Former Newcastle United owner Sir John Hall hopes Alan Shearer stays as long-term manager.

"He will not be pushed into anything, he's so determined he will make his own mind up at the end of the day but it seems strange just coming in for eight games," Hall told Sky Sports News.

"He can't lose, I suppose in a way, because they are in this difficult situation where they might go down. If Alan keeps them up he is a winner, if they go down we can't blame him, nobody can blame him.

"I am certain he will keep us up. He will motivate those players and we will be in the Premier League next season.

"And hopefully he will reconsider his decision just to go for eight games and I have got a sneaking feeling that he wants to be back in the game.

"Certainly everyone in Newcastle would welcome him as he is one of us - a Geordie, he's played for the Toon, he supports the Toon and he has got that feeling for the area and the region and for everyone here. He will want to see Newcastle get some silverware on the shelves.

"We have been bridesmaids for so many years it is time we were the bride. The initial thing is he has got to keep us up and I am hopeful and pretty certain that he will do that."