Keith Gillespie's new book 'How Not To Be A Millionaire Footballer' is being serialised in The Mirror and in one of the latest extracts the former Newcastle and Northern Ireland player opens on his encounter with Alan Shearer in a Dublin bar in 1997.
We were staying in a decent hotel close to Dublin city centre, and went straight from there to Cafe En Seine, an upmarket bar, for an early drink.
I was in giddy form, and started flicking bottle tops in the direction of other players.
Alan Shearer got struck by a couple and was getting wound up, which I found enjoyable, so I made him my target and tension brewed.
It came to a head when I clumsily knocked some cutlery off the table.
“F***ing pick it up,” Shearer snapped.
But the lounge girl was already over, clearing up the mess.
I thought he was talking to me like a small boy, and shouted back.
Red mist descended.
We had a bit of a row and, for some reason, I asked him if he wanted to take it outside.
Madness.
Cafe En Seine is a long, narrow bar, so it was quite a walk to the front door.
There was no discussion en route. I was mulling over my next move.
We emerged onto a busy street, where Sunday afternoon shoppers were going about their business. It didn’t deter me from the battle-plan.
I took a swing at Shearer, but I was punch-drunk and inaccurate.
He responded with a blow that sent me flying backwards against a plant pot. I cracked my head and entered the blackout zone.
The next thing I remember is the view from the hospital bed.
The Newcastle players were on a club-sanctioned bonding 'session' when the incident happened.
*Makes note not to insult Alan Shearer on Twitter again*
