Alan Shearer hid from Sunderland fans on train as MOTD star admits he was 'petrified'

Alan Shearer has shared the reason for his "f**k you" retort to Sunderland supporters after enduring a train journey from hell. The Newcastle legend entertained listeners with a tale of travel woes on The Rest is Football podcast, recounting his frantic dash from a friend's wedding in Italy to make it back for his son's birthday and the Magpies' match against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Shearer began by saying: "Gary, Micah, I had an absolute disaster, I sat there thinking you two would absolutely love this," before detailing how his flight from Perugia was cancelled, leaving him stranded. After finally catching a flight to Heathrow, Shearer boarded a train to Kings Cross and then managed to secure a seat on a packed train to Newcastle.

It was only when he was squashed into a corner of the carriage that he realised he'd be sharing the journey with raucous Sunderland fans. "We're not in first class, we're in coach, and I look and think 'Oh my f*ing' god', Sunderland have played Portsmouth away," he said.

"So I've got my cap on and I'm wedged in the corner in coach and on they come, it's getting busier and busier and there's not one seat spare [and] the whole of the aisle is taken up by Sunderland fans singing p****d and they're all coming with their bottles of beer.

"Within half an hour, I can't even lift my head up, I'm scared because I'm thinking it's just full of them because they're all in a great mood, their team just won and they start singing the Newcastle songs. Then they start singing the Shearer songs, 'Shearer, Alan Shearer, oh what can it mean to a sad Geordie...' I can't even sing the other song they were singing, my neck was killing me, I couldn't lift my head up."

Shearer felt a glimmer of hope as the train reached its stops and Sunderland fans began to leave: "I got all the way to Newcastle and I'm thinking 'Please let them all get off at Durham', half of them got off at Durham but half of them stayed on till Newcastle."

Upon arriving, Shearer's fear was palpable before making sure to aim a foul-mouthed response to the Black Cats fans that hurled abuse at him. "I was petrified getting off the station, there was not one person recognising me, I didn't move at all for four hours and I didn't get spotted once and they just sang and abused me for four hours. So for all you Sunderland fans travelling back on Coach C, f*** you, I can hear you all."

Sunderland supporters had every reason to be elated after securing a 3-1 victory against Portsmouth, continuing their impressive streak at the top of the Championship, while Newcastle managed to clinch a 2-1 comeback win over Spurs thanks to Alexander Isak's deciding goal.