HUGHIE GALLACHER JNR greeted Tuesday's news that Alan Shearer had equalled his late father's Newcastle United scoring record with a smile and a quick riposte.

"Goals for games, Mr Shearer is nowhere near my father," he said, and with that the current Newcastle No 9 was put firmly in his place.

Certainly, Gallacher is the most prolific striker in the Magpies' history, with a goal every 1.22 matches.

And young or old, Newcastle fans' eyes light up when Hughie Gallacher's name is mentioned.

The Scot scored 143 goals for the Magpies in just 174 appearances from 1925 to 1930, and his name will forever sit comfortably alongside Shearer, Jackie Milburn and the other Tyneside striking legends.

Like so many great heroes, however, Gallacher was fatally flawed.

In contrast to Shearer's squeaky-clean image, Gallacher courted controversy on and off the pitch.

"He liked a drink," according to a book chronicling the history of Newcastle, and his footballing skills were matched only by his propensity to find himself in trouble.

Gallacher was divorced at 23, at a time when it was an expensive process, and Derby County had to pay off his debts before he agreed to join them in 1934.

He was on the wrong side of the law on occasions, allied to his disciplinary problems that saw him fall foul of referees.

And then there was his tragic death in June 1957 at the age of 54.

Having been charged with cruelty to his son, Matthew, he threw himself under the York to Edinburgh express train near his Gateshead home.

But that sorry, grisly end did not tarnish the rich memories that he gave Newcastle supporters during his time at St James' Park.

Standing just 5ft 5in tall, Gallacher could shoot powerfully with either foot, was a talented dribbler and a fine header of the ball for someone of his height.

His sale to Chelsea for £10,000 caused consternation on Tyneside, and Newcastle's record crowd - 68,386 - watched his return to St James' Park with his new club in September 1930.

His son Hughie, 67, added: "My brother Jack, who saw my father play, said no one could play like him - even Diego Maradona.

"For beating three, four or five players on a run, he was untouchable.

"Shearer is a completely different player. He holds the ball up and lays it off.

"That's the difference between him and my father.

"Andy Cole got 42 goals in one season, but he only scored 33 in the League. My father holds the record with 36 in the League in 1926-27.

"Even now, kids come up to me in the street and talk to me about my father. Sometimes, they get me mixed up with him! I get a kick from that.

"Newcastle's oldest fan said once that he'd been watching the club since 1910, and one player stood out as the best - Hughie Gallacher. That sums it up."