MARK VIDUKA wouldn’t have played another game for Newcastle United had Alan Shearer not returned to the club, the Magpies manager has revealed.

The Australia international had been planning his return Down Under this summer before Shearer persuaded him to switch his focus from the beaches of Bondi to relegation battles with Boro and tomorrow’s opponents, Tottenham Hotspur.

Viduka is now ready to add his undoubted ability to Newcastle’s survival battle that, according to Shearer, could even earn the Aussie a new one-year contract to remain at St James’ Park.

Viduka has been plagued by Achilles problems all season and after playing only 12 minutes of the 1-0 defeat at Bolton last month, had not been expected to add to his tally of six first-team appearances this term.

But his inclusion in the Magpies squad to face Spurs would cap an incredible recovery after the former Middlesbrough and Leeds United forward had been all but written out of Newcastle’s run-in.

Perhaps even more incredible is that before Shearer’s arrival as manager, no-one at St James’ had approached Viduka to discuss the possibility of him playing again this season.

Shearer clearly wasn’t prepared to allow such a potentially valuable, and costly, asset to languish on the treatment table and has worked with the club’s coaching staff to nurture the Aussie forward back to fitness.

“It’s fair to say that Mark probably wouldn’t have played again this season if things hadn’t changed,” said Shearer, who revealed his appointment as manager two weeks ago proved the catalyst for Viduka’s return to firstteam action.

“I asked Mark ‘do you want to help play a part in us trying to stay up?’ and the answer was most definitely a ‘yes’. I think it would have been a complete waste to just let him lie on the treatment table looking forward to going back to the beaches in Australia.

That’s what his plans were this summer.

“He was injured and not in good condition and probably on his way to Australia because talks hadn’t happened between himself and the club.

But he’s shown a great appetite to get us out of trouble, which is what I’m looking for.

“He’s been in early every morning and does extra work every afternoon. It’s a fine balance of trying to get him fit without pushing him too hard. But the pleasing thing is he wants to try. He wants to give it a go.”

Asked about the prospect of Viduka being offered a oneyear deal this summer, Shearer replied: “That’s something we’d have to look at come the end of the season.

“I’ve said to Mark ‘look, we want you fit for the remaining games, then we’ll see what happens after that’.

“The big thing with Mark is getting him fit and keeping him fit. We have to try to manage that and treat him differently to the rest of the players in training. Just having him available to play some part is great.”

Viduka’s sublime pass to tee up Damien Duff’s lastgasp winner in December’s home victory over Spurs demonstrated that, as an impact substitute, the Aussie has few peers. If he can play a similar cameo role at White Hart Lane in tomorrow’s lunch-time kick-off it would vindicate Shearer’s decision to bring Viduka in from the cold.

The manager added: “It was around this time last season that he came back in, played with Michael (Owen) and played a part in pulling the club away from trouble.”

Newcatle fans barracked Viduka with a chorus of “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” when he was replaced by Andy Carroll in the Boxing Day defeat at Wigan. But Shearer believes the player’s potential as a match-winner outweighs his questionable attitude.

“He’s got talent, there’s no doubt about that,” said Shearer.

“People will have their thoughts on him but my thoughts are he’s a very good footballer – if we can get him out on that pitch. If we can get something out of him between now and the end of the season it could be key.

“I’d rather have him available at 80 per cent than not at all.”

Peter Lovenkrands and Steven Taylor are fit and boost Shearer’s options against Harry Redknapp’s side, but Obafemi Martins and Jose Enrique have remained on Tyneside.