ALAN SHEARER rounded off a rare good news week for Newcastle United yesterday when he revealed he is ready to return to light training.

The United skipper, told to rest for at least a month after suffering a reaction to the knee on which he underwent surgery at Christmas, will begin jogging again on Monday.

Shearer flew back from Colorado a fortnight ago after a consultation with one of the world's leading knee specialists.

Dr Richard Steadman prescribed the rest cure for Shearer's recurring tendinitis, but warned the former England skipper he was likely to need further minor surgery which would mean an end to his season.

Shearer will learn his fate when he returns to Dr Steadman's Vail clinic in two weeks' time.

But even if he has to go under the knife again, 30-year-old Shearer is hopeful of being fit for the start of next season.

"I will start jogging on Monday and take it from there,'' he said.

"If it's good news then great; if it isn't then we will just have to wait and see what happens.

"It will only be very light training but I will be guided every day.

"I am still clinging to the 30 per cent chance that I will not need an operation.

"If I do need an operation then it will be four months out which would hopefully mean an August return.''

The Shearer boost comes in the week that fellow long-term injury victims Kieron Dyer and Nikos Dabizas moved nearer fitness - and the club announced it is back in the black.

Midfielder Dyer, out for the rest of the season after an operation to repair a stress fracture of the shin, starts swimming on Monday to build up his fitness.

And Greek defender Dabizas, sidelined since August following a cruciate ligament injury, is back in training and looks set to return to action in Monday's home reserve game against Manchester United at Kingston Park.

Newcastle's interim results to the end of January showed an operating profit, before player transfers, of £1m.

With the club set to receive £24m from next season's new TV deals, manager Bobby Robson is expecting major funds for team strengthening.

And Newcastle chief executive David Stonehouse, while preaching prudent financial management, has underlined the club's commitment to improving the product on the pitch after a disappointing season.

"The interim results are very encouraging, but of course our core business is the success of the team and recent results have been a disappointment to everyone associated with the club,'' said Stonehouse.

"We all want success on the pitch as that provides rewards to supporters, staff and shareholders alike.

"I believe that revenue growth from the enlarged St James' Park and the new television deals, combined with sensible cost control, provide the company with strong cash flows and financial stability, to provide for success both on and off the pitch.''

Robson, whose transfer spending has so far been geared to the amount he generates in sales, has shown a profit himself on his dealings of just over £2m.

l Newcastle reserves visit Ponteland today (2.30) in the semi-finals of the Northumberland Senior Cup.

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