Top 5 strikers to have worn the number 9 shirt in the Premier League

Kit numbers are more than just a number behind the player’s shirt. It defines a player’s identity, squad role and playing style. Until the late 60’s, a player was given a number based on the position he played in. For instance, number 11 was always worn by the player who played on the outside left (now known as a left winger) and number 3 was given to players who played on the right half-back position.Today, as we know, each player has his own squad number behind his shirt. Since its introduction in 1992, the Barclays Premier League has been no stranger to top quality strikers. The number 9, commonly worn by strikers and centre forwards, is considered, a synonym for goals in England. There is a burden of finding the back of the net when you are sporting the number 9. In the past we have seen these players play up top and bag goals. Let us take a ride and look back at the top 5 premier league strikers to have worn the number 9.Note: These views are completely of the concerned author and not of the website.

#1 Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer is considered to be one of the greatest strikers to have played in the first division of English football. With a Premier League’s best total of 260 goals to his name, he is what one would call a “complete striker”. Whether it’s a header or volley, Alan Shearer finds the net!Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Alan Shearer has an immaculate book of records. He made his debut for Southampton in 1988 by scoring hat-trick, which is a feat achieved by very few. His aerial ability, awareness and long-range shooting were his strengths during his prime. Shearer was the top scorer in the Premier League for 3 consecutive seasons (1994-95, 1995-96 and1996-1997) and also won the PFA Player of the year award in 1995 and 1996.With innumerous personal records, Alan Shearer is the striker that typifies the number 9 centre forward. The fact that he is the greatest striker to have worn the number 9 in the Premier League is quite a bit of a no-brainer.

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#2 Andy Cole

Andrew Cole (popularly known as Andy Cole) was brought into the Premier League after Newcastle United paid a then club record of £ 1.75million for his services. Cole’s 12 goals in his first season earned the Magpies promotion to the Premier League in 1994. He then left for Manchester United in January 1995 and score 12 goals in 18 games. He played an integral part for the Manchester United side that won the treble in the 1999-98 season.Andy Cole is second, just behind to Alan Shearer in the all time Premier League top scorers with a total of 187 goals to his name. He has also played for several other Premier League sides such as Blackburn, Fulham, Manchester Cuty, Portsmouth, Birmingham and Sunderland.Cole played his last Premier League match for Sunderland in 2008 before retiring in November the same year, putting to an end career that lasted 19 years that saw him score 229 goals.

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#3 Robbie Fowler

Robbie Fowler will be best remembered by many for scoring the fastest ever Hat-trick in the Premier League, against Arsenal in August 1994. His agility and goal scoring ability earned him the nickname “god”. Fowler joined his hometown club Liverpool, in 1992 and quickly became a fan favorite, scoring 85 goals in his first 4 seasons at the club. He is the fifth highest all time top scorer at Liverpool,serving two spells at the club. Robbie Fowler had big boots to fill when he took over the number 9 shirt from club legend and Liverpool’s all time top scorer, Ian Rush.Fowler won the treble of the Uefa Cup, Fa Cup and the League Cup with Liverpool in the 200-01 scoring 17 goals in the process. He left the reds in 2001 and made an emotional return to Merseyside in 2006 during which he made 30 appearances and scored 8 goals.He is the sixth highest top scorer in the Premier League with 162 goals. Fowler has also played for Manchester City, Leeds United and Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League.

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#4 Les Ferdinand

Les Ferdinand made his professional debut with QPR in 1987. He was loaned out to Turkey early in his career and brought back to England a fine run of form. He scored 20 goals in 37 games for QPR in the first ever Premier League season in 1992-93, after which established himself as a quality striker and a regular goal-scorer.The 5 foot 11 inch, number 9 got his England National team call-up in 1993 and earned his first cap against San Marino in a 6-0 win.

He joined Newcastle in 1995 scoring 41 goals in two seasons and later went on to join Spurs netting 25 times for the Londoners. Les Ferdinand had also played with West Ham United, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers, before hanging up his boots in 2006. With 149 Premier League goals, Les Ferdinand is 8th in the Premier League top scorers list. He also holds the rare honor of scoring 10,000th Premier League goal.

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#5 Dimitar Berbatov

Dimitar Berbatov began life in the Premiership with Tottenham when he was brought in from Bayer Leverkusen for £10.9 million, making him the most expensive Bulgarian footballer. He scored 27 goals in his two seasons at White Hart Lane. Manchester United soon came knocking on the doors, and the Bulgarian made a switch on September 2008.

He is the only non-English contingent in the list of players, containing Alan Shearer and Andy Cole and Jeramaine Defoe, to have scored five goals in a Premier League match. Berbatov has scored a total of 98 Premier League goals.The Manchester united number 9 was the top scorer of the league with 20 goals, in the successful 2010-2011 campaign. He left for Fulham in 2012, having won The Premier League, The Uefa Champions League and The League cup with the Red Devils. He currently plays for As Monaco in Ligue 1.

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