I get the point you’re making. I just disagree that he was desperate to jump ship. It took him 12 years before he jumped ship.
He was no. 1 for us for over a decade, played in cup finals, champions league and in Robsons side that challenged for the title. I don’t blame anyone for wanting to sack the club off that’s ran by Ashley and managed by Kinnear.
Shearer scored a hat trick vs. Leicester in the 4-3 in 97. Hislop was in goal.
The 3x headers you speak of was the following season. Think you’re being a bit harsh on given for the first two headers. He’d only have been 21 as well at the time and his first season in top flight:
He's still got plenty to offer on the pitch.
If he's still here in 3-4 years time doing Ciaran Clark, Matt Ritchie, Isaac Hayden then aye we've hung onto him for too long.
You're right, if it was every weekend he was on the lash getting blotto then I'd be aggrevated. But if he's done it as a one-off whilst in the middle of a divorce and not being able to play football then I don't see how anyone can hold it against him.
https://www.englandstats.com/club.php?cid=67
If we did it would have been around 96, with Howey, Lee, Beardsley, Ferdinand, Batty and Shearer to select from.