In the world of sports, the number on the back of your shirt symbolises more than just the number itself. For example, in the NBA or in the NHL, you automatically associate number 23 and number 99 with Michael Jordan and Wayne Getzky – the two greatest athletes to play their sport. For Newcastle United fans, the number nine represents more than just another number on the back of a player’s jersey.
At Newcastle United, when you don the famous shirt, you have to be prepared to fill in the shoes of the great Alan Shearer, which, at times, can prove to be too large of a task for some.
From Andy Cole and Les Ferdinand to Oba Martins and Andy Carroll, there will always be big expectations out of an individual who wears that number on the back of their jersey.