The former Newcastle United and England striker retired after a training incident, Dean Saunders has claimed.
Former Newcastle player Alan Shearer as he arrives for the Premier League Legends of Football charity event
Former Newcastle United coach Dean Saunders has revealed the real reason why Alan Shearer retired from football in 2006, during an appearance on Talksport.
Saunders who was a coach under-then Magpies manager Graeme Souness, has stated that Shearer decided to end his playing career after being “rag-dolled” by former Newcastle defender Steven Taylor, who was a teenager at the time.
He also claims that the all-time leading Premier League goal-scorer did not play the game for money and that he even turned down a massive new contract.
Former Premier League players who scored 100 or more premier league goals Ryan Giggs, Dion Dublin, Alan Shearer, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Les Ferdinand, Emile Heskey and Robin van Persie pose as they arrive for the Premier League
Saunders told Talksport: “Steven Taylor who was 17 or 18-years-old came to training with us. He started rag-dolling Alan in training and out-strengthening him, so Alan retired.
“Graeme offered him another contract and said listen, ‘don’t play as much, just sort out the dressing room and keep everybody in order.’ Alan said ‘no, I can’t look at myself in the mirror.
“I know when my legs have gone and if I’m getting out-strengthened by a young lad then it’s time to pack it in.’ He didn’t play for money, he was offered a massive contract to not even play and he said no.”
Alan Shearer poses during the unveiling
Since retiring from playing Shearer, who also represented England winning 63 caps, went on to manage Newcastle in 2009 for their final eight matches of the 2008-09 campaign, but was unable to stop the club from being relegated from the Premier League.
After his brief managerial career the former striker is now one of the most popular pundits in English football.
Shearer is considered to be one of the best players to grace English football since the birth of the Premier League era in 1992 and is the competition’s all-time leading goal-scorer with 260 goals.
General view of fans looking at the statue of Alan Shearer outside the ground ahead of the match
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