Alan Shearer

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Shearer played his entire career in the top level of English football. He started his career at Southampton in 1988 before moving in 1992 to Blackburn Rovers, where he established himself as among the most prolific goalscorers in Europe and won the 1994–95 Premier League. In the summer of 1996, he joined his hometown club Newcastle United for a then world record £15 million, and in his first season won his third consecutive Premier League Golden Boot. He played in the 1998 FA Cup and 1999 FA Cup finals, captaining the team in the latter, and eventually became the club's all-time top scorer. He retired at the end of the 2005–06 season. For the England national team, Shearer appeared 63 times and scored 30 goals. UEFA Euro 1996 was his biggest success at international football; England reached the semi-finals and Shearer was awarded the UEFA Euro Golden Boot and was named in the UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament. He went on to captain England at 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000, then retired from international football.

In Their Own Story

The rain hammered down on St James' Park, slicking the grass beneath cleats that had worn through seasons of grit. The clock ticked past ninety minutes, the scoreline level against a fierce rival in the north. Shearer stood over the ball, chest heaving, eyes fixed on the top corner. He didn't look at the keeper; he looked at the goal itself as if it owed him something. A heavy thud of impact echoed through the floodlit night. The net rippled once, violently. Then came the roar—a sound that vibrated in the concrete foundations of the stadium, a chorus of thousands screaming his name until their voices broke.

Reader's Guide

Since retiring as a player in 2006, Shearer has worked as a television pundit for the BBC. He is one of the hosts of the podcast The Rest Is Football. In 2009, he briefly left his BBC role to become Newcastle United's manager in the last eight games of their 2008–09 season, in an unsuccessful attempt to save them from relegation. Shearer is a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), a Deputy Lieutenant of Northumberland, a Freeman of Newcastle upon Tyne and an honorary Doctor of Civil Law of Northumbria and Newcastle Universities.

Did You Know?

• He was the most expensive player in British football when he moved to Blackburn Rovers for £3.6 million in 1992.
• Shearer's 34 goals in the 1994–95 season helped Blackburn Rovers win the Premier League title.
• He captained England at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000.