Former Newcastle chairman Sir John Hall is excited by the prospect of Alan Shearer returning as manager.

"I'm delighted at the news, but it's not the circumstances I would have wanted him to come back," Hall told BBC Radio Five Live.

"I would have preferred him to come back as long-term manager because I've always felt he was the only man at this moment in time who could manage Newcastle.

"He's the most dedicated professional I've ever known in my time in the game.

"Desperate measures, desperate times. There's a gap opening up at the bottom of the table and he'll galvanise all the fans - let's hope he galvanises the players.

"It's got to happen on the park. If it doesn't happen on the park we'll go down."

Hall brought Shearer, a boyhood Newcastle fan, to the club as a player - and he was also involved in bringing Kevin Keegan to the club as manager first time around.

"When we took Keegan back 20 years ago he always had the knowledge of the game and the players and he had that magic touch," said Hall.

"I think Alan's got the same. He's been out of the game for a while but he knows the game.

"I think he'll be great. I'm absolutely delighted at the news - not at the circumstances, I don't think he should be judged on these eight games."