Shearer ends 39-year wait as Newcastle reach FA Cup fifth round with Fulham win

28 January 2024 , 09:13

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Alan Shearer was in the away end as Newcastle beat Fulham in the FA Cup (Image: Twitter/@EmiratesFACup)

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer joined fans in the away end at Craven Cottage for the first time in almost 40 years to watch his side beat Fulham in the FA Cup.

The Toon booked their place in the fifth round with a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from local lads Sean Longstaff and Dan Burn. And Shearer was among the fans celebrating the result, with the former striker getting serenaded with a rendition of his own chant.

After the club shared footage of him with the fans, Shearer responded with a selfie of him alongside family and friends after the game. "Ah man what a f——- night that was," he wrote on social media. "In the away end for the first time since 1985. I bloody loved it. TOON TOON".

Reflecting on the win, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe hailed his side's "resilience". Speaking to ITV4 after the game, Howe said: "A difficult game, not our finest performance.

"I think you win these types of games in the mind. The motivation had to be there, the resilience had to be there, and both were. The second half was better in terms of technical delivery.

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"We are pleased to win, keep a clean sheet and score two good goals. We knew it was going to be difficult tonight. You come to this ground, it is a Premier League [level] game.

"We have got our injury troubles and we are not at our fluent best. In these sorts of games, that is when you have to try and dig out a result.

"You try and get yourself into the next round. That is where I have to praise the players. We weren't at our best in the first half but we came in at the break 1-0 up, which was a good scoreline for us."

Howe also admitted Newcastle are hoping to go all the way this year, having been beaten finalists in last year's Carabao Cup. "It would be incredible to do it in the FA Cup. The Carabao Cup whetted the appetite for us, it was an incredible day," he added.

"The scenes beforehand and the support we had - we were so disappointed not to deliver the result. Hopefully we can go a long way in this competition this year."

Matthew Cooper