14:36, 26 Dec 2025<\/p>\n
![\"Alan](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1_Newcastle-United-v-Fulham-Premier-League.jpg\")
Alan Shearer’s festive period in 1992 was one he’d likely want to forget(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Alan Shearer endured a nightmare Christmas period during his playing days when a devastating ACL injury landed him in hospital. The Newcastle<\/a> legend suffered the blow during his debut campaign at Blackburn Rovers, tearing his right ACL in a Boxing<\/a> Day encounter with Leeds United<\/a> in 1992.<\/p>\n Having joined the Ewood Park outfit that summer for a record-breaking \u00a33.6million fee, Shearer had made an instant impact with 22 goals from his opening 26 appearances across all competitions.<\/p>\n But his brilliant start was brutally cut short during the festive fixture<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n It was only then that doctors confirmed he had completely torn his ACL<\/a>. Reflecting on his Christmas<\/a> memories from his playing career, he recalled that devastating day in 1992. Speaking to Betfair<\/a>, he revealed: “I’ve got good and bad memories of Christmas.<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n READ MORE: Alan Shearer blasts Newcastle vs Chelsea VAR process after ‘rubbish’ decision<\/a>READ MORE: Gary Lineker gives brutal Viktor Gyokeres verdict despite scoring Arsenal winner vs Everton<\/a><\/p>\n It was during an interview with Team ACL<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n 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<\/a>, he revealed: “I was lying on the physio’s table day after day thinking: ‘Why me?’<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n![\"Alan](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2_Alan-Shearer.jpg\")
Alan Shearer won the Premier League title during his spell at Blackburn Rovers(Image: Mirrorpix)<\/p>\n![\"Alan](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1_GettyImages-1388926983.jpg\")
Alan Shearer celebrates with his trademark one armed salute after a goal for Newcastle(Image: 2022 Hulton Archive)<\/p>\n