Shearer Saluts the Magpies

By Matthew Jones
August 15 2003

Alan Shearer has saluted his Newcastle team-mates following the recent Champions League Qualifier in Belgrade.

Alan Shearer has saluted his Newcastle team-mates following the recent Champions League Qualifier in Belgrade.

All Newcastle need now is a draw at St James' Park a week on Wednesday, and they will be through the qualifing stage.

"We went to Belgrade in 1998 and went out on away goals, and I must say, I think Partizan are a better team now," said Shearer.

"But so are we. We have learnt a lot in the last five years and we have come a long way since then. Two or three years ago, Newcastle United might have come here and lost it.

"We have done very well, although we know that if we take our foot off the pedal in the second leg a St James' Park, we will be punished.

"Partizan showed enough against us to show that they're a very good team. If someone had offered us 1-0 before the game, we would have snapped their hands off.

"When you come to places like this, you don't have to be great and play pretty football; what you have to do is to dig deep and show you've got character."

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