Alan Shearer Despite Branfoot's claim to be "in the driving seat", "Saints" failed to include a "sell-on clause" in the contract. Shearer, less than a month off his 22nd birthday, was the most expensive player in British football. In his four years in the Southampton first team, Shearer made a total of 158 appearances in all competitions, scoring 43 goals. Despite making just one goalless appearance as England failed to progress past the Euro 1992 group stages, Shearer was soon subject to an English transfer record-breaking £3.6million bid from Blackburn Rovers. Although there was also interest from Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson,
1999–2000 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season Colin Hendry, who had been part of the title winning team in 1995 and who had started his first spell at Ewood Park in the 1980s, was linked with a return to the club as player-manager. Other names linked with the vacancy included Graeme Souness, Colin Todd, Roy Evans and Joe Kinnear. The appointment of Graeme Souness on 15 March 2000 gave renewed hopes of a resurgence in 2000-01. Blackburn finished 11th in the final table. 1999–2000 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season Blackburn Rovers F.C. were in Division One for the 1999-2000 season, having been relegated from the FA Premier League