Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has claimed that snubbing Manchester United in favour of a move to St James' Park was the 'best decision' he ever made.
Both sides will meet in this weekend's Carabao Cup Final, but Shearer has opened up about the serious possibility of him heading to Old Trafford instead of back home to Newcastle.
The Premier League record goalscorer started his career in the Southampton academy but not before growing up watching some of the most famous players ever play for the Magpies in his hometown.
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"I left home in 1985 to go to Southampton to start my career," Shearer said after being inducted into the Hall of Fame two years ago. "It had been 10 or 11 years and I thought 'you know what, I'm going to go back home'. It meant that much to me and I wanted to have some great years at Newcastle where I could still play and not go back in my thirties and not see the best of me.
"It was the best decision I ever made, I know I would have won more trophies at United but the ten years I had there were unbelievably special, it was everything I hoped and wanted and more."
Shearer had left the Saints in 1992 to join Blackburn Rovers, who he helped win the Premier League title in 1995 over the Red Devils, and would stay there for four years until he decided he wanted a change.
Then-Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who had tried to sign the striker in 1992 when he'd previously left Southampton, once again tried to bring him over to Manchester but again failed, leading to Shearer's historic move back to Tyneside. The No 9 shirt in Newcastle is very important, very special. I watched No 9s when I was a youngster in Newcastle growing up, it was always my dream to play for them and have that shirt.
"I was aware of the interest, and also the interest of Manchester United. I spoke to both managers at the time, Alex Ferguson and Kevin Keegan, and I was very close to going to United. In fact I'd chosen a house I was going to buy and then I thought 'you know what, I'm going to go back home."
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