Alan Shearer settles the debate on the best Newcastle United side he ever played in

Add as preferred source on Google

Alan Shearer played in some wonderful Newcastle United sides during his 10 years at the club.

The Newcastle United legend returned home in a world-record move in 1996 having become a Premier League champion at Blackburn Rovers.

Unfortunately, Alan Shearer was unable to replicate that feat at Newcastle, but he did become Newcastle’s top all-time scorer and cemented his legacy as a club legend.

He scored a staggering 206 goals for Newcastle before retiring in 2006. Unfortunately, Shearer’s stint as interim manager when he returned in 2009 wasn’t enough to save the club from relegation.

Looking back on his career, Shearer insists he has no regrets about joining boyhood club Newcastle over Manchester United and Real Madrid. His statue outside St James’ Park is worth more than a Premier League trophy.

Alan Shearer names the best Newcastle side he played in

Shearer came agonisingly close to winning the Premier League at Newcastle with the Magpies finishing second under Kenny Dalglish and third under Sir Bobby Robson.

In the latest episode of The Rest is Football, Shearer was asked about the best side he has ever played in, and he overlooked his title-winning Blackburn Rovers side in favour of one Newcastle team.

“I think for flair, definitely the Newcastle side I came to [in 1996],” Shearer said.

“But Blackburn were a very different side. We had a great team spirit and a system that worked for everyone and it worked because we went out and won the Premier League – we couldn’t do that at Newcastle.

“But in terms of flair, yeah at Newcastle with the likes of [David] Ginola and [Peter] Beardsley and [Faustino] Asprilla and [Keith] Gillespie and all those talented players we had.”

Alan Shearer raves about current Newcastle United team

Newcastle’s 1996 squad clearly holds a space in Shearer’s heart, but he is also very fond of the current squad built by Eddie Howe.

Shearer believes he’d score 35-40 goals in the current Newcastle side because of the attacking style of play that Howe has introduced.

Just imagine a striking partnership of Shearer and Alexander Isak. As recently as this week, Shearer called Isak “world-class”. Newcastle are also ready to hand Isak Shearer’s No.9 shirt if he signs a new deal.

READ MORE: Alan Shearer names the two players who could break his goalscoring record before Erling Haaland at Man City

Shearer has urged Newcastle to win a trophy this season, something he couldn’t quite manage as a player at St James’ Park.

Newcastle are just 90 minutes away from reaching a second cup final under Howe with the Magpies currently 2-0 up against Arsenal ahead of their semi-final second leg on Wednesday, February 5th.