A long awaited statue of Toon legend Alan Shearer is finally in place outside St James’ Park.
The 9ft sculpture, named ‘Local Hero’, has arrived at its new home ahead of an official unveiling on Monday.
During his 10-year spell at St James’ Park Shearer scored 148 goals in 303 appearances.
Shearer himself is expected to be there as the monument is unveiled to fans keen to honour one of their favourite sons.
The bronze artwork, which captures Shearer’s iconic celebration, is currently under wraps outside the stadium, where St James’ Park meets Barrack Road.
It was shipped over from Shanghai last year and has been in storage in the city since then.
Ex-Newcastle United owner Freddy Shepherd originally commissioned Morpeth artist Tom Maley to produce the artwork in 2007 before the plans were put on hold.
But the project was revived when Shepherd Offshore, owned by Mr Shepherd and his brother Bruce, agreed to foot the six-figure bill for the statue.
A planning application to erect the statue, which was submitted in May, stated: “The intention back in 2007 was to create a monument to the achievements of local goal scoring legend. He holds the record for goals scored for Newcastle United and is still the Premier League’s record goal scorer.
“Alan is an iconic figure locally and globally and a public statue was decided as a fitting tribute to his footballing achievements.
“The statue ‘Local Hero’ will have various functions and will have different meanings to different people.
“To the fans it will act as a tribute to Alan, to visitors it will act as a point of discovery about the heritage of Newcastle and to youngsters it will act as an inspirational figure.
“The local community as well as the city will benefit from such an installation giving them a strong sense of pride in our shared sporting and cultural identities.”
NEWCASTLE 2 BRIGHTON 0 (Lascelles, Shelvey)
Sels, Anita (72' Gamez), Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey, Gouffran (88' Yedlin), Diame (81' Colback), Perez
Subs: Clark, Hanley, Darlow, Armstrong
(LC) NEWCASTLE 2 CHELTENHAM 0 (Perez 2)
Darlow, Sterry, Lascelles, Hanley, Gamez, Aarons (24' Gouffran), Shelvey, Colback, Perez, Diame, Mitrovic (38' Gayle)
Subs: Dummett, Hayden, Mbemba, Sels
BRISTOL CITY 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gayle)
Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Clark, Ritchie, Hayden (87' Shelvey), Colback, Gouffran, Diame (63' Perez), Gayle (88' Aarons)
Subs: Dummett, Hanley, Darlow, Sterry
NEWCASTLE 4 READING 1 (Hayden, Ritchie (P), Gayle 2)
Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Clark, Dummett, Hayden, Shelvey, Ritchie (90' Aarons), Perez (76' Lascelles), Gouffran (84' Colback), Gayle
Subs: Hanley, Janmaat, Darlow, Armstrong
NEWCASTLE 1 HUDDERSFIELD 2 (Gayle)
Sels, Janmaat (83' Armstrong), Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Anita, Hayden, Shelvey, Aarons (45' Ritchie), Diame (75' Perez), Gayle
Subs: Clark, Colback, Darlow, Gamez
FULHAM 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Sels; Janmaat, Lascelles, Hanley, Dummett; Hayden (Shelvey 77), Colback (Aarons 61); Ritchie, Perez (Armstrong 70), Anita; Gayle.
Subs Mbemba, Darlow, Jesus Gamez, Sterry.
NEWCASTLE 3 VITESSE ARNHEM 2 (Leerdam (og), Gayle, Colback)
Sels; Janmaat (Sterry, 74), Hanley (Gamez, 62), Lascelles, Dummett; Hayden (Saivet, 74), Colback (Shelvey, 62); Anita (Mitrovic, 74), Perez (Armstrong, 62), Ritchie (Aarons, 62); Gayle (Gouffran, 74). Subs not: Darlow, Tiote, Thauvin.
SOUTHEND UTD 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Anita, Gouffran)
Darlow; Janmaat (Sterry 63), Mbemba (Hanley 63), Lascelles, Dummett; Hayden (Colback 63), Shelvey (Saivet 73); Anita (Thauvin 78), Perez (Mitrovic 73), Aarons (Gouffran 63); Gayle (Armstrong 63).
Sub not used: Sels.
SPORTING LOKEREN 0 NEWCASTLE 4 (Perez 2, Perez, Janmaat, Shelvey)
Sels (Darlow 72); Sterry (Gouffran 63), Mbemba (Saivet 72), Lascelles (Dummett 63), Anita (Gamez 46); Hayden (Shelvey 46), Colback (Tiote 72); Janmaat, Perez (Mitrovic 46), Aarons (Thauvin 63), Gayle (Armstrong 63).
Subs not used: None.
DONCASTER ROVERS 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 2 (Hayden, Perez)
Sels, Janmaat (Sterry, 45), Mbemba (Saivet, 65), Lascelles (Dummett, 45), Colback (Hayden, 45), Anita (Gamez, 45), Ritchie (Gouffran, 45), Aarons (Perez, 45), Shelvey (Wijnaldum, 79), Mitrovic (Gayle, 45), Armstrong (Thauvin, 60).
BOHEMIANS 0 NEWCASTLE 6 (Ritchie, Mitrovic, Gayle, Thauvin, Aarons, Wijnaldum)
Sels, Anita, Lascelles, Mbemba, Sterry, Aarons, Colback, Gouffran, Ritchie, Saivet, Mitrovic.
Subs: Darlow, Gamez, Dummett, Wijnaldum, Shelvey, Hayden, Perez, Gayle, Janmaat, Tiote, Thauvin.
CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE (Top 10)
1 Huddersfield Town 13
2 Fulham 11
3 Barnsley 9
4 Newcastle United 9
5 Queens Park Rangers 9
6 Bristol City 9
7 Nottingham Forest 9
8 Brighton and Hove Albion 8
9 Wolverhampton Wanderers 8
10 Birmingham City 8