Editing Alan Shearer (section)

===Tribute and testimonial===
[[File:The SHEARER BANNER, St James's Park - geograph.org.uk - 222846.jpg|thumb|left|Banner in tribute to Shearer outside [[St James' Park]]. Marking his 10 years at the club, it was displayed for three weeks during April and May 2006.]]
In tribute to Shearer's contribution to Newcastle United over more than ten years, the club erected a large banner of Shearer on the outside of the cantilever superstructure of the Gallowgate End of [[St James' Park]]. The banner measured {{convert|25|m|ft}} high by {{convert|32|m|ft}} wide, covering almost half of the Gallowgate End, aptly placed above the club [[public house|bar]], [[Shearer's Bar]], opened in his honour in 2005. The banner depicted Shearer as the "Gallowgate Giant", with one arm aloft in his signature goal celebration, with the message "Thanks for 10 great years", and was featured in the media coverage reflecting on his career at the club,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2006/01/17/shear_magic_feature.shtml|work=BBC News|title=Shearer Special|date=24 April 2008|access-date=30 January 2009|archive-date=13 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113001016/http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2006/01/17/shear_magic_feature.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/football/photo_galleries/4763579.stm|title=Shearer testimonial photos|work=BBC Sport|date=11 May 2006|access-date=30 January 2009|archive-date=30 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030222322/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/photo_galleries/4763579.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/how-a-toon-totem-lived-the-dream-475291.html|title=How a Toon totem lived the dream|work=The Independent|date=23 April 2006|access-date=30 January 2009|location=London|first=Simon|last=Turnbull|archive-date=6 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706191938/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/how-a-toon-totem-lived-the-dream-475291.html}}</ref> with the banner being displayed from 19 April 2006 until 11 May 2006, the day of his testimonial match.
[[File:Newcastle Utd v Celtic - Alan Shearer Testimonial (4).jpg|thumb|Shearer mosaic created by the fans during his testimonial match in 2006]]
Shearer was awarded a [[testimonial match]] by the club, against Scottish side [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]]. All proceeds of the match went to charitable causes. Because of the injury he sustained three games earlier at Sunderland, Shearer was unable to play in the whole match, but he kicked off the game and came off the bench to score a penalty, helping Newcastle win the game 3–2.<ref name=Celtic>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2336776/Shearer-earns-tearful-tribute.html|title=Shearer earns tearful tribute|access-date=21 July 2008|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=12 May 2006|location=London|first=Rob|last=Stewart|archive-date=29 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629154205/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2336776/Shearer-earns-tearful-tribute.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The match was a sell-out, and saw Shearer perform a lap of honour at the end with his family, with his young son covering his ears due to the volume of noise produced by the crowd in tribute.<ref name=Celtic/>