SHAY Given joined the plaudits the day after Alan Shearer announced the end of his prolific 18 years as a top flight striker.

Given has played alongside the Newcastle United striker for the best part of nine years, sharing the emotional rollercoaster as they both strived to bring silverware to the club after a barren 37 years and bearing witness to the majority of his 206 goals for the Magpies.

But while thousands of fans were mourning the loss of the Premiership's greatest striker the Newcastle goalkeeper insists he believes in the Shearer afterlife.

"He would be the first to say Newcastle is bigger than any player and there has to be life after him," said the Republic of Ireland international, who has been named skipper in Shearer's absence until the end of the season.

"He will be hard to replace, no doubt, but we have to move on as a football club. There is a big gap to be filled now and it is going to be difficult to fill it but we have to move on and Alan would be the first to say that."

Despite Given's call for the club to move on he did admit Shearer's presence will be enormously missed at St James' Park on a match day and around the training ground at Little Benton.

"Realising he is not going to pull the jersey on again is emotional," said Given, who kept clean sheet number 11 this season in United's 3-0 victory. "It has been for everyone. I knew him at Blackburn and since I came here and he is not just a team-mate but a good friend and it is emotional to think he is not going to play, wear the jersey or lead the team out again.

"You need to find someone of his calibre over the summer but how do you find someone like that? They are not round every corner so it will be a difficult void to fill.

"We were at a charity dinner in London on Tuesday, came back on the Wednesday and there was great big banner on the stadium saying thanks for ten great years and it sunk in even more. It is emotional for me, so I don't know how he is feeling but he has been fantastic."

And Given's most memorable Shearer moment?

"I was asked at the dinner the other night and it is hard to pick out one thing to remember him for," said the goalkeeper. "But the goal against Everton (30-yard volley) was voted as one of the best ever so it would perhaps be that am sure It was a fantastic goal, with the trademark celebration.''

The 30-year-old shot stopper also hailed the impact of Glenn Roeder since he took charge of first team affairs and revealed the caretaker boss has a good chance of getting the job on a permanent basis - if they don't appoint Martin O'Neill.

He said: "Glenn has done a fantastic job. He has got us up to sixth in the league and it is remarkable, so if the club are not getting Martin in, Glenn has to have a chance.

"I can only go on what he has done since he has been in charge and he's had some fantastic results. It's difficult to know what he's done but he's kept it simple, kept us defensively tighter."

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