Former Northern Ireland captain Iain Dowie is to help spearhead Newcastle United’s revival after it was revealed he is to be Geordie hero Alan Shearer’s right-hand man at St James’ Park.

Shearer will today be officially unveiled as the Magpies’ boss until the end of the season and he has turned to his former Southampton team mate as an experienced battler to prevent Newcastle from sinking into the Championship.

Dowie has been out of work since being sacked as boss of QPR just 15 games into his tenure — that following disappointing stints at Coventry and Charlton.

But the 59-capped Northern Ireland striker is still regarded as one of the brightest young coaches around having at one point steered Crystal Palace from 19th place in the Championship, to the Premier League.

Shearer is expected to stress today that his agreement with Newcastle to take control of the first team for the eight remaining matches of the season has no provision beyond that.

While there was understandable enthusiasm on Tyneside yesterday for Shearer's involvement, his time at the club could be 53 days long, because if he helps Newcastle avoid relegation but receives no assurances about future finances for team-building, Shearer is unlikely to want to stay at a club without significant resources.

That town and that club have already experienced a surge in optimism caused by the news that Shearer will be in charge on a temporary basis.

From the training ground there is also a sense of renewed belief even before Shearer has met the players officially — that happens this morning — and there are suggestions that Michael Owen is one who would reconsider a new contract offer if Shearer's position were to be made permanent.

As of early last night, there was no official confirmation that the 38-year-old is stepping into the vacancy created by Joe Kinnear's illness.

Kinnear did offer Shearer a coaching role shortly after Kinnear was surprisingly placed in charge following Kevin Keegan's September exit, but the 62-year-old is likely to have been shocked that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley made independent contact with Shearer some time over the weekend.

If Shearer were to stay beyond the eight games, Kinnear could be moved to the director of football role of which he spoke on Monday. Dennis Wise, the existing director of football is another believed to have been shocked by developments — it is said Wise was told while at a game on Tuesday night — but it seems a condition of Shearer's arrival is Wise's departure.

It is also understood that Shearer will have the former Newcastle player and physio, now a barrister, Paul Ferris, as his other assistant.

Both Dowie and Ferris are scheduled to meet the players and staff today along with Shearer. Coaches Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood are expected to stay until the end of the season.