He played for Southampton, Blackburn and Newcastle. He was captain of the England football team. He scored goals…lots of goals. He was built like a Hummer. So strong, physically and mentally. The chants were simple. The name was clear. Shearer, Shearer, Shearer.
Alan Shearer will go down as one of the greatest English strikers to have played the beautiful game. When he made a choice to leave Southampton, he decided to join Jack Walker’s revolution at Blackburn Rovers and at the time, he cost a record-breaking 3.3 million pounds. Loose change in the transfer market these days! Surprisingly, Shearer won the title with Blackburn in the 1994-95 season. He never won it again.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson tried to buy Alan Shearer twice. Once from Southampton and then from Blackburn. Instead of joining the Red Devils after a successful Euro 96 campaign with England, Shearer followed his heart and chose to join his boyhood club, Newcastle United. He wanted to go and play football for his hero Kevin Keegan. Perhaps he should have followed his head instead of his heart. Shearer won nothing at Newcastle. The 1996-97 season was particularly a harsh one for him. With the team 11 points clear over their rivals Manchester United, they imploded and lost the title. Shearer was also a losing finalist in the F.A. Cup…twice. In 1998, Arsenal destroyed his dream and in 1999, Manchester United dealt Shearer another dagger to the heart.
Regardless of the few medals he won, Shearer was a world class striker. He has scored more goals than any other player in the Premier League. He was a predator in front of that goal. Thank goodness for his title at Blackburn. Otherwise, Shearer could have been one of the greatest strikers to have played the game and won nothing. Where do you rank him?