How Alan Shearer Was Hours Away From Managing Newcastle United

The Handshake and the Broken Deal

According to Shearer, the abrupt cancellation occurred two days after Newcastle suffered relegation from the Premier League following a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa. Shearer had served in interim charge for that match. Following the loss, he met with then-owner Mike Ashley at the club’s training ground to negotiate a three-year contract.

“Mike Ashley flew in to the training ground in his helicopter on the Tuesday and he was there all day,” Shearer said during the live podcast event. “We were in a meeting for five, six, seven hours, going backwards and forwards.”

During these discussions, Shearer and Ashley mapped out the club’s budget for the following 12 months, two years, alongside staff and player contracts. By late afternoon, both parties stood up and shook hands across the table on a three-year deal, agreeing to an official announcement on the Thursday.

However, that agreement dissolved rapidly. “I got a call on the Thursday morning, two hours before we’re due to announce it,” Shearer stated. “I got a call from one of his guys to say there’s an issue with the bank – we’ll be in touch.” Shearer confirmed he has never seen or spoken to Ashley since.

Chaos of the 2008/09 Relegation Campaign

Shearer took charge on 1 April in the 2008/09 season with Newcastle sitting 18th in the table and facing their first relegation from the top flight since 1993. His appointment marked a turbulent season for the club’s leadership.

Stepping into the role with no previous managerial experience, Shearer secured only one victory in eight games—a 3-1 win at home to Middlesbrough—before subsequent defeats to Fulham and Aston Villa sealed the club’s relegation by a single point.

“Newcastle were bottom of the league and going down,” Shearer said. “If somebody rings you up, a club that you love are in trouble, you can’t say I’m not going to come and give it a go. So it was the right thing to do.” He noted his financial terms included £100,000 a game even if they lost, alongside a £1 million bonus if they kept them up.

Aftermath and Hughton’s Success

Following the collapse of the agreement with Shearer, Ashley turned to Chris Hughton to lead the club back into the top flight. Hughton successfully returned Newcastle to the Premier League at the first attempt, winning the Championship by 11 points.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Alan Shearer manage Newcastle United?

Shearer managed Newcastle United in interim charge during the final eight games of the 2008/09 Premier League season, beginning on 1 April.

Why did the permanent deal fall through?

According to Shearer, an associate of Mike Ashley called two hours before the planned announcement to cite an issue with the bank, and the deal was off.

Who replaced Shearer as manager?

Mike Ashley turned to Chris Hughton to lead the club back into the top flight, who successfully returned the team to the Premier League.