Shearer - The Man - The Legend!

Last updated : 11 May 2006 By Footy Mad - Editor


Shearer's record total of 206 goals in 404 appearances for the Mags is unlikely to be beaten.

The 35-year-old will head into retirement after his testimonial game against Celtic at St James' Park - a long way from that first match against the Wombles in 1996.

Shearer: "I have to say my first game here against Wimbledon was special because I achieved something that I always wanted to do, which was play here, score a goal here and wear the number nine shirt.

"But I think the thing that will stick with me forever will be the reception after I got the record goal, the 201st against Portsmouth. The feeling when I score a goal is fantastic, but that day they lifted the roof off for me.

"There was a spell about 10 minutes after I'd scored when they were still going crazy. When people talk about the hairs on the back of your neck standing up, that was definitely the case for me that day.

"The highlights? The Portsmouth one, the semi-finals at Old Trafford - I'm not so sure that stand has rocked like it did in those games. The Inter Milan game away was great because of the 14,000 or 15,000 (Newcastle) fans behind that goal.

"There have also been disappointments as well - the two finals that we played in. It was just our luck that we were playing teams that one was going for the double, one was going for the treble.

"But I think the biggest disappointment for me was the Sporting Lisbon game last year, when we had done so well to get our noses in front and get a good lead.

"That week, really, was a bad one. We went on to the semi-final after that with players suspended and players injured, and that was a disappointing week. But you have to have the bad times as well as the good times. That's what's been good about the 10 years - it hasn't all been plain sailing, we have had to work hard to get where we are, to get what you want."