It’s a debate that will rage on as long as the game lives, but while the pundits argue about who the greatest striker to ever grace the Premiership might be, it can’t be argued that a fair few of them have been produced in the north of England.
Here are just a few of the up-front footballing legends that have lit up top flight football fixtures up and down the UK since the Premiership began in 1992 – all of which have their roots in the upper half of the country.
Michael Owen
He may be known nowadays as something of a Manchester United super-sub, but when Michael Owen exploded on to the Premier League in the mid-90s, he was all about Merseyside. As a Liverpool player, the Chester-born goal machine scored 158 times before heading out to play for Real Madrid in 2004.
Wayne Rooney
The hot-headed Scouser can often be found gracing the football news headlines for all the wrong reasons, but when his head is in the game, he’s as dangerous as any Manchester United player that has come before him. After rising to hero status at nearby Everton, he was scooped up by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2004 for £25.6 million and is now revered as a club legend.
Alan Shearer
An angel of the North to many a Geordie, Alan Shearer is Newcastle born and bred. After an incredible career at Southampton and Blackburn, Shearer really made his mark as a Toon player between 1996 and 2006 – where he racked up a tally of 148 goals in 303 appearances.
Robbie Fowler
This cheeky Liverpudlian has had a spell at a fair few Premiership teams over the years, but will always be remembered for his golden years at Liverpool FC between 1993 and 2001. During this time, he scored 120 goals for the club and would rack up a total of 162 in his overall league career. He now calls Thailand home, however, as the player-manager of Muangthong United.
Of course, many will say that nowadays there are too many imported players in the English Premier League, but with a little bit of luck, we could well see some more talent like the names listed above break through and have their day. It can often look like international stars and high-priced acquisitions are the future of football, but maybe we should look to the North for the latest legend in the making!