Toon Legend: 'Shepherd's Heart Is In The Right Place'!

"The players don't know whether they're coming or going and the fans won't shell out money for season tickets until they know what's happening.

"Things have to be put in motion and the logical step is for whatever new consortium comes in to get things moving and appoint Alan Shearer.

"He knows the players, he knows who to keep and who to move on. That would be the ideal scenario but you know Newcastle United - things are never that straightforward.

"It's a similar scenario to when I joined. They'd just been relegated, Mirandinha had left and the fans were burning the club shirt. Someone had to drag them up by the short and curlies.

"I'm not saying that was me, or I brought divine intervention - I was about 15th choice on their list! My contract at Portsmouth was up, Kevin Dillon rang me on behalf of Jim Smith. They wanted to go straight back up and did I want to come?

"The fans were frustrated - they were used to big names but I'd scored goals everywhere I'd been, and when I got four on my debut against Leeds it gave them something to cheer about.

"We had a good year, just missed out in the play-offs but it got everyone smiling again and gave them belief.

"Only Alan can give them that now and if he was in charge, with his hunger and desire, they become an attractive proposition again. But without him, I wouldn't join them now.

"They've probably got better players now than when I came but you wouldn't sign for them without a manager. It's an absolute mess, they're a laughing stock and it breaks my heart.

"You need people who can look at it objectively but also with an understanding of what the club means to people in the area.

"I don't know who's interested in buying the club but I hear Freddy Shepherd's back in the frame. Now Freddy's made mistakes and he's not perfect but he always put his hand in his pocket.

"If he was at the front, backed by other businessmen, it could work.

"His heart's in the right place and that's what they need - the head ruling but the heart having a say."