John Carver hopeful of avoiding Alan Shearer agony

Newcastle United boss John Carver is hopeful that he can avoid the misery that fellow Geordie Alan Shearer felt during his time as the club's manager on the final day of the season.

Shearer saw the Magpies relegated during his short time as manager as his side were defeated on the final day of the 2008-09 season by Aston Villa to condemn them to the Championship.

The 50-year-old is determined to avoid the same fate on Sunday when the Tynesiders host West Ham United at St James' Park.

"I remember seeing Alan on the pitch afterwards, watching it on the TV, and on that day I genuinely didn't speak for an hour afterwards," Carver told reporters.

"I thought, 'I hope that never, ever happens to me'.

"As it happens, I saw him the other day and we talked about what his feelings were, and I told him what I felt at the time. I just said, 'I hope I don't have to experience that'. Hopefully, I don't."

Either Newcastle or Hull City will be relegated from the Premier League on the final day of the Premier League season.