Alan Shearer’s seven-word response to his daughter’s dating highlights his concern

Alan Shearer was a force to be reckoned with on the pitch, and still sits as the Premier League’s all-time top scorer with 260 goals to his name – but he’s also been a loving family man away from the sport

Alan Shearer has made it very clear he doesn’t want his daughters sparking romance with footballers.

The Newcastle United legend may be renowned for his record-breaking 260 Premier League goals and his 1994/95 Premier League title with Blackburn Rovers, as well as his Match of the Day coverage with the BBC, but he’s also been a respectable family man off the pitch.

He met his spouse, Lainya, in the early days of his career while playing for Southampton in 1988, and the two married three years later. Fast-forward to 2024, and the couple has been married for 33 years and share three children together: Hollie, Chloe, and Will, who are all now adults.

It’s not unusual for fathers to worry about the day that their beloved daughter brings home a boy to meet the man of the house, and Shearer has admitted that he had his own reservations about his two girls ever dating professional footballers. Thankfully for the 54-year-old, Hollie and Chloe have both struck up romances with rugby union players instead.

Hollie, a talented singer-songwriter, has been dating Stade Francais and England rugby union star Joe Marchant since 2022 – the couple live in Paris together to accommodate for the centre’s career. Shortly after Hollie went public with her romance, Shearer was quick to give his thoughts on her choice of partner.

When asked about Marchant on social media, Shearer showed his humorous side by responding: “I’m just glad it’s not a footballer.” He alluded to the playboy lifestyle of a high-level professional, which he will have undoubtedly seen in a number of his former colleagues and up-and-coming stars alike.

Hollie and Marchant frequently appear on each other’s social media pages. Shearer’s daughter recently shared a birthday tribute to her beau, featuring a photo carousel of the couple dolled up and looking at one another lovingly. Hollie has also shared a number of holiday snaps of herself and Marchant basking on glorious beaches and bathing in the summer sun.

Marchant started his career with Worthing in 2014 before moving to Harlequins the very next year. He has spent the majority of his career to date with the London outfit, racking up 317 points in 152 appearances between 2015 and 2023 before jumping ship to Stade Francais last year.

Currently playing in Paris, Marchant has also represented England on the international stage 27 times. And it’s not just Hollie who is dating a rugby star either, with his other daughter Chloe romantically linked with former England and Newcastle Falcons scrum-half Micky Young.

However, Chloe has chosen to share less of the ins and outs of her private life on Instagram, with Young not appearing on her feed since June. Hartlepool-born Young turned pro with the Newcastle Falcons in 2008, scoring 50 points in 79 appearances before transferring to Leicester Tigers in 2011.

He spent two years at Bath between 2013 and 2015 before returning to the Falcons and remaining true to the team for an eight-year stint. He once again parted ways with the north east at the end of the 2022/23 Premiership season to play for Toulon as a World Cup Joker before moving to Gloucester as injury cover.

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