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Blackburn Rovers	2 - 2	Newcastle United
Half time:	1 - 0
Score Sheet:
Gillespie (28) Cole (67)		Shearer (63) Shearer (71)
	Teams
Friedel Tugay Berg Short Dunn Cole Jansen Duff Gillespie Unsal Neill		Given Hughes Elliott Distin Dabizas Speed Solano Dyer LuaLua Shearer Robert
Substitutes:
Johansson for Neill (61)		Bernard for Elliott (46) Bellamy for LuaLua (66)
Subs not used:
Flitcroft Hughes Yordi Kelly		Harper Jenas O'Brien
Bookings:
None		Elliott Robert
Sendings off:
None		None
Referee: Uriah Rennie. Now has the possibly unique honour of his own song. Not for him a refrain of "the referee's a w**ker" or "you don't know what you're doing." No, it's "Same old Rennie, always cheating...." Quite simply he was exactly what he normally is, a mixture of common sense and stupidity, often within seconds of each other. His air of arrogance also continues to rankle with crowd and players, but most worthy of mention is his ongoing problem with Shearer. To say that Rennie comes into a Newcastle game with pre-conceived ideas about Shearer is something of an understatement. He may as well carry a dossier under his arm entitled "Sheet metal worker's son - crimes" such is his belief that our man is sinner rather than sinned against.  A continual failure to give Shearer anything resembling an advantage or free kick allowed Rovers carte blanche to manhandle him as they saw fit. Under those circumstances, to score two vital goals is testament to Shearer's determination - his self-control also meant he refrained from taunting Rennie - if it had been me, he'd be in the local casualty ward with nurses looking for his whistle. With a torch.
Attendance: 26712. Toon fans occupied top tier of Darwen End, plus one side of the lower section. An alcohol-enhanced set of chants fashioned especially for the evening included "He knocked you out, Shearer knocked you out" directed at a Mr K.Gillespie and "He won your league, Shearer won your league" at the ingrates occupying the home sections. Support to the lads kept going even when we conceded the goals, and the players were given a deserved ovation when the final whistle sounded, Bobby, the coaches, subs and Carl Cort joining the players on the field to salute the celebrating away end. Special praise was accorded to the goalscorer Shearer and fellow Ewood old boy Shay Given. However, stealing the cheers was Craig Bellamy, who made sure he was the last man to leave the field before turning back to the away end and tossing his shirt to the throng.  Most of the Rovers players had stuck around long enough to offer congratulations when the whistle went, with the exception of miserable Andy Cole, who sprinted from the field in the manner of a man who had a taxi sitting on a meter outside. Not for him handshakes or civility. Some things never change....

28 mins An opening goal which owed something to a previous incident between Gillespie and Elliott, in which the former had dived to earn the latter a yellow card. This time Gillespie found Cole on the right and continued his run infield towards the penalty area. Cole evaded Distin to neatly clipped the ball forward to the Northern Ireland winger, who left Elliot for dead before firing home a low angled drive. 

Had Elliott not been on a yellow card, he may have had a swipe at his former colleague, but as it turned out he was ultimately proved right by not risking a dismissal. Not that he was on the pitch by then....  0-1

Half time:  Blackburn 1 Newcastle 0

63 mins Good work and persistence from Solano had it's reward as he took a corner, then speared in a shot from an acute angle on the United right when it rebounded back to him. At the third time of asking after Friedel had again cleared, Nobby sent across a low cross into the six yard box for Shearer to turn home in front of the away fans at the Darwen End.  1-1

67 mins Gillespie and Johansson worked a short corner on the Blackburn right, with the former toon man crossing for another old boy, Andy Cole to glance the ball home from close range. 1-2

71 mins Robert's major contribution to the game was to find the advancing Shearer in the centre of the "D"with a neat pass, and Wor Al stepped in front of a defender before firing past Friedel from just inside the area. 2-2

Full time:  Blackburn 2 Newcastle 2

Uncle Bobby said:

"It is marvellous for the players and for the fans. 

"When we started this season I thought we would jump up to about eighth and perhaps be on the tip of the Uefa Cup places. I never dreamt we would get into the Champions League. We've got a terrific stadium and a terrific crowd so we ought to be playing in the Champions League - there is nothing in the North-East that counts more than football and we should now be able to persuade anybody to come to Newcastle.

"I am really proud of the players. We've worked hard and it has been a long season. We did suffer a blip, but we deserve this, my second season at the club was put on hold by injuries but my third has been quite dramatic."

"I am looking forward to the challenge. It will be a good experience for the players, but they will have to learn how to defend better or we will be out before we begin.

"It's only three years since we looked to be going down and now look at us, but we have to make sure we hold our own. We need to try to find two quality players in the summer. We have got a very good squad here but we still need to strengthen and it's important that we are buying at the top end of the market."

"I won't be happy until we bring some silverware to this great club in this great city which has such a magnificent stadium and public.

"The real thrill is actually winning something and that's I want for these people.

"We are in the top four and now the hard works starts now to stay there and to try and get higher."

"The club was in a mess when I came but we have been able to jump 16 places up the Premiership table. It's so difficult to climb even one place in the Premiership these days and this is a measure of how well we have done.

"I suppose to go into the Champions' League is an achievement of some note and there are a lot of people at this football club who have deserved a lot of credit.

"We have great spirit and great character in our team and there has been a great will to win from the side throughout the whole season.

"Don't forget that we came back from being behind at both Arsenal and Leeds United - and how many teams are capable of doing that?

"I said to the players after the FA Cup defeat at Arsenal that from now until the end of the season we should not lose a match.

"And so far, with two games still to go, this has been the case. Usually to get into the Champions' League you have got to go into the last match still needing something, yet we have done it with six points still to play for.

"There are so many terrific characters here with a great attitude who want to do well for Newcastle United. We are there now and it is our intention to stay there."

About the Robert incident that saw Lucas Neill depart on a stretcher:

"The Blackburn fans should be ashamed of themselves after booing Robert when they see the incident again on television. They will feel ashamed because they booed him unfairly and unnecessarily and I think they are out of order as they just did not see what really happened.

"They saw one of their players being carried off, but he has not gone into hospital and he did not have any injury. He was actually injured by knocking his head on the ground."

"Robert responded magnificently after his yellow card and set Alan Shearer up for our second equaliser.

"If I am honest, I will say that getting the best out of him is one of the greatest challenges. But we know what he can do. He can turn a game at any moment just like he did when he set up Shearer."

Talking about Shearer:

"I said on Saturday he would not stop at 200. He will go for 300, although whether he gets that or not I don't know. It depends on how long he plays, but he is on his way.

"This season we have benefited from him not playing international football. He is invigorated and he has a freshness about his game.

"I know there's a cry for him to change his mind about England, but I don't think he will.

"In the end, Alan will do what he wants to do and if Sven wants him that badly then he will have to ask, although I don't know if that will happen."

While the Premiership's record scorer said:

"I've scored a few goals here down the years, but probably none more important for Newcastle.

"Two-and-a-half years ago this club was heading for the Nationwide League but then Bobby Robson came here and turned it all around," said the former Blackburn striker. "What a transition, from bottom of the league to the Champions League in two-and-a-half years.

"We're back where we belong in the Champions League. I'm obviously delighted, it did not go quite to the script for a while but this point keeps everybody happy."

Turning to his old team he commented:

"It was especially nice tonight for obvious reasons.

"To get Newcastle into the Champions League - Blackburn have been there - to get Newcastle in is a great achievement and for the last five minutes of the game I think everyone was happy with the draw.

"I'm sure Blackburn are safe I think, which is great and I'm sure Blackburn will go on to bigger and better things next year, I hope they do.

"I'm a big fan of Graeme Souness, they've got some great young players coming through and some experienced heads as well so given a bit of cash, given a bit of time, I'm sure they'll do an excellent job."

"I was very disappointed the last time I came here for obvious reasons but forget about that, I thought the reception tonight was great and I enjoyed it."

Graham Souness commented:

"Newcastle showed that they are a very good side and it would be very hard to deny them a place in the Champions' League. 

"We played them earlier this season and they've come a long way since then. We felt hard done by at their place but last night we faced a very good team.

"For our part, we never put them under any consistent pressure. 

"I was happy when he (Shearer) scored his 200th goal against Charlton on Saturday as he is such a handful. We've got two big centre-halves and he messed them around and that doesn't happen very often. I've not seen them messed around like they were last night but Alan Shearer is a special case. "

However the Guardian reported his comments in slightly more industrial language:

"He's a bugger, isn't he? We had two big centre-halves but at times he messed them around physically tonight, the bastard."

We've now come back from being behind in no less than 12 league games this season to claim at least a point.

The point gained took us into a Champions League qualifying tie, and also set a new toon points record for away games in the Premiership:

1993/94: 31 points from 21 matches (9 wins, 4 draws, 8 defeats)
1994/95: 24 points from 21 matches (6 wins, 6 draws, 9 defeats)
1995/96: 26 points from 19 matches (7 wins, 5 draws, 7 defeats)
1996/97: 26 points from 19 matches (6 wins, 8 draws, 5 defeats)
1997/98: 15 points from 19 matches (3 wins, 6 draws, 10 defeats)
1998/99: 19 points from 19 matches (4 wins, 7 draws, 8 defeats)
1999/00: 17 points from 19 matches (4 wins, 5 draws, 10 defeats)
2000/01: 17 points from 19 matches (4 wins, 5 draws, 10 defeats)
2001/02: 32 points from 18 matches (9 wins, 5 draws, 4 defeats)***

*** 1 away match remaining

And as for Premiership goalscoring, Al's pair set a new away record for Newcastle while, another four goals will see us record our second best Premiership total.

1993/94: 82 from 42 matches (51 home, 31 away, failed to score in 5 matches)
1994/95: 67 from 42 matches (46 home, 21 away, failed to score in 11 matches)
1995/96: 66 from 38 matches (38 home, 28 away, failed to score in 6 matches)  
1996/97: 73 from 38 matches (54 home, 19 away, failed to score in 7 matches)  
1997/98: 35 from 38 matches (22 home, 13 away, failed to score in 14 matches)  
1998/99: 48 from 38 matches (26 home, 22 away, failed to score in 12 matches)  
1999/00: 63 from 38 matches (42 home, 21 away, failed to score in 8 matches)  
2000/01: 44 from 38 matches (26 home, 18 away, failed to score in 13 matches)  
2001/02: 70 from 36 matches (37 home, 33 away, failed to score in 6 matches)***

*** 2 matches remaining

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