Newcastle United Football Club want either Alan Shearer or Steve Bruce in charge of their first-team affairs next season, regardless of which division they find themselves in.

The Magpies are in the bottom three of the Premier League with one game remaining, meaning they must better whatever Hull City do on Sunday to survive.

The ideal solution for the Toon Army would be a win at Aston Villa and for Shearer, their favourite son, to make his caretaker role permanent in time for the 2009/10 season.

However, if the former England international quits his post and returns to his media role, it is believed the St James Park club will turn to another local boy in Bruce.

The former Manchester United skipper is earning a reputation as one of the brightest coaches in England at Wigan Athletic, and his dream job is believed to be at Old Trafford or with Newcastle.

Although Bruce is making huge progress at the JJB Stadium, he has voiced his concern that the selling culture of the Lancashire club has cost them the best side they have ever had.

"I've said to my chief executive that before Christmas was the best team Wigan will ever have,” he said, reflecting on the sales of Wilson Palacios and Emile Heskey. “That's a shame."

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