Premier League announce Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer as first inductess into Hall of Fame

• Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry are the Premier League’s ‘inaugural inductees’
• Newcastle and Arsenal legends take their place on the Hall of Fame this week
• Fans will now be asked to whittle 23-man shortlist down to six other inductees

Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry have become the first players to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

The Newcastle and Arsenal legends, widely regarded as two of the best strikers ever to play in the English game, are the first to take up their place, with many more to join them in the coming months and years.

The Premier League Hall of Fame recognises players who have demonstrated an exceptional record of on-pitch success and have made important contributions.

Following his move to Arsenal from Juventus in 1999, Henry won the Premier League title twice and was a key member of the ‘Invincibles’ team which went unbeaten during the 2003/04 title-winning season.

He scored over 20 Premier League goals in five campaigns in a row between 2001 and 2006. Henry also surpassed Ian Wright’s total of 185 goals in all competitions to become Arsenal’s all-time record scorer (with 228) during his time in north London.

The Frenchman won the Golden Boot award a record four times and scored a club-record 175 Premier League goals in 258 appearances for the Gunners.

Alan Shearer still holds the record as the Premier League’s highest scorer with 260 goals in 441 appearances across 14 seasons.

He won the title with Blackburn in the 1994/95 campaign and went on to score 148 times in the top flight during 10 years at his boyhood club Newcastle from 1996 to 2006.

The former England forward is a three-time Golden Boot winner and remains the only player to have reached 100 Premier League goals for two different clubs.