Alan Shearer hasn't spoken to former England teammate in six years after bitter fallout on social media

Premier League legend Alan Shearer hasn't spoken with one of his former England teammates in years after a social media fallout.

Nearly three years after his final match for boyhood club Newcastle United, Shearer returned to St James' Park to lead the team as temporary manager for the last eight matches of the Premier League season.

In this time, Shearer was reunited with former Newcastle and England teammate Michael Owen, who he had briefly shared the pitch with during Shearer's final professional season in 2005/06.

However, it would appear that this was far from a happy reunion, as Owen later spoke out against his former teammate and manager when his autobiography ‘Reboot’ was released in 2019.

In the book, the Ballon d'Or winner claimed that Shearer had blamed him for Newcastle’s relegation at the end of the season, despite the Premier League top goal scorer only winning one of the eight matches that he was in charge for.

Alan Shearer and Michael Owen played together for Newcastle and England in the 2005/06 season. (Image: Getty)

Writing in the book, Owen claimed: “He was brought in at St. James' Park as the saviour, the local boy. It could have been a great story. But he failed. Newcastle United were relegated.

"Perhaps rather than examine his own shortcomings, it felt easier to blame Michael Owen.”

Shortly after, Shearer appeared to hit back at the comment, as he took to social media to post an old video clip of Owen saying: “So all I did for six, seven years... I hated it, I couldn't wait to retire.”

Captioning the post, the Match of the Day pundit also added: “Yes Michael, we thought that also, whilst on £120k a week…”

Of course, Owen wasn't happy about this, and quickly replied: “Not sure you are as loyal to Newcastle as you make out mate.

“I distinctly remember you being inches away from signing for Liverpool after Sir Bobby Robson put you on the bench. You tried everything to get out.”

Shearer and Owen haven't spoken since their social media fallout. (Image: Getty)

In 2023, Owen revealed that since the fallout, the pair hadn't spoken to each other, and in an episode of The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer appeared to suggest that the relationship was still frosty.

In a fan-led question segment, Shearer and co-hosts Gary Lineker and Micah Richards were just how good Owen was at the peak of his career, leading to some light-hearted humour between the colleagues.

"I know you love Michael a lot so I'll leave this one with you, Alan," Lineker replied.

Richards immediately burst into laughter, while Shearer was quick praised his former teammate, saying: "I'm never ever against his ability, I played with him remember, the Argentina game, when he scored that goal, bloody hell man."

But Richards wasn't willing to let his co-host get away with it, as he quipped: "He's started sweating, come on, Al, talk us through your mate," which leading to an equally witty reply from Shearer, who asked: "What do you want me to say?"

"He was a brilliant centre-forward, just not at Newcastle."