Tims Heading For St James' Park
Sam Allardyce: "It is a big thrill to be the new manager of Newcastle and I am already looking forward to our pre-season matches. I am delighted we have arranged a game with Celtic because they do not usually regard any game as a friendly!
"As the Scottish champions and a side which did well in the Champions League last season, they will give us a hard match, which is exactly what we will be looking for.
"I am sure we will attract a big crowd and that will make for the kind of backing I am looking forward to in every home game."
Celtic were also the the opposition for Peter Beardsley's benefit game in 1999.
The fixture has a provisional kick-off time of 7.45 and ticket details will be announced in due course. There is also a lot of talk about United being invited to take part in the prestigious Amsterdam tournament.
The pre-season boot-camp in Austria and games in South Africa have been put on hold now that Big Sam has taken over the hot-seat.
Thursday 11th May 2006
ALAN SHEARER TESTIMONIAL: NEWCASTLE UTD 3 CELTIC 2
The Geordie public gathered at St James' Park to say goodbye to the man who will always remain a legend on Tyneside. How often have we heard this week "he won nothing", but when he says "I lived the dream and I couldn't care less about medals" you know it comes from the heart.
Others, like Gazza and Peter Beardsley, told of their pride of wearing the Toon shirt. I'm sure they did. But they didn't know how quick to get away from the club in search of stardom - Shearer turned down the biggest clubs in the world to come to Newcastle. THAT'S the difference - and THAT is what we should always remember.
The 35-year-old striker, whose playing days were ended three weeks prematurely by a knee injury, started and finished his testimonial game against Celtic - scoring the winner from the penalty spot after returning to the pitch as a substitute in injury time.
For the record, £9.5million signing Albert Luque volleyed the Magpies in front on 70 minutes - but a Shaun Maloney penalty and a John Hartson header put Celtic ahead before Paul Lawson's own goal and Shearer's spot-kick won it.
Newcastle old boys Steve Watson and Gary Speed each played part of a first half in which the home side - with all the players wearing number nine on their shorts - enjoyed the better of the chances.
Caretaker boss Glenn Roeder made six changes at the break, one of them handing Steven Taylor his first football since Boxing Day. The noise was not quelled by the arrival of Rob Lee as a 67th-minute substitute, and it grew further when Luque volleyed home Peter Ramage's 70th-minute cross to open the scoring.
Les Ferdinand - the man Shearer regards as his best partner at the club - entered the fray seconds later. But Celtic were level on 79 minutes when Maloney was tripped by Ramage, and the midfielder converted the resulting penalty.
Hartson looked to have won the game for the visitors with a trademark header eight minutes from time. But after Lawson had deflected Ferdinand's cross into his own net, the ending the script demanded duly arrived. Referee Mark Clattenburg awarded a 'diplomatic' penalty after Ferdinand went down in the box in injury-time, and Shearer returned to the pitch to score from the spot - just as he had done in his final competitive game at Sunderland.