Coventry City will be glad Newcastle United legend has hung up his boots: View | OneFootball

Coventry City are undoubtedly a club on an upwards trajectory.

Having been a League Two side as recently as 2017/18, the club have consistently improved since then. winning two promotions, and establishing themselves as an excellent Championship side since.

Seven seasons of hard work culminated in reaching the play-off final at Wembley last season, with the club coming heartbreakingly close to the Premier League, only to lose on penalties.

It would have put an end to 22 consecutive seasons without top-flight football for the Sky Blues, something they were rather used to historically.

Indeed, between 1967 and 2001, the club spent 34 consecutive seasons at English football's top table, but unfortunately, they have not been back since.

Throughout those years in the old first division and Premier League, Coventry City came up against some incredible talent.

However, one player in particular loved playing against the Sky Blues, boasting an incredible goal record against them.

We are, of course, talking about Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer.

Indeed, whilst many know Shearer for being a Newcastle United hero and one of the finest strikers England has ever produced, Coventry City supporters would be forgiven for having bad memories of the Geordie.

According to Transfermarkt, over the years, Shearer netted an impressive 18 goals against the club in 25 appearances.

In doing so, he is the player to have scored the most goals against the club in their history, with his nearest rivals Ian Rush (15) and Tony Cottee (14).

Alan Shearer's goals record versus Coventry

Considering the above statistic, Coventry City supporters will definitely be glad that Shearer's playing days are over, and that if they ever do return to the top-flight, that his playing days are well behind him.

Interestingly, Shearer's goalscoring exploits against the Sky Blues did not come instantly.

Before becoming a Newcastle legend, we know that Shearer played for Blackburn and Southampton, and it was with the Saints that he first faced Coventry.

In fact, Shearer played a total of nine matches against the Sky Blues between 1988/89 and 1991/92, but scored just once against them.

His single strike for the Saints came in a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup fourth round in 1991, sending the match to a replay which Southampton would go on to win 2-0.

Things would instantly change following Shearer's move to Blackburn Rovers in 1992, with the striker netting in his first game against Coventry after the move.

In total, Shearer faced Coventry eight times as a Blackburn player, scoring nine goals in those matches, including a hat-trick in a 5-1 win for Rovers in 1995/96.

Unfortunately for Coventry, following Shearer's move to Newcastle in 1996, the goals did not slow down.

Back at his hometown club, Shearer faced the Sky Blues on eight occasions, seven in the league and once in the FA Cup.

During those games, Shearer scored eight goals, falling just shy of his record against the club for Blackburn.

As mentioned above, the goals outlined directly above took Shearer's total tally against the club to 18 goals.

He may have started slowly against Coventry when at Southampton, but Shearer sure made up for it with his goals for Blackburn and Newcastle against the club.

No doubt there will be another top striker waiting for the Sky Blues should they win promotion to the Premier League in the near future, but for now, Coventry City supporters will just be glad they no longer have to face Alan Shearer, with the player having long hung up his boots.