Dean Saunders insists that Alan Shearer was never motivated by money - and his retirement u-turn proves it.
Saunders worked as a coach at Newcastle when manager Graeme Souness convinced Toon legend Shearer to stay on and play another season.
It was even suggested for Shearer to stay on at St James' Park with very minimal playing time - but Shearer rejected that offer, report the Newcastle Chronicle.
Saunders revealed on talkSPORT: “I’ve never forgotten this. Every day in training Steven Taylor, who was a young 17 or 18-year-old defender, would come and train with us.
“He started rag-dolling Alan (Shearer) in training, like he started out-strengthening him.
“Graeme offered him another contract and said ‘listen, you don’t have to play. There’s another contract, just play now and again but just sort the dressing room out and keep everybody in order’.
“But Alan said: ‘No, I can’t look at myself in the mirror. I know when my legs have gone and I know if I’m getting out-strengthened by a young lad it’s time to pack in’.
“Alan didn’t play for money. He was offered a contract - a massive contract - to not even play. And he said ‘no, I couldn’t live with myself doing that’.”
Souness did convince Shearer to continue playing for an extra season - although it was one that Souness did not see out. The new contract, however, meant that Shearer's role moved from being just a player to player-coach, while he also carried out many ambassador roles for the club too - apparently adamant that he wanted to feel he was doing enough for the club to earn his money.
Shearer will be reunited with his Entertainers team-mates on Sunday as he manages a Newcastle United legends side against a Manchester Select XI in charity match for the Alan Shearer Foundation at Kingston Park.
