Shearer pulls his boots on for Hillsborough memorial

May 15 2009 The Journal

NEWCASTLE United manager Alan Shearer and fellow Magpies legend Peter Beardsley were among a stellar turnout at a Hillsborough memorial charity match at Liverpool’s Anfield ground last night.

More than 25,000 fans watched a Liverpool Legends XI take on an All-Stars side.

The All-Stars featured a reunion for the famous SAS strike force of Shearer and Teddy Sheringham, while more than a dozen Liverpool greats were on show, including Ian Rush, former United manager Kenny Dalglish and Alan Hansen as well as Beardsley, a legend at both Anfield and St James’s Park.

The cause was a good one: Dalglish’s wife Marina’s appeal to raise funds for a new radiotherapy centre at the nearby University Hospital, Aintree. This charity game is a regular event at Anfield, but had greater significance as the game to mark the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.

The crowd rose as one midway through the second half to call for justice for the 96 victims of the disaster, when fans were crushed to death at an FA Cup semi-final in Sheffield.

In the game itself Sheringham scored with a stunning chip for the All-Stars. But Rush, John Aldridge and Dalglish scored for the home side as they won 3-1.

The current Liverpool hero, new Football Writers’ footballer of the year Steven Gerrard, received a huge ovation as he was introduced to the teams before kick-off as the guest of honour.