Doc Steadman has given Shearer to go-ahead to resume full training, with the advice not to 'do anything daft' and see how things go. YBR says, "Now we might have a mean machine on our hands in about a months time."

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

Answers

Mean machine? Ah the film with Burt Reynolds! "Do anything daft" That'll rule out Macdonald adverts then! Oh and taking penalties in big matches( this dig is only to be expected)

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

By Damian Spellman, PA Sport, Troyes

Newcastle boss Bobby Robson is celebrating after learning that striker Alan Shearer has been given the go-ahead to resume full training.

Robson has confirmed that Shearer had been given the green light to put his injured knee to the test after visiting top US specialist Dr Richard Steadman in Paris yesterday.

The former England boss said: "He's had some wonderful news. I spoke to him personally and I spoke to the physiotherapist who was with him.

"Steadman has given him the go ahead - and he's delighted with Alan's progress.

"He just thinks he should now start joining in with the group and work on it and see how it goes day-by-day - not doing anything daft but just making continuous progress.

"Alan is really delighted about it. He's quite excited about it of course and so are the physios.

"Now we might have a mean machine on our hands in about a months time."

Shearer, 31 next week, has been out of action since March after undergoing the second of two operations designed to cure the tendinitis problem which has hampered him for almost a year.

Both player and manager have insisted throughout that the injury was not career threatening, but United took the view that they could not afford to take any risks with their £15million front man.

With Carl Cort also injured, the Tynesiders have had to do without their main strike force throughout their Intertoto Cup campaign, but with both now on the mend and £16million pound duo Laurent Robert and Craig Bellamy now joining them, the picture looks far rosier.

The news is a boost for the Magpies, who play their Intertoto final against Troyes on Tuesday and trained at the French club's Stade L'Aube home on Monday.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

If it had been like previous recuperations I would have expected him to playing against Troyes

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

Then get injured again Macbeth eh? "And now,the end is near,and so i face another sicknote" (oh,oh back in the naughty book i fear!)

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

The lightbulb slowly flickers to life, supa, congrats. Keep hanging around here and you'll learn much. ;-)

MacB, I'll believe it when it happens, but it does appear as though the club(and possibly Shearer) have finally realized that rushing back too soon is a bad thing.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

So another month and we can expect a return to balls hoofed hopefully up the pitch and for Nobby's crosses to dry up.... I love him but am I alone in being slightly depressed at the thought of him leading our attacks again?

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

Come awer 'ere with me dougal pet, yer not alone if the thought of shearer leading the line again fails to fill you full of optimisium or even opium. Of course we'd all love shearer to have a great season (except the makems) but to be honest I just don't think it's gonna happen. Granted he's a great finisher, but the crux of it is that he hasn't the pace to whizz past defenders like he used to. Am afraid he'll get little change if he is man marked the whole game.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

That's my fear Syme and also that his style of play ruins our game. In fact, his biggest use will probably be defending corners and holding the ball up to help us defend a lead. I'd love him to have a blinder but I'm not sure he will help our season all that much...

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

At your place last season i thought that shearer carried no threat what so ever.Apart form his flailing elbows! Oh and we should have had a penalty off him as well.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

Well, SuperKev only managed one cross as I recall. He did get out of his pram at the Gallowgate singing "You'll never play for England", though. Quinn, admittedly, had a blinder.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

Aye but it was a f***ing good cross though.That cross alone made Aaron hughes' pre-match boasts seem very hollow.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

I remember watching the game at our place thinking what is it about Quinn that makes him so horrible to play against, alright he's a tall lad, but's he not quick, not very skillfull and rarley scores a goal without his heed, so what is the problem with marking him?? Why did he leave man city?

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

In fairness to Quinn, he has admitted that he will never score a spawnier goal.... SK, Hughes merely said that we play better football and therefore should win. He added that this goes out of the window in a derby. Nowt wrong with that is there? Anyway, that cross was the only change SK got all day - which for a "World Class" player, playing against a 20 yearold, isn't great, is it?

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

On the contary Syme.I would estimate that about 65% of his goals in the premier league for us are NOT with his head. If you like i could go through them all.Of course both against you lot were with his head but you are the only ones that let him close enough to the goal.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

In response to the world class player jibe,what did Dyer do against us in that match? Nowt! Phillips was well marked in the same way you fear could happen with poppins.To take Phillips on the strength of one quiet game is a dis-service to your own football knowledge.Fancy managing England?

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

"65% are not with his head" so we have 20% coming of his arse, another 20% when his running away from goal and the ball bounces off his heel and the final 25% are deflected goals he claims because he'll chin anyone else who claims them;) The only time I saw the lad was when he played us, so I'll take you for your word.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

Syme the quality of some of the bigmans goals is quite outstanding.I have seen him reduce Desailly to tears,Solcampbell left at halftime, Stam refused to go near him,Adams come off worse etc. The centrehalf that i have seen handle him best is dean Richards for both Wolves and Southampton.I wish he was 10 years younger.This season could be his final fling and what better way to go than with some goals against the nearest and dearest!

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

You mean boro? I mean since they are you're nearest rivals an'all, you know us poor mags up the street will only be playing in Europe. Isn't it past your time to go to work or somik? I am getting ready to bog of mesell so it must be time for you lot.

-- Anonymous, August 06, 2001

Hey, SK, you don't have to tell me anything about how shite Dyer was in that game - he positively hid. Little toe rag.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2001

No one trying to play football has good games in derbies. Those who can put themselves about a bit may, but not fancy players. You only have to watch Rangers-Celtic games to see that. The only players I've ever seen rise above it in Glasgow have been Ray Wilkins and Gazza.

The Newcastle-Sunderland games have produced little in the way of skill from either side.

As for Quinn, I think there is an obvious replacement for him in the long run, if Reid wishes to stick to the same style of play. Shola has all the gangly ungainliness of Quinn, but seems a lot pacier than Quinn, he doesn't have the airborne skills though. Reid should make Robson an offer he can't refuse for Shola :0)

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2001