Shearer Stands By Quit Decision

By Matt Jones
December 24 2005

Graeme Souness wants him to once again postpone his plans to retire, but 35-year-old Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer insists he WILL be hanging up his boots this summer, having already played for a season longer than planned.

ALAN SHEARER: "As far as I am concerned, nothing has changed. I will retire at the end of the season.

"When you are my age you are not allowed a bad game. It gets built up around your age. It seems to happen when you get to your mid-30s."

Shearer is just one goal away from equaling Jackie Milburn's 200 goals for the club and Magpies' boss Graeme Souness believes that his skipper is still fit enough to play on for yet another season.

GRAEME SOUNESS: "It would have to come from him but if he is still playing like he has recently, he has an enormous part to play.

"He's a footballer who's enjoying his job and it's like any job - if you're enjoying it then why stop?"

Earlier this season, Al' was forced to have surgery on a hernia. On this, Souness added: "Only he knows how much his hernia was holding him back but since his operation last month he seems to have found another yard.

"We'll see what happens over the next six months but I certainly wouldn't close any doors.

"I said last year that I do not see a player on the training ground who is ready to pack in and there's nothing that's happened since that suggests that has changed.

"Coupled with the fact that he is now playing with Michael Owen, his fitness means he is really enjoying it. They have an understanding which obviously goes back to when they played for England."