Shearer - Toon army can bring back Uefa Cup

Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer is determined to make up for his Champions League misery by bringing the UEFA Cup back to Tyneside.

The 33-year-old hitman was devastated at the penalty shoot-out defeat by Partizan Belgrade which dumped his side out of the European big time, but while that still smarts, he has not given up hope there could still be a silver lining.

United’s poor start to the season – they are still looking for their first Barclaycard Premiership win and lie just one place off the bottom of the table - has left manager Sir Bobby Robson, his players and the fans scratching their heads.

However, Shearer is convinced there is much, much more to come.

And with one foot already in the second round of the UEFA Cup after a 5-0 mauling of NAC Breda last week, the former England captain believes Europe could yet hold the key to success.

“I think the only way we can repay our fans for not giving them Champions League football this season is to go out and win the UEFA Cup for them,” he said.

“It won’t be easy because there are some top-quality teams in that competition as well, but I think we’re all determined to go out there and do it for our fans.

“I want to ask the fans of Newcastle United to stick with us because we will get better, I guarantee that.

“Yes, it’s been disappointing, but yes, we’ll improve and we hope we can get our hands on some silverware.”

That has been Shearer’s dream ever since his made his £15m (€21m) move home from Blackburn in the summer of 1996.

And although there have been near misses – Newcastle lost FA Cup finals in both 1998 and 1999 and missed out at the semi-final stage in 2000 – his hunger remains as acute as ever.

Shearer recently signed a one-year extension to his contract which will almost certainly see him hang up his boots at the end of next season.

And that means time is running short for him to help bring a first major trophy to the club since they lifted the Fairs Cup in 1969.

Shearer admits he does not care which piece of silverware comes his way as long as it comes, but he would be thrilled to renew the club’s long acquaintance with the FA Cup, which last occupied the trophy cabinet at St James’ after the Magpies’ 1955 victory.

“I would dearly love it to be the FA cup because I know they have a special affinity with the FA Cup in Newcastle and it would mean a lot to them,” he told the latest issue of MATCH magazine, out on September 30.

“As for me, I’ll have anything. You give me a piece of silverware and I’ll have it – I won’t argue.”