Former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has revealed that he supported Newcastle as a boy because of his love for Alan Shearer.
The mercurial Bulgarian, signed by United from Tottenham for £30million in 2008, has claimed that he idolised the Magpies number nine as a child.
“Shearer would smash in goals from all over the place,” he told FourFourTwo. “Smashing goals, smashing noses… he was unbelievable. And you know his goal celebration? That was iconic.
“At first I supported Blackburn because Shearer was there, then Newcastle. My parents got me a Newcastle No.9 shirt because they knew I loved Shearer so much. I would sleep in it,” the 37-year-old said.
OPINION
What a sight it would have been to have seen the silky smooth Berbatov in the famous black and white shirt during his playing days. It seems that his affection for the club was rooted more in love for Shearer than in any particular regard for Tyneside, however. Still, he would’ve done a terrific job for the Magpies at any point during his career… although probably not now. Berbatov, like many football-mad boys, grew up idolising Shearer, although it is slightly surprising that he developed such a connection to the man just from watching him in Bulgaria. Some players transcend the television screen, however, and Shearer was certainly one of them. The legendary Geordie was a model of consistency, hard work and dedication. He wasn’t the most natural gifted of footballers but he knew where the goal was and he found it more times than anyone else in Premier League history. Berbatov did alright for himself too in that respect, even if he never managed to bag a goal in his hero’s famous Newcastle shirt.