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Alan Shearer pays tribute to Freddy Shepherd, the former Newcastle chairman

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Alan Shearer has paid tribute to former Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd following the news of his death

Alan Shearer has paid tribute to Freddy Shepherd following the former Newcastle chairman's death.

Shepherd was the man responsible for bringing Shearer to St James' Park for a then world-record fee of £15m from Blackburn in 1996.

The former Newcastle captain paid tribute to Shepherd saying he "owes him a huge debt" for managing to convince him to return to his boyhood club and in turn rejecting the opportunity to join Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Shepherd played an instrumental role at Newcastle during his 15-year tenure at the club - he joined in 1992 as a director and spent 10 years as the club's chairman after taking up the role in 1997.

Shearer, who went on to become Newcastle's record scorer, believes Shepherd will be sorely missed by the whole city of Newcastle and that he will be remembered for his unrivalled and dedication for the club.

"It's a desperately sad day for Newcastle. His passion for the city and the football club was there for everyone to see," Shearer told Sky Sports News HQ.

"I owe him a huge debt for bringing me back home because he was the guy that was responsible (for that). I've lost a great friend and a great person.

When Shearer was asked about his favourite memory of Shepherd, he said: "I was sat in a room with him 'umming and ahhing' whether to sign for Newcastle or Manchester United and he was very persuasive. He used all of his tricks to get me back here to Newcastle."

Click on the video above to hear Shearer's tribute for his friend and former chairman Freddy Shepherd.

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