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 82nd minute to secure the points. Things didn't get any easier for Blackburn as they then faced an away trip to Nottingham Forest, who were unbeaten and had a 24-game unbeaten record in all competitions. In a hard fought, entertaining competitive match, Blackburn came out 2-0 victors. Sutton gave Blackburn the lead in the eighth minute, capitalising on Forest's failure to clear the ball on the edge of their area by thumping a right-foot shot on the turn. The second goal came from a corner, swung over by Ripley to Shearer, whose apparent mishit on the turn fell neatly for