ANOTHER Blackburn Rovers title-winning legend has lifted the lid on his departure from the club.

After Kenny Dalglish revealed he was set to quit the summer before winning the league, Alan Shearer told of the behind-the-scene manoeuvres of his transfer to Newcastle United in 1996.

Shearer, speaking on a special Radio Five Live programme, revealed he had held talks with Italian side Sampdoria in 1995, shortly after Rovers took the title.

He eventually decided that he did not want to uproot his family and signed a new deal at Rovers.

Shearer said he wanted an escape clause in the contract, but Rovers benefactor Jack Walker gave him his word that if he wanted to leave, he would let him.

Then after Rovers finished sixth in 1996, Shearer decided he wanted to leave.

He told an audience in Newcastle on Five Live that he held transfer talks with Manchester United, Newcastle United and Barcelona.

Shearer said he actually decided to join Manchester United, even finding a home in the area.

But Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan left him a voicemail message urging the striker to give him one more chance to make a pitch.

Shearer then changed his mind, and decided the lure of his hometown club was too great.

However it was not all plain sailing.

Jack Walker was as good as his word, but Shearer said he was stunned when the Rovers chief demanded a world record £15 million.

“Manchester United and Newcastle couldn’t afford that,” said Shearer.

“I thought no-one would pay that. Then both clubs said they would pay £7.5million immediately and £7.5million the following year.

“Jack Walker said he would be missing out on interest in that deal and asked for an extra £600,000.

“So I was sold for £15.6m. It’s not hard to see why Jack Walker made so much money.”

Shearer had nothing but praise for the man known as ‘Uncle Jack’, and also revealed that the team spirit of Rovers’ title-winning squad was the best he had known in football.

During the question and answer session with fans, Shearer also revealed that Manchester United never actually made a bid for him in 1992 when he joined Rovers.

Shearer, now 40, scored 112 goals in 138 games for Rovers.