Could England's greatest modern goal-scorer have plied his trade in Scotland? Former Rangers manager Walter Smith confirmed that it was almost a possibility, as the Glasgow side tried to bring him in when he was at Southampton. More than a decade before the pair worked together at Newcastle United, Graeme Souness had wanted to sign Shearer when he was still in charge of Rangers, and when Smith took over, the link stayed alive. Smith kept an eye on the future England captain, and watches as he scored 21 goals for the Saints, attracting the attention of Blackburn in the process. As history went, Rovers came in and bought the striker, who went on to play 171 games and score an astonishing 130 goals before he went home to Newcastle. Imagine the number he might have scored in the SPL... Later, when he was still a teenager in Newcastle's youth team, Rangers were also linked with a move for Geordie striker Andy Carroll, before ponytails and £35m changed his life forever.
