Premier League legend Alan Shearer has two new year wishes for his former clubs Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers.
Shearer is Newcastle and indeed the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer and one-time manager and he also won the title with Blackburn back in 1995.
Both of his former clubs are currently going in very different directions in the Championship with the Magpies fighting for promotion back to the top flight and Rovers in the relegation zone at the halfway stage of the season.
Shearer was asked by Coral what would be his one footballing wish for the new year.
Alan Shearer
But the former England hero said he simply could not choose so elected to have two new year wishes for his former teams in an interview with Coral.
“I’ve got two,” Shearer said.
“I want to see Newcastle promoted.
Alan Shearer lifts the 1994/95 Premier League title for Blackburn Rovers
“I want to see my old club Blackburn… they’re in the mire, they’re in a dogfight.
“I don’t like to see where they are at this moment in time. I don’t like to see the disharmony between the fans and the owners.
“So Newcastle promoted and I want to see Blackburn climb the league and get out of trouble and get a bit of happiness back at that football club.”
Alan Shearer has big hopes in 2017 for Newcastle and Blackburn! pic.twitter.com/iou5EGlZfW
— Coral (@Coral) December 30, 2016
While Newcastle’s task – with Rafa Benitez at the helm and what is comfortably the best squad in the division – looks a solid bet, Blackburn’s task looks a little more difficult.
The likes of Leeds United and Portsmouth before them have proved even clubs with illustrious recent history can tumble down the leagues.
And with the relationship between supporters and owners fractured beyond repair there aren’t many signs it will get better quickly, or soon.
Come what May there is the very real prospect the Magpies and Blackburn will be two divisions apart.
But with the Championship as tight as ever this season, they have every chance of pulling clear if they can put a run together early in 2017.
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