What a fitting tribute… well it will be eventually.
Alan Shearer is one of Newcastle’s finest sons. Heralding from Gosforth to the north of the city centre, few have so completely symbolised Newcastle United in the modern era quite like the 46-year-old.
Perhaps the biggest surprise about the club honouring him with a statue is that he doesn’t have one already. Shearer joined in 1996 for a then record breaking £15m, going on to score 206 goals in 10 years, before becoming manager in 2009.
A £250,000 brass statue was paid for by the family of former chairman Freddy Shepherd and will be unveiled on Monday. It is already in place outside St. James’ Park, and there’s no prizes for guessing what pose the erection is making…
Shearer statue kept under wraps until unveiling next week https://t.co/deBqNJnhOQ pic.twitter.com/uZpSxS0boF
— The Northern Echo (@TheNorthernEcho) September 8, 2016
The thing is, so tightly is the statue wrapped in its blue covering that many are making the same gag…with gag being a rather pertinent word. For many, the figure in its current form looks like a ‘sex gimp’ dressed for some BDSM action.
That’s right, a fair number of jokers out there are comparing the giant tribute to a leather-clad bondage enthusiast – including Shearer’s BBC colleague Gary Lineker. Of course we’re so innocent that we’re not quite sure what it all means…
https://twitter.com/SarcyFringehead/status/774270324082958337
Mummification and bondage all at once. Not bad Alan Shearer. Not bad.. https://t.co/RqWtkFPvF1
— Limer of Sweden (@limerSWE) September 9, 2016
Love that they've gone for @alanshearer 's secret bondage look. https://t.co/LinslN1vyL
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 9, 2016
@jakehardie1 You watching the unveiling of 'Alan Shearer in his gimp outfit' statue on Monday mate? https://t.co/Cs8GVld0Xe
— Dave Critchlow (@DoomsD8ve) September 9, 2016
In case you’re wondering what the unveiled version looks like…
Fair play to the person commissioned to make the Alan Shearer statue for making it look like Ruud Gullit pic.twitter.com/aZ1rmUY0Qc
— Keir (@Kingkeir) September 8, 2016
Alan Shearer statue looks good…. pic.twitter.com/ZB1xZWx8Ou
— Paul Neat (@NeatPaul) September 9, 2016
Anyone else think the Alan shearer statue looks like head of art attack? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/DXzrOBJNMH
— Fickle McSelfish (@Nathanial1973) September 9, 2016
The GAA Hour Hurling Show relives Tipperary’s sensational All-Ireland victory with Paidí Maher. Listen below or subscribe on iTunes.
