Signed Alan Shearer Photograph

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After Euro 96, Shearer was approached by Manchester United, but Jack Walker insisted that Shearer was not for sale. On 30 July 1996, however, he joined Newcastle United, managed by Shearer's boyhood hero Kevin Keegan, who paid £15 million to secure his services, making Shearer the world's most expensive footballer at the time.

In Shearer's first season at Newcastle he scored 25 goals in 31 Premier League games, as well as winning a PFA Player of the Year accolade. He helped Newcastle finished second in the league, despite missing seven league games due to a groin injury, and Keegan walking out on the club halfway through the season, to be succeeded by Kenny Dalglish.

In July 1997, Shearer suffered an ankle ligament injury in a pre-season match at Goodison Park, an injury which greatly restricted his number of appearances in the 1997–98 season. In the league, he was only able to score two goals in 17 matches. He still helped Newcastle United (now managed by his old boss at Blackburn, Kenny Dalglish) to the 1998 FA Cup Final, but Arsenal won the game 2–0, although Shearer hit the post during the match.

In the latter part of that season, controversy surrounded Shearer when he kicked Neil Lennon in the head at Leicester City during a Premiership match, but he avoided punishment from the Football Association after threatening to retire from the international team if he was charged over the incident.

The following season in 1998–99 was a bit better goals wise, but not as good as he'd have liked, Shearer recording 14 goals in 30 games in the league. He helped Newcastle to a 2nd consecutive FA Cup final, but they lost 2–0 to treble-chasing Manchester United at Wembley. They finished 13th in the league for the second successive seasons, a sharp contrast to the runners-up finishes that had been achieved in the two previous seasons.

In 1999–00, Shearer missed only one game in the league, as he notched up 23 goals in 37 games, somewhat back to his best. Newcastle got to the FA Cup semi finals, but a third consecutive final was beyond them, as they were beaten by Chelsea. However, they were unable to progress beyond mid table in the league.

Shearer suffered an injury hit and frustrating season in 2000–01, having retired from International football after the Euro 2000 tournament. He managed only five goals in 19 games in the league. 2001–02 was much better though, as he bagged 23 goals in 37 league games and Newcastle finished fourth - their highest standing since 1997. There were continued calls from England officials and fans for Shearer to return to international football, but he rejected these calls.

In 2002–03, Shearer and Newcastle made a return to the UEFA Champions League. Newcastle lost their first three matches in the first group stage, but then won the remaining three and managed to qualify for the second group-stage (the only club ever to do this, apart from Liverpool (2007/8)), where they were finally eliminated. His goal tally for this season was 17 goals in 35 games.

After this, Newcastle would have one more chance to enter the Champions League proper in 2003, but were eliminated on penalties by Partizan Belgrade, with Shearer missing his penalty. Domestically in this season, he has a good season with 22 goals in 37 appearances. In 2004–05, Shearer's form tailed off a bit with only seven goals in his 28 games.

Shearer announced that he would retire at the end of the 2004–05 season, but, influenced by then Newcastle manager Graeme Souness, he decided to continue playing in a player-coach capacity until the end of the following season. During this time, he broke Jackie Milburn's 49-year-old record of 200 goals for Newcastle United when he netted his 201st strike in a home Premiership fixture against Portsmouth on 4 February 2006. Some media sources have pointed out that, including matches played during World War II, Milburn scored 238 goals for the club. Discounting those games and goals, however, Shearer beat the record in five fewer games than Milburn.

On 17 April 2006, with three games remaining in his final season as a player, Shearer suffered a tear to the medial collateral ligament in his left knee after a collision during the 4–1 win at Sunderland in which he scored his 206th goal. The injury caused him to miss those final three games, effectively ending his career prematurely. On 22 April, 2006, Shearer confirmed his retirement as a player. His final season in football had brought him a respectable (for a striker in his mid 30's) 10 goals in 32 league games.

On 11 May 2006, Newcastle United played Celtic at St James' Park in Shearer's testimonial match. Guest ex-Newcastle players included Steve Watson, Gary Speed, Rob Lee and Les Ferdinand. Shearer could not play in the testimonial because of injury; however, he initiated the kick-off and scored a penalty to win the game for Newcastle, 3–2. All proceeds from the game went to North East charities, including the NSPCC (of which Shearer is a patron), and the Bobby Moore Fund.

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

Alsn Shearer is a true Newcastle United legend and his association with the club is unlikely to end here..