If you didn't guess from the start, then you'll have slowly worked it out along the way. Yes, the number one local hero for Newcastle United is, of course, Alan Shearer. Although, even if this list was for all comers, he'd still come out on top. There won't be a story telling for this man, you all know it by now. When the sheet-metal worker's son from Gosforth returned home from Blackburn Rovers for a world record transfer fee of £15million in 1996, it was the most anyone had ever spent on a footballer ever, but it would turn out to be the club's greatest bargain, despite him never lifting a trophy. Shearer would go on to become the face of Newcastle United over the next decade, a constant in what would turn out to be a roller-coaster ride. He was the man to emulate, outdo and surpass Jackie Milburn, scoring 206 goald for the Toon before retiring in the summer of 2006. Although in terms of honours Shearer's time at St James' Park wasn't as successful as at Blackburn, where he won the Premier League 1995, his club is, was and always will be Newcastle United. Every kid dreams of being Alan Shearer, he is the local hero and he is the benchmark for every single future Newcastle United player.
Budding football journalist, European football fan and Newcastle United season ticket holder. I have contributed to FourFourTwo.com and The Evening Chronicle.
