ALAN Shearer, who indicated last year that he intended to retire in 2004, revealed yesterday that he wants to prolong his career by at least another 12 months and help Sir Bobby Robson bring success to Newcastle United.

Shearer, 32, admits his much-criticised decision to quit international football at the end of Euro 2000 has been so beneficial that he is prepared to shelve plans to stop playing for Newcastle.

The striker wants Robson to continue "forever" but is aware they have few opportunities to win a trophy together before their relationship as player and manager will come to a close.

Even so, he has admitted for the first time that he could look for an extension to his present contract - which expires in June 2004.

Shearer said: "At the moment I don't think it will be a problem to play like this for another 18 months, and I might do another year after then. I'll judge it nearer the time.

"I decide how I feel at the beginning of every season. If I feel I have another season in me, I give it a go.

"The advice everyone gives you is to play for as long as you can. Everyone can't be wrong, so you'd be a mug not to listen to them. I'll play for as long as I possibly can.

"I hope Bobby Robson can go on forever and so does everyone else at Newcastle. He might have different plans, but we hope not.

"I've seen what he's done for the football club and I know what we think we can achieve here with him. Other people might disagree, but it's been a great decision for me to retire from international football. Hopefully, my performances have suggested that.

"There's a lot of pressure on you when you're playing for England and I was captain as well. I could handle that, but put together with the playing and travelling it all mounts up.

"I'm enjoying football as much as ever and I have more time to enjoy it because I'm not away as much. I didn't have time to reflect on games but I do now, even though it's still been a busy and hectic schedule."

Shearer knows Newcastle, who visit Aston Villa tomorrow, must improve on their wretched away form if they are to keep alive their hopes of enjoying a successful Premiership season.

The Magpies have taken just four points from their seven league matches on the road and have risen to sixth in the table on the back of a formidable home record.

Shearer said: "We're in a decent position, despite only having won one away game. But we've got to start picking up more points from our away games.

"We're going to have to make a move sooner or later because we want to be in the Champions League again next year.

"We should be doing better away from home with the players we've got, and hopefully we can put it right soon."

Shearer, whose two-game Champions League suspension starts next week, goes into tomorrow's game with the threat of a one-match Premiership ban hanging over him.

Like Andy Griffin, the former England captain is just one booking away from picking up five league cautions this season.

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.