Editing Alan Shearer (section)

===1986–1992: Southampton===
Shearer was promoted to the first team after spending two years with the youth squad. He made his professional debut for [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] on 26 March 1988, coming on as a [[substitute (football)|substitute]] in a [[Football League First Division|First Division]] fixture at [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]],<ref name =ITN199>{{cite book | author=Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk | title=In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC | publisher=Hagiology Publishing | year=2003|pages=199–200 | isbn=0-9534474-3-X}}</ref> before prompting national headlines in his full debut at [[The Dell (Southampton)|The Dell]] two weeks later. He scored a [[Hat-trick (association football)|hat-trick]], helping the team to a 4–2 victory against [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]], thus becoming the youngest player – at 17 years, 240 days – to score a hat-trick in the top division, breaking [[Jimmy Greaves]]' 30-year–old record.<ref name =ITN199/> Shearer ended the [[1987–88 in English football|1987–88]] season with three goals in five games, and was rewarded with his first professional contract.<ref name=MIC/>

Despite this auspicious start to his career, Shearer was only eased into the first team gradually and made just ten goalless appearances for the club the [[1988–89 in English football|following season]]. Throughout his career Shearer was recognised for his strength,<ref name=SL>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportinglife.com/football/nationwide1/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/06/02/17/SOCCER_Southampton_Nightlead.html |title=Lundekvam Relishing Shearer Battle |access-date=15 August 2008 |work=Sporting Life |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604215447/https://www.sportinglife.com/football/nationwide1/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer%2F06%2F02%2F17%2FSOCCER_Southampton_Nightlead.html |archive-date=4 June 2011 }}</ref> which, during his time at Southampton, enabled him to retain the ball and provide opportunities for teammates.<ref name =ITN199/> Playing as a lone striker between wide men, [[Rod Wallace]] and [[Matt Le Tissier]], Shearer scored three goals in 26 appearances in the [[1989–90 in English football|1989–90 season]],<ref name = ITN577>{{cite book | author=Holley & Chalk | title=In That Number | year=2003|page=577 }}</ref> and in [[1990–91 in English football|the next]], four goals in 36 games. His performances in the centre of the ''Saints'' attack were soon recognised by the fans, who voted him their Player of the Year for [[1990–91 in English football|1991]].<ref name=MIC/><ref name = ITN577/>

In the middle of 1991, Shearer was a member of the [[England national under-21 football team|England national under-21 football squad]] in the [[Toulon Tournament]] in [[Toulon]], France. Shearer was the star of the tournament where he scored seven goals in four games.<ref name = ITN577/> It was during the [[1991–92 in English football|1991–92 season]] that Shearer rose to national prominence. 13 goals in 41 appearances for the ''Saints'' led to an [[England national football team|England]] call-up;<ref name=NUFC>{{cite web|url=http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Profiles/0,,10278~5962,00.html |title=Profile – Alan Shearer |access-date=24 July 2008 |publisher=Newcastle United F.C |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080206025703/http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Profiles/0%2C%2C10278~5962%2C00.html |archive-date=6 February 2008 }}</ref> he scored on his debut,<ref name= farewell>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/euro2000/teams/england/799370.stm|title=Sad Farewell for Shearer|access-date=15 August 2008|work=BBC Sport|date=20 June 2000|archive-date=3 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203044438/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/euro2000/teams/england/799370.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> and was strongly linked in the press with a summer move to [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]. A possible move for Shearer was being mentioned in the media during late autumn of 1991, but he rejected talk of a transfer and vowed to see out the season with Southampton, resisting the temptation of a possible transfer to the two clubs who headed the title race for most of the season. Speculation of a transfer to [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]], who finished the season as FA Cup winners, also came to nothing.<ref name=MIC/>

During the middle of 1992, Southampton's manager, [[Ian Branfoot]], became "the most popular manager in English football", as he took telephone calls from clubs "trying to bargain with players they don't want plus cash". Although Branfoot accepted that a sale was inevitable, he claimed that "whatever happens, we are in the driving seat".<ref name =ITN224>Quoted in {{cite book | author=Holley & Chalk | title=In That Number | year=2003|page=224 }}</ref> In July 1992, Shearer was sold to [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] for a fee of £3.6 million, with [[David Speedie]] reluctantly moving to The Dell as part of the deal. Despite Branfoot's claim to be "in the driving seat", ''Saints'' failed to include a "sell-on clause" in the contract. Shearer, less than a month off his 22nd birthday, was the most expensive player in British football.<ref>{{cite book | author=Holley & Chalk | title=In That Number | year=2003|page=224 }}</ref> In his four years in the Southampton first team, Shearer made a total of 158 appearances in all competitions, scoring 43 goals.<ref name = ITN577/>