Newcastle United: Alan Shearer statue sculptor supports move

The statue ended up in the closest position to the club possible without being on stadium land

The sculptor of a statue of Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer said he supports a move from its "peculiar location" outside the club's grounds.

The 10ft (3m) statue was installed on Barrack Road in 2016 after the club's then owner Mike Ashley reportedly refused to have it on his property.

Plans have now been submitted to move the brass figure to alongside steps at the stadium's Gallowgate end.

Artist Tom Maley said this would be "better than where it is".

The proposed new location for the statue is on the other side of the steps from Bobby Robson

The £250,000 statue was commissioned in 2006 by the club's then chairman Freddy Shepherd.

In 2007 new owner Mike Ashley continued with the project but, after relations with Newcastle's record scorer soured, "the Shearer statue got cancelled", Mr Maley said.

"I can see both sides of that," he added.

"If you've fallen out with somebody you're not going to pay for their statue but, obviously, I wanted it to be completed."

Fans got to see Shearer's famous celebration a lot, including this goal against Sunderland in 1997

Although he was "very grateful" to Mr Ashley for commissioning his Sir Bobby Robson statue and bust, Mr Maley said he "couldn't understand why he couldn't swallow his pride and finish the project with Shearer".

"He would have got a lot of kudos out of it," he said

Mr Ashley has not responded to a request for comment.

Tom Maley hopes a bronze Jackie Milburn he was working on at the same time as his Alan Shearer could stand alongside

Despite Mr Shepherd's "magnanimous gesture" in 2015 to fund the statue's completion, it could still not be located on the stadium grounds, Mr Maley said.

"That's why it's in the peculiar location it is," he said.

"It ended up on Barrack Road because that was closest site we could get with the city council that wasn't actually on St James' Park-controlled or NUFC-controlled land."

A redundant public toilet on land rented by Newcastle City Council from the city's Freemen was demolished to make way for the work.

The authority is considering a planning application submitted by Newcastle United but both the club and the Shepherd family have declined to comment on whether the club has bought the statue.