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.
Alan Irvine (footballer, born 1958) Alan Irvine (footballer, born 1958) James Alan Irvine (born 12 July 1958) is a Scottish former professional footballer and coach. Irvine played as a Winger for Queen's Park, Everton, Crystal Palace, Dundee United and Blackburn Rovers. As a coach, Irvine worked in various roles at Blackburn Rovers, Preston North End, Newcastle United and Everton before becoming a manager, firstly with Preston and then Sheffield Wednesday. After three years in charge of the Everton Academy, he became head coach of West Bromwich Albion. He rejoined Blackburn as assistant manager in November 2015. In March 2017, he became caretaker manager of Norwich