GRAEME Souness last night urged his Newcastle players to ensure Alan Shearer receives a silver-lined send-off if he carries out his threat to retire at the end of the season.

With the Magpies facing Dutch side Heerenveen in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup tomorrow before entertaining Premiership leaders Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, the next five days promise to make or break the club's campaign.

While two defeats would all but end any lingering hopes of finishing the season on a high, two victories would go a long way towards dispelling the air of gloom that has descended over Tyneside since the turn of the year.

With Shearer still set to hang up his boots in May, a double success this week would rekindle the prospect of the United skipper ending his playing days by lifting the club's first major trophy for 36 years.

Shearer has been unable to add to the one league title he won with Blackburn since he made an emotional return to Tyneside in July, 1996.

That lack of silverware is the only blight on an otherwise successful career and, with the Newcastle squad set to fly to Holland this morning, Souness has underlined his commitment to making sure the 34-year-old signs off in style.

"Everybody knows how I feel about Alan Shearer," said Souness, who won 12 major trophies in just seven years as a player at Liverpool.

"I think he's been extremely unlucky not to have a cupboard full of medals because he is certainly a player - and has been for a long time - who should have that.

"He's top-class in every aspect of being a footballer - attitude, professionalism and all of the qualities he has as a player.

"His personal record suggests that he should have been winning things for a long time."

If Shearer does carry out his threat to retire in three months' time, he will leave a gaping hole to be filled at the head of the Newcastle frontline.

With Craig Bellamy's temporary exile sure to be made permanent in the summer, Shola Ameobi and Patrick Kluivert are currently jostling for the right to take over the mantle of Newcastle's number nine.

The pair are both expected to start in Heerenveen's Abe Lenstra Stadion tomorrow, with Kluivert handed a rare chance to impress on his return to his homeland.

The Dutch international has started just one game in 2005 - the FA Cup win over Coventry - but, after revealing that Spanish side Osasuna made a failed attempt to sign him on loan last month, Souness has insisted that he still has a future with Newcastle.

Ameobi has been similarly unimpressive in recent weeks and has scored just one Premiership goal all season.

But the United boss remains confident that the 23-year-old striker has what it takes to assume Shearer's crown.

"We know what Patrick can do," said Souness. "And I'm still confident we can get the best out of him - hopefully starting in Holland.

"He will be in our starting line-up and, if he needed any incentive to do well, he should be able to turn it on in front of his own folk.

"Shola's got into the team because of injuries and I think he's done very well.

"I think the future of Newcastle United lies with the likes of Shola. I've been highly impressed by him - he's a young man with an enormous future in front of him.

"He's forever going to be living up to the Alan Shearer tag - or at least he is for the next few years - because, if Alan does go at the end of the season, he's always going to be held up in comparison.

"Any striker coming here is going to be held up and compared to Alan. It's a monster job for anyone.

"But this is the first time Shola's had an extended run in the team and I think he's done very well."

With Nicky Butt expected to recover from a minor ankle problem, £8m man Jean-Alain Boumsong is the only absentee from Newcastle's travelling party.

The France international is ineligible for European ties after representing former club Rangers in continental competition earlier this season.

He would, however, have been unable to travel to Holland anyway after suffering back pain in training on Monday.

Boumsong spent yesterday in Paris visiting an orthopedic surgeon.

But with the current problem not having any connection to his previous hamstring strain, Souness remains hopeful of having him in the side to face Chelsea on Sunday.