Shearer: "I suppose the next question you will ask me is 'Have you any regrets? The answer to that is no.
"It's been everything I wanted it to be and a hell of a lot more. People have to try to understand the situation I'm in and where I'm from, and what it means and meant to me to come back to Newcastle to play for them and score goals.
"I was bought to score goals and, thankfully, I've been able to do that.
"I just go out and do what I have to do and enjoy it, because it's right what they say when you come into football. When I walked into the Southampton dressing room and there was Jimmy Case and Peter Shilton and one or two others, and they turned around and said 'Just enjoy it because it's over in a flash'.
"You think to yourself 'Yes, that's just because you are coming to the end of your career'. But I find I'm sang that now to people and they are probably thinking the same as I thought. But it isn't half true. It's incredible how it flies by.
"I'm not sure you can map anything out in football. You just have to wait and see what happens and make decisions then. But what I do know is, I'm finishing playing in May and then I will have time to spend with my family and play golf and enjoy a bit of my life and do the media work, and carry on doing my [coaching] badges."