And Shearer also revealed after Newcastle United's 3-0 defeat to Liverpool yesterday that he had specifically told Barton NOT to lose his cool and get sent off.

Barton – who saw red for a needless lunge at Xabi Alonso on his long-awaited comeback from injury – will now sit out Newcastle's relegation run-in because of an automatic three-game suspension.

But the club understands a suspended six-game ban, hanging over his head for the training ground assault on Manchester City Ousmane Dabo, will not kick in, leaving him free to start next season.

However, should Shearer remain at St James's Park, then Barton – one of United's highest earners – might be looking for a new club at the end of the campaign, with the midfielder's chequered St James's Park career, which has been dogged by on and off-the-field incidents, as well as injury, seemingly now in the balance.

Shearer – who had hoped Barton's return would revitalise his lacklustre midfield – revealed after the game that the 26-year-old had apologised to him and his team-mates.

However, Shearer, refreshingly, did not try and make excuses for the Liverpudlian, making his first appearance since January 28, and Barton is likely to be fined two weeks' wages, around £120,000.

Shearer told the Gazette: "The red card was thoroughly deserved. The referee got it spot on – no complaints.

"He apologised, but it was too late. He's let everyone down. He's let me down, he's let himself down and he's the football club down."

Shearer had asked Barton not to get carried away, however, his words seemingly fell on deaf ears.

"I thought he could do something different, but I didn't think he'd go on and get a red card – I asked him not to, anyway," added Shearer.

Injury and a spell in jail restricted Barton – signed for £5.8m by Sam Allardyce in the summer of 2007 – to just 23 appearances last term, and yesterday's start was only his fifth of this season, his only goal coming from the penalty spot against West Bromwich Albion.