Source: SKY_Sports
Shearer salutes Toon Army
Newcastle boss Alan Shearer has paid tribute to the club's fans after they turned out in numbers to watch the players train.
Shearer elected to hold an open session at St James' Park on Tuesday morning to allow more supporters to see their heroes in the flesh.
Around 7,500 fans looked on from the stands as the new Magpies boss put his squad through their paces with shooting practice and small-sided games.
Shearer saw his side lose the first match of his tenure as Chelsea triumphed 2-0 in the North East on Saturday and now has just seven games remaining to lift the club he served so well as a player out of the relegation zone.
Newcastle travel to fellow strugglers Stoke on Saturday evening for the first of seven games which will determine their Premier League fate as they sit three points from safety.
Shearer hopes his unorthodox training session will lift the players and unite the supporters behind the squad at a crucial juncture.
He told the club's official website: "I said to the boys, 'Where else would you get thousands of fans turning up to watch training when the team is third bottom?'
"It's unique and you've got to appreciate it and the players loved it.
"It was a good workout and we all enjoyed it."
Steven Taylor and Sebastien Bassong, who are battling against ankle and groin injuries, did not feature in front of the fans, although the Frenchman had been present for the start of the session before the gates
opened.
