Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness is confident former England striker Alan Shearer will put off retirement plans and stay on for one more season with the club.
"Without giving too much away, I'm confident he [Shearer] will be here next season," Souness told a Radio Newcastle phone-in programme.
"I want him to stay another year and I can't imagine him leaving without breaking Jackie Milburn's scoring record."
Club captain Shearer, who has notched 187 goals in all competitions for Newcastle and is 13 behind Milburn's record, reaffirmed last month his desire not to play beyond the end of the season.
The 34-year-old Shearer, who retired from international football after Euro 2000, scored 28 goals for England in 57 games.
He moved to Newcastle in 1996 for a then world record transfer fee of 15 million pounds ($28.62 million).
Newcastle will take a 2-1 lead into Thursday's first knockout round, second leg tie at home to Dutch club Heerenveen.
© 2024 Rediff.com -