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Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley wanted club legend Alan Shearer to 'fail' in his doomed bid to save the Magpies from relegation.

That's according to Richard Keys, who also claims the former number nine priced himself out of the managerial post on a permanent basis.

Shearer was parachuted in to the St James' Park hotseat with just eight games remaining of the disastrous 2008/09 season.

However, these fixtures produced just five points and United were relegated to the Championship with a meek final-day defeat at Aston Villa.

Shearer was still expected by some to be appointed on a permanent basis to lead the club's bid to return to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

But in the end, Ashley opted to hand the reins to Chris Hughton, who guided the club to promotion and the Championship title.

Speaking on beIN SPORTS 'Keys and Gray' show, Keys denied accusations that he is a friend of the controversial Magpies' owner.

The former Sky Sports presenter insists he has only met Ashley once, sharing a taxi with him to Luton Airport before Shearer was given the job on a temporary basis.

Recalling their brief meeting, Keys said: "He shrugged his shoulders and he said I suppose I'll have to give Shearer a go at some point.

"That's the only time I met him. I had call from Chris Mort who was then the chairman immediately afterwards saying you musn't say anything, which was of course an encouragement to go and tell somebody.

"So I told Alan who would have had his own sources anyway, but confirmed what he wanted to know."

Keys claims that despite appointing Shearer with the remit of securing Premier League survival, Ashley was "quite pleased" the club legend failed to do so.

The beIN SPORTS anchor also pinpoints Shearer's financial demands as the reason why he was not given the job on a permanent basis.

(Image: Getty Images)

Keys added: "I think Mike Ashley was quite pleased Alan failed. I think it allowed him to give Alan the job, and he then got his club back in double quick time.

"I remember having conversations with Alan at the time after they'd gone down, and plainly there was a problem about Alan's terms. Mike Ashley felt Alan was going to be an expensive Championship manager.

"I said to Alan just do it, go public, you don't need the money. It's your club, do the job, and when you get them back which you will, just say to Mike what's it worth to you?

"You make up for the disappointment of the eight games. He didn't get the job, and the two of them have had a standoff ever since."