Alan Shearer receives honorary degree from Newcastle University

Dec 8 2009 by Nicola Juncar, The Journal

FORMER England and Newcastle United captain Alan Shearer has been presented with an honorary degree.

The ceremony took place at Newcastle University yesterday and the Newcastle United legend was awarded the title of Doctor of Civil Law.

Shearer received his degree alongside three other prominent figures; Karen Davis, president of The Commonwealth Fund, surgeon Lord Darzi and BBC medical correspondent Fergus Walsh.

The ceremony saw him following in the footsteps of Sir Bobby Robson who was awarded the title of Doctor of Civil Law from Newcastle University in 2003.

Shearer said: “It’s a great honour to receive this degree, especially as it’s the same one Bobby had. Everybody knows I’m a Newcastle lad and have strong roots in the North East, so it was great to be invited to the university.

“The robes are red and white, so it’s a first for me to be wearing Sunderland colours, but if it was good enough for Bobby, it’s good enough for me. The hat is black and white, so that makes up for it.”

This was not the first time Shearer had been presented with an honorary degree. He was awarded an honorary doctorate of civil law from Northumbria University in December 2006.