Alan Shearer would likely enjoy forgetting one particular Christmas period during his playing career
Fasika Zelealem Senior Sports Reporter
14:36, 26 Dec 2025
Alan Shearer’s festive period in 1992 was one he’d likely want to forget(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Alan Shearer endured a nightmare Christmas period during his playing days when a devastating ACL injury landed him in hospital. The Newcastle legend suffered the blow during his debut campaign at Blackburn Rovers, tearing his right ACL in a Boxing Day encounter with Leeds United in 1992.
Having joined the Ewood Park outfit that summer for a record-breaking £3.6million fee, Shearer had made an instant impact with 22 goals from his opening 26 appearances across all competitions.
But his brilliant start was brutally cut short during the festive fixture, which ended his season prematurely as Blackburn secured fourth place without their star striker. Remarkably, Shearer – who would later battle numerous injuries at St James’ Park – didn’t initially grasp the severity of the problem until two months later when he was rushed back to hospital in February.
It was only then that doctors confirmed he had completely torn his ACL. Reflecting on his Christmas memories from his playing career, he recalled that devastating day in 1992. Speaking to Betfair, he revealed: “I’ve got good and bad memories of Christmas.
“In my first season at Blackburn, I was sat on 22 goals on Boxing Day, and unfortunately, I ruptured my cruciate ligament. I scored two against Leeds at Ewood Park, and ten minutes later, I went through in a challenge and did my knee. But I remember many times scoring lots of goals on Boxing Day. I just felt good in and around this period.”
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It was during an interview with Team ACL that he confessed his understanding of the injury was not only delayed but completely absent and revealed the medical complications he endured after the operation.
“No, I did not know that,” he replied when questioned if he understood what an ACL injury was. “And I didn’t know the day after the match that the ACL had been torn. I felt that something was wrong. Four weeks after the match, I tried to play football again, but my knee went down again.
Alan Shearer won the Premier League title during his spell at Blackburn Rovers(Image: Mirrorpix)
“The doctors sent me to hospital on February 15 and it was there that they discovered that my anterior cruciate ligament had been torn. I was in hospital for 10 days as I got a blood clot and an infection.”
The severity of the injury prompted Shearer to question whether he’d ever regain his pre-ACL abilities, or even get the chance to play football again. In a 1996 conversation with The Independent, he revealed: “I was lying on the physio’s table day after day thinking: ‘Why me?’
Alan Shearer celebrates with his trademark one armed salute after a goal for Newcastle(Image: 2022 Hulton Archive)
“There were times when I wondered whether I’d ever play again or, if I did, whether I’d ever be as good again. It was beginning to feel like a dream. I’d made this fantastic move to Blackburn and scored all those goals and then suddenly I was out of the game, lying on a table, and staring the end in the face.”
However, his worries were quickly allayed as he had the best season of his career upon returning to the pitch, scoring 34 goals in 48 matches and helping Blackburn secure second place in the league. A season later, he celebrated winning the Premier League with the club.