Position: Striker
Date of Birth: 13th August 1970
Birthplace: Newcastle upon Tyne
Height: 5'11"
Date signed: July 1996
Signed from: Blackburn Rovers
Transfer fee: £15,000,000
NUFC debut: Aug 1996 v Everton (a)
International honours: England
Previous Clubs: Southampton, Blackburn Rovers

 

The 1997-98 domestic campaign was not the happiest for England's best striker. Picking up a serious ankle injury in a pre-season friendly kept Alan Shearer out of action until the middle of January. After his return, he scored five goals in Newcastle's run to the FA Cup final but was on target only twice in the Premiership. Setting a world record at the time, Geordie Alan came home to Tyneside from Blackburn Rovers for £15m on the eve of the 1996-97 season and took his place in Newcastle United's Hall of No.9 Legends even before he had kicked a ball. Twenty-eight goals in 39 appearances for United in 1996-97 did nothing to diminish his reputation as one of the world's finest goal scorers, and but for two injury lay-offs, he would very probably have extended his unique record of scoring 30 Premier League goals in three successive seasons. However, a final total of 25 in just 31 League games speaks for itself. He shot to fame by scoring a hat-trick for Southampton against Arsenal in his League debut in 1988, when he was still a 17 year old apprentice. Kenny Dalglish took a still emerging Shearer to Blackburn for a then British record £3.6m in 1992, and was delighted to inherit the finished article again when he took of the managership of Newcastle from Kevin Keegan in January 1997. Alan scored twice in the 1998 World Cup finals but was bitterly disappointed not to lift the trophy.