Alan Shearer is one of the most maligned football pundits on TV.
He has improved immeasurably in recent years but has never managed to shake off the stain of the earlier part of his punditry career when, amongst other 'crimes', he said that nobody knew much about Hatem Ben Arfa, a statement which became the stick with which to beat a whole school of pundits for whom cliche and stereotype won out over research and knowledge.
But now Shearer has developed an edgier side and it's going down well.
The former Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and England striker's
brutal assessment of the Three Lions' dismal Euro 2016 went viral.
And now he has put down one Manchester United fan who piped up about his football career in equally un compromising fashion.
Shearer was reminiscing about the day he signed for his beloved boyhood club, which was 20 years ago today.
The Match of the Day pundit turned down Manchester United (for a second time) to play for the club he supported since he was a nipper playing at the famous Wallsend Boys Club.
The Premier League title winner, who led Blackburn to the historic league triumph in 1995, never won the big one with his hometown team.
But some things are worth more than silverware, right?
https://twitter.com/alanshearer/status/759314575179255808
Sir Alex Ferguson tried to bring the prolific striker to Old Trafford but he followed his heart and joined up with Kevin Keegan at Newcastle.
He tweeted out a photo taken in front of thousands of Geordie fans outside St James' Park back in 1996, saying it was the 'biggest & best career decision' he made to come home to Tyneside.
But United fans began popping up on Twitter to remind him of all the glory and trophies he could have had sat on his mantelpiece he passed up in those golden Fergie years to join the Magpies.
https://twitter.com/PaulSenior1/status/759317408666488832
https://twitter.com/DylUtd/status/759375935846178816
https://twitter.com/BusbyMUFC/status/759320707151040512
https://twitter.com/tattoolemkyreal/status/759331706369372160
https://twitter.com/Grinaldo9/status/759316951743291393
https://twitter.com/siongdavies/status/759314754846547968
It's true that Shearer didn't win the silverware that he could have at United. But he turned his boyhood side into a real force in the Premier League and carried the hopes of a whole footballing city on his shoulders.
The £15m man had St James' Park packed to the rafters every week, with reports of a 10-year season ticket waiting list. His goals fired the team to the top of the league and they ran rivals Manchester United close in that 1996/1997 season, only to capitulate at the last.
While United fans mocked him on Twitter for making the 'wrong' career move in going home, Shearer couldn't resist a bite.
He simply wrote...
It burns. It burns so bad.
