Newcastle face ´massive fight´ to stay up: Shearer

New manager Alan Shearer admitted Thursday that Newcastle United faced a “massive fight” to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Local hero Shearer, Newcastle’s record goalscorer, has been put in charge for the final eight games of the season to help his home town club beat the drop.

Newcastle are currently third from bottom, two points adrift of Blackburn, the club currently occupying the last survival spot.

Shearer, speaking at a news conference at St James’ Park here Thursday, said of his relationship with the club’s fans: “They know me as well as anyone and know they will get 100 percent, 24 hours a day for next eight weeks.

“I hope that will be good enough because it would sadden me and thousands of supporters if we were in the Championship. They don’t deserve that, they deserve better,” the former England striker added.

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley angered fans who accused him of forcing out another of their heroes, Kevin Keegan, in September.

Keegan, a former Newcastle and England forward like Shearer, is one of four managers the club have got through this season.

However, Shearer said: “The powers that be have admitted mistakes were made this season and it’s important that whatever mistakes have been made, they’re gone. It’s history – we can’t do anything about it.”

He added: “We’ve got a massive fight on our hands, in very difficult circumstances, we’ve got injuries – but we’ll face it head on and give it a right good go.”

But he faces a tough opener, with Newcastle at home to high-flyers Chelsea on Saturday.

Despite having no coaching experience, Shearer, who was handed the job on Wednesday, has been given the task of saving the club from the financially calamitous consequences of relegation.

His appointment ends the caretaker spell in charge of Chris Hughton, who remains on the staff.

Hughton took over in February after Joe Kinnear was forced to take a break from managing the club because of heart surgery.