PERHAPS it was fitting that Alan Shearer should taste league victory in Southampton for the first time since he left the south coast in what is expected to be his last visit.

The former England international famously began his career at Saints under the tutelage of Dave Merrington before winning the Premiership at Blackburn, switching to Newcastle for £15m in 1996 and all the while becoming one of English football's all-time greats.

But bizarrely for Shearer, he had never won a league match at Saints since leaving the club for Rovers 12 years ago.

That's hardly surprising, though, when you had to look back to 1972 for the Magpies' last league win at Saints - a total of 18 games.

Shearer, who was returning to the first XI after being rested for last Thursday's UEFA Cup tie, said: "The last time we won here the TV footage was still in black and white!

"We were well aware of that and despite winning in the FA Cup last season we knew people would throw that us until we won here in the league so thankfully we've put that right.

"We scored at a great time just a minute before half-time and showed a lot of character in the second half, particularly when they got the equaliser and it was a great goal to win it.

"Southampton make it difficult. At the end they had three 6ft plus forwards on and all they were doing was kicking the ball forward in the hope of getting some kind of break."

Shearer, who described the win as "a long time coming" for him personally, also said he was claiming the first goal - despite the fact Saints midfielder David Prutton had got the final touch to deflect his shot into the net.

"Of course I'll try and claim it," he smiled. "It was my intention to shoot at goal which I've done and it ended up in the back of the net."