On this day: Alan Shearer takes the reins at relegation-threatened Newcastle 11 years ago

mirror.co.uk:

On this very day in 2009 Alan Shearer put his reputation on the line when he accepted the task of attempting to drag Newcastle out of the relegation tailspin into which they had plunged as the season drew to a close.

The Magpies' home-grown record goalscorer stepped into the breach on April 1 with just eight games of the Premier League campaign remaining after Joe Kinnear's brief reign had been ended by heart surgery.

The journey wouldn't have the fairytale ending Shearer wished for, but it was thwart with ups and downs from start to finish.

Here, we take a look a turbulent few months in the Tyneside club's recent history. April 1: After a day of frenzied speculation, Newcastle, who lie in 18th place and two points from safety, finally