Supporters back Shearer after Observer attack

Last updated : 14 October 2002 By Martyn Elliott

Are you watching Ian Ridley?
This week though the letters page of the Observer’s sports section contained a number of letters that strongly disagreed with the article.

Ridley believed that Newcastle relies too much on Shearer and that we build our game around him too much, making us predictable and easy to defend against. In short Ridley said that Shearer wasn’t good enough anymore.

Anybody who has seen us play this season will know that Alan has been our best player and his performance against Feyenoord in the Champions League was one of his finest in the Black & White stripes.

Ridley is clearly another London based journalist keen to take a pop at Shearer, as they seem to have taken pleasure in doing ever since his outstanding performances at Euro ’96.

Any problems that we have certainly don’t stem from Shearer. Several of last season’s stars are yet to reproduce their form, but signs are that Dyer and Solano are improving rapidly.

Once Bellamy is 100% fit and Kieron reproduces his form of last year, and on his last couple of performances that isn’t too far away, we’ll once again be one of the most exciting and dangerous attacking forces in the league.

So the message to all journalists is don’t criticise Shearer for being the greatest striker of his generation, watch the games and make an informed judgement instead.

To the guys who complained to the Observer, well done. Alan is still the man most likely to win us trophies so lets keep on backing him