ALAN Shearer is gunning for his big mate Rob Lee after being handed a daunting FA Cup mission.

Shearer's dream of lifting Newcastle's first domestic trophy in 51 years to bring the curtain down on his career took a massive blow when the Magpies were paired with hot favourites Chelsea.

Even worse for Shearer was that former Newcastle midfielder Lee - one of his best friends in the game - pulled their name out of the hat in yesterday's sixth round draw.

He had earlier given the other North-East club in the last eight, Middlesbrough, a difficult draw by asking them to travel to Charlton Athletic.

Lee, who scored as the Blues beat Newcastle in an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley six years ago, had matched Shearer and Co with another of his old clubs, Charlton, in the rehearsal.

But the Geordies weren't so lucky in the real thing, and Shearer was soon on the phone to rib his former team-mate.

Lee said: "Alan wasn't best pleased, and he came out with a few choice words to thank me. He was on the phone right away.

"I also got it in the neck from my son, who is a massive Newcastle fan, so it's the last time I'm going to do the draw. As soon as I was given the away teams to pick out I knew there could be trouble."

Newcastle beat Chelsea at St James' Park en route to the semis last season, but Stamford Bridge has been a graveyard for the club's hopes in the past 20 years.

They have not won in their last 17 visits stretching back to November 1986, when Peter Beardsley was among the scorers in a 3-1 victory. And they have shipped 15 goals without reply in their four most recent Premiership trips to West London.

Scott Parker, who was stand-in skipper for the injured Shearer as Newcastle brushed aside Southampton in round five, is confident they can spring a shock against the title holders.

The England midfielder, who arrived at St James' Park from Chelsea for £6.5m in the summer, said: "There's no doubt about it, it's a tough draw. It's the toughest we could have asked for.

"They have strength in depth all over the pitch and it will be a massive test. But if you're going to win the FA Cup you have to beat the best teams."

Boro's quarter-final tie with Charlton will be the first time the two sides have met in the FA Cup in 41 years, when Boro progressed at the second time of asking.

Midfielder George Boateng, knowing the squad will now have to travel to the Valley twice in less than 14 days as their Premiership fixture is scheduled for March 11, was not too concerned with who they face.

But he does realise the importance of making it to the semi-finals. "We as a team feel the cup games are getting more and more important because of our position in the league," said Boateng, whose side face Stuttgart in the second leg of the last 32 UEFA Cup tie on Thursday.

"We would have loved to have been around the Euro places, to guarantee a place in UEFA Cup for next year, but it's not worked out like that.

"Realistically it's going to be hard to win either of the cups, but it's what we really need to do."

* Alan Shearer insists Stuart Pearce's inexperience should not count against him if the FA choose a home-grown candidate as Sven Goran Eriksson's successor,

With no outstanding candidate, Pearce's name has come to increasing prominence, even though the Manchester City boss still has less than 12 months' experience in management.

The 43-year-old continues to insist he is a novice, who should not be considered, although he has also refused to rule himself out.

''We have always gone down the experienced route, with people like Bobby Robson, Glenn Hoddle and Kevin Keegan, but we haven't won anything," said Shearer.

''I think Stuart can do the job, so why not give it to him?

"It is a tough job - but I don't know an easy one."

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