Newcastle United legend Alan Shearerplaceholder image
Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer | Getty Images
Alan Shearer has opened up about his experiences as Newcastle United prepare for battle against the old enemy.
Few players have experienced the highs and lows of a Tyne-Wear derby like Alan Shearer. From almost quitting Newcastle United after being dropped by Ruud Gullit to fluffing a penalty at the Gallowgate End a year later, signing his illustrious career off with a goal on Wearside was the fitting end for a man who bled black-and-white stripes.
Shearer stood on the terraces as a boy, pumped full of the nerves and excitement that will take every Toon fan hostage this afternoon. It is perhaps the ultimate backhanded compliment to his greatness that Sunderland fans still chant abusive chants about the 55-year-old to this day.
Like the rest of us mere mortals, Shearer will be dialled in at midday as Newcastle aim to end a 10-game winless run at Premier League level against their bitter rivals. Having played in 11 Tyne-Wear clashes - winning six - United’s all-time leading goalscorer has warned the current crop what to expect as Tyneside hosts its first derby for a decade.
‘I loved the games’ - Alan Shearer
"I loved the games," Shearer told NUFC TV when reflecting on his career. "You can definitely get away with a little bit more in terms of the referees because they understand what it means to you. You feel the passion. When the fixtures are out, it's not Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester United that you look for. It's Sunderland and when you play them home and away.
"You have to win and be on the right side of it otherwise it hurts you for a while but they're brilliant games to play in and be involved in. I can remember all the goals and games, both the good and the bad. Sometimes, you have to put up with the bad but that's the way it is in football.
"I can remember them all, walking up the tunnel and back down it with the emotions and feeling that goes with it. You can hear and feel the atmosphere when you're on the way to the stadium. There's just something very different about it in a great way.”
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Alan Shearer message to local stars
Shearer also sent a message to the likes of Dan Burn and Lewis Miley - who is still injured - about setting the tone in the dressing room. While not born in the region, Lewis Hall and Jacob Murphy were also boyhood Newcastle supporters.
“I've been a part of it and know what it means to everyone but then to go out and play in it, being a local lad, there's no doubt that you carry the responsibility,” Shearer added. “You have to try and educate the others who maybe are new to it and perhaps don't know how much it means.
“You get the bragging rights and to talk about it for a while until the next game. If it's gone well, great, but if it hasn't then you've got the chance to put that right. The week leading up to it and the week or two after it, if it's gone well, is a great feeling and everyone's still talking about it."
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