Alan Shearer has revealed a well-kept secret during his talks with Kevin Keegan, pleading for a top job at possibly the greatest football club in the world. The secret? Well namely that he is in fact a professionally-trained opera singer.
Shearer wowed a crowd of 91,000 in December at St James's Park, where he sang Italian Christmas carols and Josh Groban's smash hit, You Raise Me Up.
Alan said: "Singing is a huge passion of mine and I'm lucky it comes naturally to me. Friends who are used to seeing me up front on the pitch were really surprised by my voice and they all seemed to enjoy my performance."
Alan sings for the choir at his local church, St MacDonald's, in Wilburn Road, Ponteland, where he prays regularly that Newcastle can win something, but standing in front of the congregation singing a solo is a far cry from his days banging in the goals for Newcastle United, possibly the best supported club in the world.
The singing sensation does not come from a musical family.
"My dad was a bus driver and me mam was a dental technician," said Alan.
His talent was spotted at a young age by a nun in his local church who encouraged him to join a choir after watching him in his soccer shorts.
He later studied in Budapest where he received professional training as a tenor and went on to join a band which played classical and pop music.
"I thoroughly enjoy my job as a TV football pundit but I'm glad that I have my music outside of work," said Alan. "I love to see the reaction from people when they hear me perform."
Alan says he would like nothing better than to sing songs to the Newcastle side as they train and prepare for games. "I've said to Kevin, bless him, that I'd do anything to help this fantastic club, with its fanatical supporters."
