing Newcastle United, I know you have always gone on record, it is not a secret you would like to do it one day.

AS:
I think I will give management a crack one day without doubt. Hopefully that will be Newcastle one day, when that one day will be I do not know. I really couldn't tell you, and that is me being honest.

ML:
We are going to Colin in Chester-le-Street in a second. We will take a quick break.

ML:
The commentaries are back this Saturday, the Newcastle-Gateshead Cup or the Gateshead-Newcastle Cup, I'm not sure what the title is. The man opposite me will desperately be trying to lift it when Sunday comes around. But on Saturday afternoon at 3:00pm, we are on air from 2:00pm, Newcastle against Glasgow Rangers. You can phone Alan Shearer, text in or bbc.co.uk/tyne/sport. Let's go to Colin in Chester-le-Street, Colin you have been hanging on, what is your point to Alan Shearer?

COLIN:
Hi Alan.

AS:
Hi Colin.

C:
Just the one point, the query you had before, Tantobie is in Stanley.

AS:
OK, thanks.

ML:
It has turned into a geography phone-in now!

AS:
You do not know how many penalties I have missed over the years do you?

C:
Not really because I am a Sunderland supporter!

AS:
I will be looking forward to this question then!

C:
As the skipper of Newcastle, how do you manage to psyche the team up on a Derby game to get the best out of the players when both teams know there is that much involved and passion is already riding high?

AS:
That is a simple answer, if you have to psyche anybody up to play in a Derby, any Derby whether that is Newcastle-Sunderland, Liverpool-Everton, Celtic-Rangers, whoever. If you have to psyche them up or get them going for a game like that then they should not be in the dressing room.

ML:
Obviously it has come up before because of the number of overseas players in the game, there is a problem there, isn't there, on some occasions?

AS:
I think if we can get the great foreigners in like Zola, like Henry, like Bergkamp, like Desailly, like those players who the kids who are coming through are going to learn from, that is fantastic. I think we have had a problem over the years that there have been a lot of foreigners in and a lot of them have not been good enough and maybe stifled the chances of youngsters coming through. You cannot blame that on managers because the prices of English or British players is extortionate. They have no choice but to really look abroad, try and bring some bargains in. When they do that they are not going to get everyone right and that is when problems are created.

ML:
Going back to what you have said before, an e-mail in from John Byrne in Bedlington. I would like to ask Alan what it is really like to live the Geordie dream, to wear that No. 9 shirt and play at St James'? It is something most of us can only dream of and give our right arm for. You quite literally have dreamt the dream haven't you?

AS:
Without doubt. I am doing what thousands and thousands and thousands of people would love to do. Obviously a lot of them being Geordies. What I would say is try and put yourself in my position. It is probably impossible because of the feeling I get walking out at St James's Park in front of 52,000, wearing the No. 9 shirt - which is a very special number anyway - and wearing the captain's armband. It really does not get any better than that. I'm fortunate enough, I have that feeling every week.

ML:
Do you ever wish you weren't Alan Shearer, are there times when you think to yourself, this is just a bit too much, either in your personal life or with regard to the kids or whatever?

AS:
No. Not at all. Never. I think I realise I am in a very fortunate position. I get paid for doing something I love and get well paid as people will point out. How many people can say they get paid for doing something they love and look forward to getting up in the morning, whether it is sunshine, raining or snowing. I'm in such a fortunate position, there is never a time, sometimes the privacy thing can be hard, and to walk round Newcastle can be hard, but the advantages far, far outweigh the disadvantages.

ML:
It also begs the question, and this is with a bit of sympathy for the aforementioned chairman whose money is very valuable to the football club, do you feel you are irreplaceable? A lot of people, I for one have gone on record as saying because of the whole product, the fact you are the Premiership's greatest-ever goalscorer, the fact you are a Geordie, the fact you have dreamt the dream, there is not another one to come along it is there? So somewhere along the line, whoever replaces you will have a little bit missing and will not have that rapport with the fans?

AS:
They might not have the rapport with the fans but they can still be built up as long as they come in and score goals. You know as well as I know that anyone that comes up here and scores goals on a regular basis will be worshipped. That has always been the case. Always has been, always will be. When you are in football I think you must never get bitter, you must never get twisted and you must always realise that it is like a clock. You start off and you are tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, and you come round. Someone will come in and replace you and that is the fact of life. As we said earlier, I have been living the dream for I don't know how many years now, 17 or 18 years I have been in the game and I have another year and time is not on my side. But when I go away someone else will come in. And so long as you understand that, and realise that, and do not get upset when that happens, and you should not get upset because that has always been the case.

ML:
You are listening to Alan Shearer on BBC Radio Newcastle with us though until 8pm, taking your calls. A young man at the age of only 10 has got a long time on that clock ahead of him, Neil from Seaham, you're through to Alan Shearer.

NEIL:
Hello.

AS:
Hello Neil.

N:
I was just going to ask you, why would you want to retire when you are such a good player?

AS:
That is very kind of you. Thanks very much. Just because I want to retire at the top. I think in my opinion it is always best to do that and for people to remember you as a very good player. For the last eight years here that Newcastle I have managed to score goals on a regular basis and I want people to remember me, to have been a very good player and to have been a player that always scored goals. I think in a year's time it will be best for me to do that and to do something else.

ML:
Do you think he should retire Neil, or do you want him to stay?

N:
I want him to stay.

AS:
Thanks very much. You are very kind.

ML:
If he goes, are you going to be his replacement?

N:
No.

AS:
Why not?

ML:
Definitely not?

AS:
Do you play football?

N:
Yes.

AS:
What position?

N:
Goalkeeper.

AS:
You haven't been my favourite players over the years, you goalkeepers. I hope you turn out to be a new Shay Given anyway.

ML:
Thanks for your call Neil. That was Neil from Seaham, aged 10. There was actually a question in these e-mails, millions of them, I cannot find it, I will ask you anyway, I cannot remember who it was from, I apologise if they are listening online somewhere around the world. Have you ever thought about being anything other and a centre-forward. I think the question was; if you could play anywhere else, if you had to play anywhere else, where would you play?

AS:
I was one of these greedy little scruffy kids at school that I thought I could play any where. I took the free kicks, I took the throw-ins, I took the corner kicks and wanted to take everything. It was the buzz of scoring goals that got me into that position if you like. I think you are actually born with a talent to be in the right place at the right time and sniff out where that ball is going to land in the box. Is it going to land at your feet and are you going to put it in the net? I think it is difficult to actually teach someone that. You can coach them to be a better finisher. But I'm not too sure you can coach them to be in the right place at the right time.

ML:
Another e-mail from Nemo in Kendal. Would you say rejecting Manchester United and signing for a side that has won nothing in 50 years was a mistake?

AS:
No. Not at all. It was a big decision for me and Man Utd wasn't the only club that I could have went to have gone on to win silverware since I left. That's life. That is the decision I made. I am very happy and very pleased with my decision. No regrets, Man Utd have been a great team, still are a great team and will continue to win silverware for however many years. But so are Newcastle without the silverware.

ML:
A quick text, do not forget the text, just a quick one, you can answer this as briefly as you like. Alan in Shetland, a long, long way away, will you shake a Ruud Gullit's hand at St James's Park this weekend?

AS:
If I see him, I haven't got a problem with that. People have opinions, his opinion was that he did not want to play me and that was fine. I've never been bitter or twisted about that, that's his opinion. Ruud Gullit I thought was a very good coach. Some of the sessions he put on a at his time here in Newcastle were excellent. It didn't work out for him, for whatever reason, and he wasn't here and left after that Sunderland game, so no, if I see him I will shake his hand. I'm not like that.

ML:
Going back to the badges and the fact you are taking your badges, the fact you are not ruling out any management role in the future, you have talked about Ruud Gullit, you might have just learnt one or two things from Ruud Gullit as a coach, people are talking about Sir Bobby Robson and the fact he could groom you as a coach, one name that has not been thrown into the frame that I would like to ask you about, Kenny Dalglish. You had him at Blackburn, you had him at Newcastle, he is the only player in recent years - great, great player - who has gone on to be a great manager. And that is something you might have to break the mould once again. Is he more of a mentor or potentially more of a mentor because I know you are close him and you rate him highly than perhaps the Uefa coaching badges or Bobby Robson or Ruud Gullit or any other coaches you have come under?

AS:
Absolutely. I will not have a bad word said against Kenny because as a person, fantastic. As a manager I think he was fantastic as well. He did not have the best of times up here, he won trophies at Liverpool as a manager and as a player. He won the title at Blackburn as a manager. Some of his signings did not work out for him at Newcastle but I tell you, if you ask any player who was here when Kenny was manager, they will not have a bad word said against him because for a player he was fantastic, he treated you as a man. He treated you how you wanted to be treated. You got out of him what you wanted to get out of him and he was great for us as players, certainly here at Newcastle and definitely at Blackburn. I have played with some great managers and coaches over the years and so if I can pick up some good things and bad things off the people I have worked with then it should stand me in good stead. You know as well as I do, that does not guarantee you anything. I think coaching, coaching and management can be sometimes two completely different things. As a manager you manage. As a coach you go and coach players.

ML:
Especially nowadays as well.

AS:
Without doubt. For me they are two completely different jobs. But I think management interests me more than coaching. But of course you are going to have to have your badges to be a manager.

ML:
Is it an incentive, just very briefly, to break that mould and to say to people I can be a great player who goes on to be a good manager? Because there have been so, going back to the Moores and the Charltons etc, there have been so few. Is that an incentive for you to succeed as a player and as a manager?

AS:
I think the bigger incentive is to go on and win things. Whatever happens will happen. But as I said, because you have been a decent player does not guarantee you anything when you go into management or coaching. Let's talk about teams who have won things. Brian from Washington has been hanging on, Brian you are through to the Newcastle United skipper.

BRIAN:
Good evening Alan. Alan you have been a legend at Newcastle and I am sure your last season is going to be another great season for you and hopefully it will be a great season for us as well.

AS:
I hope so.

ML:
Alan what I'd like your opinion on, it is interesting you said earlier that you did not think we could break into the top three. I just wondered what your view was on Euro 2004 when the Greeks, against all odds, won the competition and really the teams with all the superstars did not do anything. Yet the team that was organised, well prepared, disciplined and played a game plan, actually won a trophy. Do you think that could be translated into the Premier League?

AS:
I think for Newcastle, for other clubs, I think for other clubs it already has because if you look at Charlton, if you look at Bolton, if you look at Birmingham, I am not being disrespectful to those clubs, but they never spend millions out on players but they always have this fantastic record of upsetting the odds if you like. First and foremost they will go into every season as looking to gain Premiership status year in year out but they have gone one step further in that and for a long time, last season, those three were up challenging ourselves and Liverpool for that fourth spot. You are right, it is a great point, it just goes to show you when you have got a bunch of players who are willing to work their socks off and have a bunch of players who are well organised and told what to do, and you go out and do it, they were not in the most gifted side in Euro 2004, Greece, by far. But they were well organised, well drilled, they were not the most entertaining side but I tell you what, they were tough to break down.

ML:
Let's go back to the text. Johnny has texted. How important are pre-season results and performances as preparation for the new season? Good luck Alan, that is from Johnny. Bearing in mind, two games in Thailand, did not win either. And then two games subsequently and again faltered a lot.

AS:
Yeah, one game in Thailand, one game in Hong Kong. Very difficult to play in those conditions. The heat, and probably more importantly the humidity, was very tough and 90% of the squad only played half games in both of those. But the best thing that you can get out of pre-season games is to go through the games, work very hard to get your match fitness. The most important thing for me is for the squad to try and stay injury-free. I have been in pre-seasons where we have won every game, where I have scored lots of goals, but we have got off to a bad start. I have also been in pre-season where I haven't won any and I haven't scored but I have scored straight away at the league and we have got off to a decent start. You have to be right for that all-important game. Middlesbrough, by far, is the most important thing in the season. That is what you have to get fit for. That is what you have to be match fit for. But confidence is a good thing to have. In an ideal world you will go through all the pre-season and win all the games but of course that is not going to happen.

ML:
10 minutes left, millions of e-mails, texts and phones. We will go back to the phones, Mick in Stockton is on. Mick you are through to Alan Shearer, what is your question?

MICK MCMANUS:
Hello Alan. Mick McManus from Stockton. You have got Kluivert alongside you now. I am very delighted he is playing with you. How do you think you will hit off the season with Patrick Kluivert?

AL:
First and foremost the manager hasn't told me whether I will be playing up front with him or told me I will be playing at all, or him at all to be honest. But what I will say, he probably lost his way for 18 months, two years. But if you look at his name and the clubs he has played for and his games and his goals record, I think you will find it is excellent. If he can get it right here at Newcastle, he is 28 year old and they say that you are in your prime at 27, 28, 29, 30. If that is the case then Newcastle have got a fantastic player on their hands and he could be a big player for us, there is no doubt about that.

ML:
Can you deny or confirm the story doing the rounds that you played a part in him coming to the North East and showed him round and told him about the North East?

AS:
Yeah. I can deny that. I have seen that report and I do not know where it came from. Whoever Newcastle have brought in over the last eight years I can assure you none of them have anything to do with me, that is not my job, that is the manager's and chairman's job to bring in players and let players go.

ML:
He has scored a few goals himself, Patrick Kluivert, in terms of your goals, Martin West of Shropshire was one of a good few people who e-mailed in questions regarding the goal celebration. Martin says, it has been years now, ever thought about changing the celebration? I know what the answer is going to be!

AS:
Why should I change it in my last season?

ML:
Remember that time you did change it?

AS:
I did. I changed it at Blackburn I think it was ...

ML:
Robin Hood and the bow and arrow!

AS:
I got a bit of ribbing for that as well. I do not know how it happened that one arm celebration. It happened many years ago and for whatever reason I have stuck to it. It served me good in the past, I'm not go to change it for my last year. I hope I'm going to score a few anyway so you can see it for the last time this year.

ML:
And it doesn't exactly wear you out, it is sort of preserving your energy type celebration?

AS:
Eh, at my age you have got to do that. I certainly do not run very far after I have celebrated if you noticed that.

ML:
A couple of callers who do not want to go to air. One, Ken from the coast, who would Alan like to see replace him? I know it is not going to be your decision ultimately but can you think of anybody off the top of your head who you would like to see coming to the club?

AS:
If Patrick is a big hit then they might not have to look very far to replace me. Shola has signed a new five-year contract at Newcastle now so he wants an opportunity to do that. So there is two big players there that have a great chance and a foot in the door already.

ML:
Billy from Redcar just wants to say, thanks Alan for everything he has done. Sue from Cheshire who is up for the game on Saturday, she like a few others on the e-mail, wants to ask the question, does Alan still creosote his fence?

AS:
Only when I win championships!

ML:
These sort of stories never go away, do you tire of them?

AS:
I think what happened was, if I remember rightly, we won the league at Blackburn and the following day my father in-law was up and he was doing some work for us on the house and I think it was him that was doing the fence and I went out I took him some drinks and it has always been labelled that I went out and creosoted my fence!

ML:
Five or six minutes remaining, we will try and lighten it up a little bit in these final sessions. If Alan had not have been a footballer, what job would he have done? That is from Mel in Newcastle on the text. You must have been asked it is a million times.

AS:
I haven't got a clue, I really haven't because football was all I knew at school. The teachers were forever telling me to concentrate on my school work because the chances of me being a footballer were slim. But I was only ever interested in football and did not really like school if I I am honest because I always had confidence and belief that I was going to be one. Thankfully I did because a I haven't got a clue what I would have been.

ML:
Nicola from Coventry wants to know on the e-mail, which young players do you admire?

AS:
I admire all young players, because you know why? Because, like the rest of us, they are under so much pressure. And there is so much spotlight on them nowadays they can't do a thing wrong. If you put yourselves in the young players' position nowadays, that they are not married, they are single, they get paid a hell of a lot of money, what do they do with their spare time? We train three hours a day at most during the season so they have a hell of a lot of time on their hands, so what do they do with it? They have all this money to spend. So I have got a little sympathy with the young players coming through. Any one of them that make it, I have great respect for.

ML:
Do you have sympathy for ones who stray a little, ones who step out of line because the temptations are so great and because they have a lot of lot of money in their pockets?

AS:
I understand why they do it because the temptations are massive. As I've said they have a lot of time on their hands, they have got a hell of a lot of money, they are living on their own a lot of them, so what do they do with their time and they have to find something to do, so I can understand why a lot of them get into small problems.

ML:
I asked Gary Speed this during the summer, are footballers paid too much nowadays?

AS:
That is not our fault. That is not our problem. That's been my answer over the years, if someone wants to pay you £30,000, £40,000, £50,000 a week then that's fine. If they were in that same position, I know one thing, they would not turn it down.

BBC Tyne would like to say a big thank you to Tom Jones for providing this transcript.