'He'll get one': Alan Shearer believes Eddie Howe will be immortalised at Newcastle United with a statue

A lot has been made of whether Eddie Howe is worthy of a statue at St James' Park since the gaffer guided Newcastle United to their first trophy in 56 years on Sunday.

Lee Lawler of NUFC Fans TV posed the question on Sky Sports which brought raucous laughter from Paul Scholes, and even though Lee's question was clearly tongue-in-cheek it has sparked a big debate.

Indeed, the biggest part of the debate was whether Paul Scholes' reaction was warranted but we're not going to get into what he thinks as he's irrelevant to Newcastle.

Alan Shearer is someone we listen to around these parts and he seems to genuinely believe that Eddie Howe will get himself a statue after what he's done.

Alan Shearer insists Eddie Howe will get a statue at St James' Park

Again, rival fans can give it the whole 'it's only the League Cup' but like we said before, it's not about the title of the trophy, it's about breaking that streak, and many managers have tried and failed where Eddie Howe has succeeded.

Alan Shearer names two managers, beloved by Newcastle fans before saying that Eddie Howe has put himself above them in an interview with The Sports Agents podcast.

“Eddie will be able to pick wherever he wants his statue, I’m pretty sure he’ll get one.

“Think of the brilliant Sir Bobby Robson, what Kevin Keegan did for Newcastle and how highly regarded these guys are in and around not only just Newcastle but in Sir Bobby’s case around the world.

“But Eddie has gone one further than they were able to do. He’s actually delivered that trophy. He’s put himself above those brilliant managers.”

Eddie Howe has put himself among the most beloved Newcastle managers

Kevin Keegan took Newcastle from obscurity to just missing out on the Premier League title, Sir Bobby Robson was a lifelong Newcastle fan who took his beloved club back to the Champions League, but neither could get their hands on that elusive trophy.

Eddie Howe, as we said the other day, has made sure his face would be in the Mount Rushmore of great Newcastle managers alongside Keegan and Sir Bobby, and barring some sort of catastrophe between now and when he leaves the club, we're sure he'll get that statue.

Whether that statue will go outside of St James' Park or an entirely new stadium is something that remains to be seen.