Alan Shearer’s emotional message to Tyneside club as grassroots teams face funding crisis

Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has urged community sports organisations across the region to apply for a major £500,000 funding lifeline after witnessing the direct impact on local Tyneside team Newcastle Panthers FC. In new video footage released this week, the Magpies ' all-time leading goalscorer reacts to the moment players from Newcastle Panthers, the North East’s only LGBTQIA+-inclusive football team, learned they had secured a grant to help support their club. Reflecting on the clip, Shearer spoke about what grassroots sport means to Tyneside and why accessible community teams remain essential for local health and well-being.