GIVEN his reputation for eschewing the high life, Alan Shearer has always come across as more of a Phil Collins man than a fan of The Clash.

But, since announcing that he would retire at the end of the current campaign, the Newcastle skipper has been wrestling with a question that was first raised by the legendary rockers - "Should I stay or should I go?"

For most fans of the club, and for boss Graeme Souness and chairman Freddy Shepherd, the answer has been obvious.

Despite his advancing years, Shearer remains Newcastle's most potent attacking weapon and, since returning from a thigh problem in mid-January, his goals have been crucial in turning a season of stagnation into a two-pronged assault on silverware.

The fans have affirmed their faith in his ability at every opportunity, Souness has admitted to resorting to "emotional blackmail" in an attempt to keep his skipper active, and Shepherd has persistently chipped away to help achieve the U-turn that Shearer confirmed at St James' Park yesterday.

But, for the player himself, the decision to play on for one more season has not been so readily reached.

After spending the best part of 20 years establishing himself as one of the greatest centre-forwards in Europe, if not the world, Shearer has had to decide whether it is worth tarnishing that reputation in pursuit of the one thing that he would value above all else.

Ever since he made an emotional return to Tyneside some nine years ago, the Geordie icon has poured all his energies into breaking the 36-year trophy drought that continues to hang like a noose around the neck of every football fan in Newcastle.

And, while the 34-year-old might have talked about the urgings of family and friends yesterday, it is the prospect of becoming the first Magpies skipper since Bobby Moncur to parade a major trophy through the city's streets that has persuaded him to extend his playing days.

Let there be no doubt about it - Shearer was 100 per cent committed to retiring when the season kicked off in August.

He had managerial ambitions that he continues to harbour, a lucrative commentary contract lined up with the BBC, and was becoming increasingly disillusioned with the undisciplined direction in which things were heading under former boss Sir Bobby Robson.

Perhaps most significantly, he was also beginning to question whether his tiring legs and reconstructed knees could survive the constant wear and tear of the Premiership.

The last eight months have proved that they can and under Souness, a manager cut from the same uncompromising cloth as his skipper, Shearer has rediscovered the same passion and North-Eastern pride that drove him back to Tyneside in the first place.

His decision to postpone his retirement has been received with understandable glee. Shearer remains Newcastle's figurehead both on and off the field and, as the queue of Premiership defenders waiting to extol his virtues yesterday underlined, his power, intelligence and eye for goal more than make up for his lack of pace.

With Craig Bellamy certain to be leaving, and Patrick Kluivert unlikely to be offered a two-year contract extension at £65,000 a week, the prospect of just Shola Ameobi remaining to lead the line was not conducive to a relaxing summer for either Souness or Shepherd.

Yet it would be wrong to assume there are no down-sides to Shearer's decision. He cannot survive in the top-flight forever - by the end of next season he will be approaching his 36th birthday - and, as time passes, he will become increasingly susceptible to the strains and pulls that could end his career before he does.

Souness' position has also become vulnerable thanks to the striker's appointment to the coaching staff. If things go badly at the start of next season, it will not take long for the club's fans to start talking about their player-coach becoming a player-manager.

But, for now, everyone associated with Newcastle United is simply looking forward to seeing their No 9 wheel away in trademark celebration for one more year.

As well as "Should I stay or should I go", The Clash also had a hit with "London Calling".

In Shearer's case, London was calling as the BBC offered a multi-million pound deal to appear on Match of the Day. But, for someone who is idolised as the personification of Newcastle, the lure of Geordie immortality was always going to be too strong to resist.

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