Alan Shearer season. Speculation of a transfer to Liverpool, who finished the season as FA Cup winners, also came to nothing. During the middle of 1992, Southampton's manager, Ian Branfoot, became "the most popular manager in English football", as he took telephone calls from clubs "trying to bargain with players they don't want plus cash". Although Branfoot accepted that a sale was inevitable, he claimed that "whatever happens, we are in the driving seat". In July 1992, Shearer was sold to Blackburn Rovers for a fee of £3.6 million, with David Speedie reluctantly moving to The Dell as part of the deal.
1994–95 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season £5m move, inevitably it was Chris Sutton who got the first goal, rolling the ball gently past Bryan Gunn in the fourth minute. Norwich fought back, however, and goals from Mark Bowen and Jon Newsome either side of halftime handed them the win and Blackburn their first league defeat. Blackburn's title challenge continued to stutter in the next match with a 1-1 away to leaders Newcastle United. Rovers took the lead through a 57th-minute penalty from Shearer after Wilcox had been brought down by Newcastle goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek. Blackburn looked to be leaving with all three points, but Newcastle scrambled