Alan Shearer wells up as he pays tribute to his late father at Carabao Cup parade with Newcastle legend choking back tears: ‘I wish he would have hung on for one more year’

Alan Shearer was fighting back tears while speaking at Newcastle’s Carabao Cup trophy parade, as the former striker paid an emotional tribute to his father in front of thousands of fans.

The Magpies legend joined the club faithful at a bus parade on Saturday to celebrate their first domestic trophy since 1955.

Shearer’s dad, also named Alan, passed away aged 80 in May 2024 following a re-occurrence of cancer. He had been diagnosed in February having already beaten the disease at the age of 65. 

Alan Sr chose the Match of the Day theme tune to play in the crematorium and Shearer describes carrying the coffin as ‘the hardest thing I’ve ever done’.

Shearer’s father was also an avid Newcastle fan, growing up near Gosforth. His passing meant that he missed his club end their 70-year domestic trophy drought earlier this month when the Magpies beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Carabao Cup final.

Shearer revealed that his father was in attendance to watch Newcastle win their last trophy in 1969, when they took home the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

The Magpies legend joined thousands of fans in Newcastle’s city centre to celebrate 

Players passed by aboard an open top bus as Newcastle fans celebrated the end of their 70-year domestic trophy drought

Speaking at the parade in Newcastle’s packed out city centre, the Premier League‘s all-time top goalscorer said: ‘Yeah, unfortunately, my dad passed away last May. 

‘He was lucky enough to be at the final in ’69. I just wish he could have hung on for one more year just to see and sample this.

‘But he would have been watching on and would’ve been as proud as I was.’

The open top bus wound its way to the Town Moor, where a ticketed celebration for a Q&A with Newcastle club legends including Les Ferdinand and Alan Shearer.

The current squad took to the the stage to salute their fans at 6.30pm, with Newcastle superfans Ant and Dec leading a chant of ‘Toon! Toon!’

The players and staff on stage took turns lifting the cup, with Ant and Dec shouting encouragement and the mass of fans cheering them on.

After interviews with Eddie Howe and assistant manager Jason Tindall, club captain Bruno Guimaraes conducted the crowd in a singalong of Hey Jude, before launching into a round of terrace chants.