Alan Shearer Biography

Alan Shearer Biography – Introduction - Alan Shearer always struck me as the perfect English footballer: extraordinary heading ability, powerful shots and the ability to take on any opponent physically. These three qualities made him the legendary player that he is today and this biography, written a few months after his retirement from professional soccer, wants to cover his entire career.

Alan Shearer Biography – Youth Days - Even as a young boy, Alan was attracted by playing for Newcastle. However, before starting the Alan Shearer legend with the Magpies, he had to go through the pain of being denied a trial there, at the age of 15.Since Newcastle's youth squad was looking for a goalkeeper at that point, Alan trialed out as a goalie, despite being more attracted to scoring goals and the offensive part of the game. Fortunately for him, shortly after he got rejected by Newcastle, Shearer was hired by Southampton in 1986.

Alan Shearer Biography – Southampton - Shearer spent two years at the club's youth squad, where his goals brought him in the light of the English U-18 national side as well as the staff of Southampton's senior squad. His debut came in 1986, when he was just 17 years old. On 26 March 1988, he was a substitute in a game against Chelsea. Debuting as a professional soccer player, Alan Shearer didn't impress from his first game.

However, two weeks later, he would be given the chance to start up a full match as Southampton met Arsenal and boy, did Shearer grab the chance...When the game ended, both the Southampton and Arsenal fans came off the stadium rubbing their eyes and pinching themselves. They just saw a 17-year old player score a hat-trick against one of top English teams and since that day, the name of Alan Shearer started holding headlines in the newspapers.

Alan Shearer Biography – Blackburn -
In 1992, Alan Shearer was an established start-up for Southampton and he also started playing for England's national side in that year's summer. Kenny Dalglish, Blackburn Rovers' coach noticed Alan during his last season and made Southampton a $7 million offer that the club accepted, thus Shearer found himself switching clubs.

Unfortunately, his first season with the new club would prove one of the worse in Alan Shearer's history as a professional soccer player. He damaged his anterior cruciate ligaments in a game against Leeds, the injury taking him out for several months before he could even start running again. However, in the 20 games he managed to play before the injury occurred, Alan Shearer's goal tally already reached 17.

Alan Shearer Biography – Newcastle United - One of the best years in Alan Shearer's history was 1996. He scored no less than 37 goals in 48 games during the 1995-1996 season and he won a solid place in England's national side as they went on to play at Euro 1996. The competition would be literally under the boot of Alan Shearer and although England didn't reach the final, stopping in the semis against Germany, Shearer was in UEFA's Team of the Tournament and he also came out as top goalscorer.

His performances at Euro 1996 sparked the interest of several big clubs, including Manchester United who came in with an offer. He rejected Manchester and set off to join one of his childhood heroes, Kevin Keegan, who was now the manager of Newcastle United, a mid table but nevertheless promising team.

During his 10 seasons with Newcastle, Alan Shearer became a legend for his club and his country. Scoring 148 league goals for Newcastle and a total of 260 Premiership league goals, he became the most prolific striker in the history of the English league. He also scored 30 times in 63 matches for the national team, becoming the English player with the most goals in the league and for the national side, with a total of 422 goals (scored in all competitions).

Shearer intended to play until his 40s, but an annoying series of injuries in 2006 wore him down and he decided to retire, in full glory.