Shearer warns relegated Newcastle could slide further

BIRMINGHAM, England: Alan Shearer has warned owner Mike Ashley that Newcastle risk repeating a Leeds United style nose-dive into oblivion unless he sorts out the host of problems destroying the club.

Ashley was at Villa Park on Sunday to watch Newcastle surrender their 16-year membership of the Premier League thanks to an own goal from Damien Duff.

Now he will meet with Shearer this week to discover whether the former Newcastle striker is willing to take the manager's job full-time.