ALLAN Shearer, one of England’s most famous football captains, was in Kisumu on Friday and is expected to stay for charity work on which a documentary will be filmed by the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation).

The visit by the legendary player, also widely identified by Newcastle United, the team of his birthplace in the North East of England, is intended to be a close guarded secret.

He arrived in Nairobi on Thursday before flying into Kisumu the following day and there was no news regarding his visit until rumours about his working itinerary started circulating in Kisumu.

Those at first seen as responsible for Shearer’s visit -- Omega Foundation – are a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Kisumu to fight HIV/Aids and operate child support programmes.

Shearer will tour Ahero, north east of Kisumu, to conduct football clinics at DC Primary School on Saturday morning. He will be accompanied by a British Broadcasting Corporation crew who will be shooting he documentary on his visit.

It was not clear for how long the England star will be in the country but sources said he would stay for at least one more night (Saturday) at the Imperial Hotel.

Shearer, now 39, was a uniquely focused player, goal scorer and team leader, who was for a long time an ever present icon for England, Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and finally Newcastle United.

His last known efforts were to try and save his beloved Newcastle from being relegated from the English Premiership.

He became the caretaker manager of the team but his tenure was cut short when he failed to guide the team through the relegation battle.

Born on August 13, 1970, Shearer played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United.

He is widely considered as one of the greatest English strikers of all time, being both Newcastle's and the Premier League's record goal scorer. After retiring as a player, Shearer worked as a television pundit for the BBC, explaining the broadcaster’s keen interest in the ex-player's charitable pursuits.

In 2009 it was from BBC that he briefly left to become Newcastle United's manager in the last eight games of their 2008–09 season, in an unsuccessful attempt to save them from relegation.

A native of Newcastle-on-Tyne, Shearer made his professional debut with English top-flight club Southampton in 1988, scoring a hat-trick in the process. During several years on the south coast, he became known for his classic style of play, strength and goal scoring ability; he soon received an international call-up along with a transfer to Blackburn Rovers in 1992. Shearer established himself as a player in northern England; he became a regular in the England squad, and his 34-goal tally helped Blackburn secure the Premier League title in 1994–95.

He was named Football Writers' Association Player of the Year in 1994 and won the PFA Player of the Year award in 1995. The 1995–96 season saw Shearer make his first Champions League appearances and finish as the top scorer in the Premier League with 31 goals. He was also top scorer at Euro 1996 with England, scoring five goals, and in the 1996–97 Premier League, with 25 goals.

A world-record £15 million (Sh1.8 billion) move to his boyhood heroes, Newcastle United, followed the Euro '96 tournament, and Shearer spent the remainder of his career with the club.

While he would never emulate the success of his time at Blackburn Rovers, Shearer won runners-up medals in the Premier League and FA Cup with Newcastle, and a second PFA Player of the Year award.

After being named England's captain in 1996 and Newcastle's captain in 1999, he retired from international football following Euro 2000, having amassed 63 appearances and 30 goals for his country.

As well as his media work, he has raised substantial amounts of money for various national and international charities, both within and outside of sports. Shearer is an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), a Deputy Lieutenant of Northumberland, a Freeman of Newcastle-on-Tyne and an honorary Doctor of Civil Law of Northumbria and Newcastle Universities.