Why Alan Shearer will not save Newcastle from relegation. By Stan Collymore

The arrival of Alan Shearer as the latest messiah at Newcastle is beginning to make events at St James' Park resemble a Monty Python film.

Despite the fanfare which greeted Kevin Keegan's return, the former England manager was not the saviour fans were hoping for.

And I very much doubt Shearer will be able to save Newcastle from relegation either.

Readers of this column in March will remember I tipped Shearer to take over as boss.

But with only seven games left after Saturday's defeat to Chelsea in his first game in charge, I believe the club's record goal-scorer has arrived too late.

I think they will make more of a fist of it with their famous No.9 in the dug-out.

But if Shearer was so horrified by the thought of Newcastle going down, why didn't he offer his services with 25 games to go.

He is in a no-lose position now, as even if they lose every game it will be the previous regime's fault.

While if he keeps them up, Shearer can puff his chest out and declare he saved the day.

I would have liked to see Shearer appointed back in the New Year where he could have used the January window and we could see what his transfer ideas were.

Now sadly I fear it is far too late for Newcastle to survive, with the club entrenched in the drop zone.

But at least their blundering owner Mike Ashley has finally booted out Dennis Wise.

Ashley's ham-fisted treatment of Keegan, his lack of due diligence on Newcastle before buying it and bringing in Wise was all bewildering.

I really think perhaps it is time we had some kind of football qualification for club owners.

There is a real chance if Newcastle went down and Ashley was to cut his losses, that one of England's biggest clubs could go to the wall.

We have seen it with Leeds United, and the antics of Thaksin Shinawatra and now Manchester City's new Abu Dhabi owners show they know little about football.

I wish club owners really loved the game rather than treating Premier League football as the latest fashion accessory.

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