Shearer’s thunderbolt strike

On 260 separate occasions Alan Shearer found the back of a Premier League net. The striker’s record collection of goals features something for everyone: penalties, free-kicks, tap-ins and one-on-ones. But there’s one net-buster that stands out above them all – his fireball volley against Everton.

As the 2002-03 campaign neared the midway point, Newcastle welcomed the Merseysiders to St James’ Park. Victory would move them within reach of the top four, but the hosts encountered Richard Wright on a day he decided to impersonate a world-class goalkeeper.

With four minutes to play, the Magpies were trailing 1-0 and needed their Geordie hero to don his black and white cape and rescue the result. He duly obliged...

“Since I made my first-team debut for Southampton in 1988 to me retiring in 2006, that was easily the sweetest volley I ever caught,” Newcastle’s record goalscorer tells Fourfourtwo. Alan’s opportunity to leather the ball with lethal intentions came about thanks to some pleasingly uncomplicated build-up play: Laurent Robert hoofs the ball upfield, Shola Ameobi knocks it down and Shearer makes a snap decision. “You’ve got about half a second to make up your mind,” says Shearer. “I could have taken a touch and hit it, but I just thought, ‘It’s there, have a go!’” And have a go he did, letting rip with a first-time volley that moved at such a speed the cameraman struggled to track its trajectory into the net. “I connected with the middle part of my boot so I knew exactly where the ball was going,” adds the former England talisman. “Thinking about it now, it’s quite amusing remembering the goalkeeper trying to save it. One in 100 goes on target, but one in 1,000 goes right in the top corner. Luckily, that one did.” How did he celebrate in front of the Gallowgate End? Right arm in the air, wheeling away...

Alan Shearer is part of the BBC’S punditry team for the World Cup