Lancashire Telegraph

Farewell to the scout supreme

21 December 2009, by Chris Flanagan

THE talent scout who unearthed a number of Burnley legends and former Blackburn Rovers striker Alan Shearer has died at the age of 88.

For many years Burnley were famous for bringing talented youngsters from the north east through their ranks at Turf Moor and it was largely down to scout Jack Hixon.

Ralph Coates, Trevor Steven, Brian O’Neil, Dave Thomas and Steve Davis were just some of the many players that Hixon spotted for Burnley and went on to forge distinguished careers.

Steve Bruce was another, although he eventually failed to make the grade at Burnley before enjoying success with Manchester United.

In his later years in the game Hixon went on to work for Southampton and took Shearer to the south coast, where he would make his name before moving on to Rovers and then boyhood club Newcastle United.

Stan Ternent and his brother Ray were snapped up by Burnley as youngsters after their talent was identified by Hixon in their native north east.

The former Clarets boss remained friends with Hixon until his death in hospital yesterday morning.

“He spotted players so much talent from all over the place, he brought hundreds and hundreds of players into the game and a lot of them became internationals,” said Ternent, now 63.

“We won’t see the likes of him again.I was a friend of his from the age of 13. He spotted me in the north east.

“I got my chance in the game and it was all down to Jack.

“You need to be given an opportunity when you are a young player and he gave that opportunity to a lot of us.

“He brought people to Burnley like Ralph Coates and Dave Thomas.

“He did so well for Burnley and he was a genuinely nice person.It’s a sad day for football.”

Hixon became a scout for Burnley almost by accident after serving in the Navy during the Second World War alongside Clarets winger Billy Elliott. Despite his work in football, his full-time job was with British Rail.

After spotting Shearer playing for Newcastle Boys as a 13-year-old, he remained close to the striker but always modestly insisted he did not ‘discover’ the future England star.

“I did not," he said. "I deplore that word. He wasn't lost so how could he be discovered.

"All I did was help give him an opportunity he thoroughly deserved."