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Premier League’s greatest ever striker – Alan Shearer joined Newcastle United 26 years ago

2 years ago
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Twenty six years ago, Alan Shearer signed for Newcastle United.

The 30 July 1996, he came home.

Arguably the greatest ever Newcastle United striker.

However, absolutely no argument on whether he is the greatest of the Premier League era.

With other positions there is always room for debate BUT when it comes to strikers, it is a case of putting your goals on the table.

Alan Shearer is without equal.

Issue 91 – August 1996

Premier League official site – Greatest ever goalscorers:

260 Alan Shearer (Retired)

208 Wayne Rooney (Retired)

187 Andrew Cole (Retired)

184 Sergio Agüero (Retired)

183 Harry Kane (Aged 29 and playing for Tottenham)

177 Frank Lampard (Retired)

175 Thierry Henry (Retired)

163 Robbie Fowler (Retired)

162 Jermain Defoe (Retired)

150 Michael Owen (Retired)

149 Les Ferdinand (Retired)

146 Teddy Sheringham (Retired)

144 Robin van Persie (Retired)

133 Jamie Vardy (Aged 35 and playing for Leicester)

127 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Retired)

126 Robbie Keane (Retired)

125 Nicolas Anelka (Retired)

123 Dwight Yorke (Retired)

121 Romelu Lukaku ( Aged 29 and playing for Inter Milan in Serie A)

120 Steven Gerrard (Retired)

As you can see, the top 20 Premier League goalscorers includes 17 who have already retired.

Only two of the top twenty are still playing Premier League football and only one is any kind of threat to Alan Shearer.

That is Harry Kane.

He is now 29 and 77 goals behind. He is a very decent forward but not in the same class as Alan Shearer.

These last four seasons, between the ages of 25 and 29, Harry Kane has scored 75 Premier League goals. Can he be expected to repeat that in these next four seasons between the ages of 29 and 33? Which is what I think he would probably have to do if he is to beat the greatest.

However, there really is only one Alan Shearer and the stats are a bit false anyway, because whilst Shearer is still 77 goals ahead of Harry Kane, it is effectively really 100, as 23 top tier goals that Shearer scored before the rebranding of the English top league, don’t count as ‘Premier League’ goals when it comes to the PL record.

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