Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer, OBE (born August 13 1970) is a successful English footballer. He was born in Newcastle and currently plays for Newcastle United. He joined that club in July 1996 for a then record fee of £15m. He made his club debut on August 17th of that year.

Shearer's previous clubs were Southampton (1988-1992) and Blackburn (1992-1996). He played 63 times for the England team and scored 30 goals. His debut for the national side was on 19th February 1992 versus France at Wembley. He also scored 13 goals in only 11 games for the England Under 21 team.

Shearer's honours include League Championship Winner (Blackburn) 1994/95, PFA Player of the Year 1994/95 & 1996/97, Football Writers Player of the Year 1994/95, Premiership Golden Boot Winner 1994/95 (34), 1995/96 (31) & 1996/97 (25), Awarded Barclaycard Merit Award on 20 April 2002 for reaching the 200 Premiership goal landmark.

One of the most famous players in the game today, Alan was also the world's most expensive footballer at the time of his £15m move from Blackburn to Newcastle in the summer of 1996.

Geordie Alan makes no secret of his love for Newcastle United and the partnership is a marriage made in heaven, but one which before the start of this season had borne no trophies, though a few near misses.

Many believed Kevin Keegan's addition of Shearer to a squad which had just missed out on the 1995-96 Championship would seal the title, but another second place finish in 1996-97 denied United that honour, and a serious ankle injury then sidelined Alan for half of the 1997-98 campaign.

However, his regular goal output has continued and a total of 30 in season 1999/2000 underlined his enduring ability in the penalty area. The scorer of a hat-trick on his debut for Southampton against Arsenal as a 17-year-old in 1988, Alan went on to become the first man to score 30 Premier League goals in three successive seasons.

He joined Blackburn from Southampton for a then British record £3.6m fee in 1992 and won a championship medal three years later.

Shearer was English PFA Player of the Year in 1995 and 1997. He scored 30 goals in 63 games for the England side before his retirement from international football at the end of Euro 2000.

During 2000/01 Alan's season was disrupted by injury which restricted him to only 23 appearances. He underwent two knee operations to clear up his tendinitis problem, one in December and one in May in the USA.

Shearer was appointed an OBE for services to Association Football in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in June 2001, an honour to go with the Freedom of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne that was bestowed upon him in March.

He received a terrific and emotional welcome when he returned to first team action as a sub against Sunderland on 26 August before hitting two goals against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on his first start of the season on 8 September.

His brace against Ipswich Town in the Worthington Cup on 27 November took his United goals tally to 100. The goal against Arsenal on 18/12/01 was his first at Highbury and it also broke United's London jinx.

Shearer hit his 200th Premiership goal against Charlton at St. James' Park on 20 April 2002. He was voted North-East Player of Year for 2001/02 and also scored North-East Goal of the Season 2001/02 (versus Aston Villa).

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