By YASEEN ZAMAN
Published: 15:12 EDT, 29 March 2025 | Updated: 15:12 EDT, 29 March 2025
Alan Shearer was fighting back tears while speaking at Newcastle's Carabao Cup trophy parade, as the former striker paid an emotional tribute to his father in front of thousands of fans.
Shearer's dad, also named Alan, passed away aged 80 in May 2024 following a re-occurrence of cancer. He had been diagnosed in February having already beaten the disease at the age of 65.
Alan Sr. chose the Match of the Day theme tune to play in the crematorium and Shearer describes carrying the coffin as 'the hardest thing I’ve ever done'.
Shearer's father was also an avid Newcastle fan. Speaking at the parade in Newcastle's packed out city centre on Sunday, the Premier League's all-time top goalscorer said: 'Yeah, unfortunately, my dad passed away last May.
'He was lucky enough to be at the final in '69. I just wish he could have hung on for one more year just to see and sample this.
'But he would have been watching on and would've been as proud as I was.'