Gazza backs Shearer to keep Toon in top flight

“Alan will accept nothing less than 110 percent from each player,” he said. “He will be the type of manager that, if you are not doing the business in the first 45 minutes, he will take you off and put someone else on who will.”

Despite the St. James' Park outfit currently dwindling in the relegation zone, two-points adrift of safety with only eight matches remaining, Gascoigne is confident his fellow Geordie will be capable of delivering the results to maintain Newcastle’s 16 year stay in the top flight.

“I don’t think Newcastle will be demoted to the Championship with Alan in charge,” he said. “I know the man, I played with him for England for four or five years.”

Shearer scored a record 206 goals for Newcastle during his playing career, and has long been linked with the managerial position. But now he has finally secured it, in the short term at least, Gascoigne believes he will relish the opportunity.

“People will say he has a tough job ahead," he said. "But Alan will think of it as a great opportunity to show he was not just a world-class footballer but hopefully a top-class manager too.”

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Gregg Davies

Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.