The most expensive player in the world before Ronaldo's move to Internazionale,
Geordie Alan came home to Tyneside from Balckburn 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. 28 goals in 39 appearances
for United in 1996-97 did nothing to diminish his reputation as one of
the world's finest goalscorers, 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 afinal total of 25 in just
31 League games speaks for itself. England captain, Alan earned the nickname
of 'The Colossus of Katowice' for his magnificent scoring performance in
the 2-0 World Cup defeat of Poland in May 1997. 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
over the managership of Newcastle from Kevin Keegan in January 1997. Sadly,
he looks likely to miss the first part of the season after sustaining a
bad ankle injury in a pre-season friendly match.
