A little less than three years ago, the former Magpies skipper bowed out on an emotional night at St James' Park as Tyneside rose to acclaim a home-grown hero at his testimonial game.

A few weeks earlier, Shearer had written himself into Geordie folklore by eclipsing the legendary Jackie Milburn's club scoring record with the 201st goal of his Newcastle career against Portsmouth.

He later completed his tally of 206 with a penalty in a 4-1 win at Sunderland before succumbing to the knee injury that ended his playing days three games earlier than planned.

However, as Shearer headed for the television studios, he could not have envisaged the club that had secured three successive top-five finishes in the Barclays Premier League, reached two FA Cup finals, enjoyed two Champions League campaigns and contested a UEFA Cup semi-final during his time there, would so quickly be fighting for top-flight survival.

He said: "No, I am as surprised as anyone at the situation we are in.

"But we are in it, so we have got to face it head on and we have got to get out of it, and that's what we are trying to do."

Newcastle's hopes of preserving their 16-year stay in the Premier League rest on the final three games of a traumatic season, although there is little doubt that if they do not beat derby rivals Middlesbrough at St James' on Monday evening, they can all but wave goodbye to the big time.

With both sides locked together inside the relegation on 31 points - the Magpies are better off only on goal difference - and three points adrift of safety, a failure to win for either could prove fatal.

Much could depend on the outcome of fellow strugglers Hull's home clash with Stoke and Sunderland's trip to Bolton today, but Shearer remains convinced he can get the club out of trouble.

He said: "We are in the situation we are in - and Middlesbrough are as well - because previous results haven't gone as well as people would have hoped.

"But I believe we have still got enough time, I still believe we have got enough in the dressing room to get us out of this and I have got confidence in my squad.

"The pleasing thing is that results keep going for us elsewhere. Yes, there have been one or two occasions when we could have changed that ourselves and we haven't.

"But, from a positive side of things, other teams haven't taken advantage of that, so we are all still in it, we are all still fighting and we will be fighting to the very end, believe me."

Steven Taylor could return from an ankle problem, but Alan Smith and Jose Enrique are major doubts.