Work to move Alan Shearer’s statue on stadium land at St James’ Park appears to be under way. Newcastle United’s new owners applied to the city council to move the statue to the steps of the Milburn Stand.
Commissioned in 2016 by former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd, the statue currently lies just outside of the stadium on Barrack Road but work has now begun to move on to club land and just yards from the statue of Sir Bobby Robson. The council approved the application from the new owners to move the statue - something fans and Shearer himself have welcomed. Workman could be seen building a boundary wall and readying the plinth the statue will stand.
Fans could be seen taking photographs of the work which many hope may be completed in time for the final home game of the season against Arsenal. The two teams meet on Monday, May 16. It follows the renaming of ‘NINE BAR’ back to the original name of Shearer’s. The new signage went up last month in a move that was once again applauded by fans.
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Shearer was asked about the statue's location last year and told Sky's Gary Neville: "It’s not on the club’s grounds. It’s about 10 yards outside of the club for whatever reason. Ask Mike, my friend Mike, ask Mike why he wouldn’t, or Lee Charnley, why they wouldn’t allow it inside the ground."
And on the bar's change in name, Shearer said: "Yeah, there was a bar at that end, Gallowgate end, named after me, but soon after when Mike came in that went to number Nine bar and not Shearer's anymore."
