On this day in 2009: Alan Shearer appointed Newcastle manager

Newcastle appointed former striker Alan Shearer as their manager for the final eight matches of the Premier League season on this day in 2009, but he was unable to save the club from relegation.

The Magpies’ home-grown record goalscorer, who had no coaching experience, put his reputation on the line and stepped into the breach after Joe Kinnear’s brief spell in charge had been ended by heart surgery.

A daunting run-in, which brought defeats to Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool, saw Shearer win just five points, with the only victory coming at home against rivals Middlesbrough.

Shearer took Newcastle’s fight to the final day of the season, but a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa sent the Magpies down, ending their 16-year stay in the top flight.

Newcastle had four managers during the season and never seemed to recover from the recriminations that followed the departure of Kevin Keegan just three weeks into the campaign.