Nigel Winterburn

Nigel Winterburn

Personal information
Full name	Nigel Winterburn
Date of birth	11 December 1963 (1963-12-11) (age 47)
Place of birth	Arley, England
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position	Left-back
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1981–1982	Birmingham City	0	(0)
1982–1983	Oxford United	0	(0)
1983–1987	Wimbledon	165	(8)
1987–2000	Arsenal	440	(8)
2000–2003	West Ham United	82	(1)
Total		687	(17)
National team
1986	England U21	1	(0)
1990–1991	England B	3	(0)
1989–1993	England	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Nigel Winterburn (born 11 December 1963) is a retired English footballer who played at left-back for Arsenal. He is best known for his role alongside Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Lee Dixon, forming one of the meanest defences in the Premier League and European football during the 90's.

Playing career

Early career

Winterburn was born in Arley, Warwickshire. He began his career with Birmingham City but never played for the first team, though he did earn youth caps for England while with the club. He joined Oxford United, but never played for their first time either, and then in 1983 he was signed on a free transfer by Dave Bassett to join Wimbledon, who were on a steady climb up the divisions after gaining promotion from the non-league pyramid six years earlier.

Wimbledon

Wimbledon achieved promotion to the First Division in 1986 and Winterburn earned England under-21 honours. In their first season within the elite they achieved a top-half finish and got to the quarter finals of the FA Cup, when they were beaten by eventual finalists Tottenham Hotspur.

Winterburn won the Wimbledon supporters Player Of The Year in each of the four seasons he spent at Plough Lane. George Graham was seeking a long-term replacement for captain Kenny Sansom and in the summer of 1987, Arsenal paid Wimbledon £350,000 and Winterburn went to Highbury.

Arsenal

Winterburn began his Arsenal career at right-back, an emergency measure employed by Graham after he'd been unsuccessful in finding a worthwhile replacement for Viv Anderson.

Though heavily left-footed, Winterburn settled into the right back role as best he could and became quickly involved in two controversial incidents of his first season. First, he was seen to openly goad Brian McClair after the Manchester United striker had missed a late penalty in an FA Cup tie at Highbury.^[1][2] The second incident came in the League Cup final later that same season. Despite having fallen behind in the early stages, Arsenal, the holders, dominated the match and were leading Luton Town 2–1 at Wembley with less than quarter of an hour to go when David Rocastle was felled in the penalty area. Michael Thomas had been Arsenal's designated penalty taker all season but for reasons unexplained, it was Winterburn - who'd never taken a penalty for Arsenal before - who collected the ball up to take the kick.

He put the kick low and strong to the right hand corner as he viewed it, but Luton goalkeeper Andy Dibble guessed correctly and pushed the ball round the post. A newly-inspired Luton then scored twice in the final ten minutes and won the final 3–2. Despite the missed penalty, it was Gus Caesar (deputising for David O'Leary who missed the final due to injury) rather than Winterburn who was made to bear the brunt of the criticism, as he had made the error which gifted Luton their equaliser at 2–2.

Sansom left Arsenal in the summer and Winterburn settled into his more familiar left back role as a result, staying in it for more than a decade. He and fellow full back Lee Dixon flanked two superb central defenders in captain Tony Adams and veteran David O'Leary, joined during the 1989 season by Steve Bould. Often the manager would play all five of them as Arsenal took holders Liverpool to a last-game showdown at Anfield for the First Division title, which would have been Arsenal's first title since the Double year of 1971. Arsenal's situation meant they needed to win by at least two clear goals to clinch the championship. Winterburn's free kick set up a first for Alan Smith shortly after half time, but the second looked as though it would elude them until Thomas scored in injury time. This victory was the culmination of the film Fever Pitch.

Winterburn made his England debut later the same year, coming on as a substitute in a 0–0 draw against Italy. Though many media outlets and Winterburn's own club manager regularly extolled his virtues as an England left back, the national coach, Bobby Robson, had him as no higher than third in the pecking order at left back. Stuart Pearce was going to the 1990 World Cup as first choice, with Tony Dorigo as back-up. Only injury to either would see a way open for Winterburn, and that didn't happen. He did earn appearances for the B team, however.

Arsenal ended 1990 trophyless, but went on to win the league title again the next year, with only one loss. Two years later, Winterburn was in the Arsenal team which won both cup competitions and thus completed his domestic set of medals. Arsenal defeated Sheffield Wednesday 2–1 in both the League Cup and FA Cup finals, the latter in a replay.

Winterburn's form earned him a brief England recall by Graham Taylor who included him in a squad for a mini-tournament in the U.S. during which England lost 2–0 to the United States. Winterburn came on as a sub for Manchester United winger Lee Sharpe in the final match of the contest against Germany. This was the last time he played for England.

In 1994, Arsenal beat Italian side Parma's 1–0, to win the European Cup Winners Cup, Arsenal's first success continentally for a quarter of a century. They would not be so successful the following year as they reached the final again but were beaten 2-1 by Real Zaragoza.

Arsène Wenger arrived at Arsenal at the end of 1996 and instilled new self-awareness and dietary habits into the Arsenal squad,^[3] allowing the ageing defence (Adams was the youngest at 30 years of age; Martin Keown had also arrived to account for O'Leary's retirement after the 1993 FA Cup success) to thrive in the latter years of their careers and prolong their footballing careers. Arsenal won the "double" of Premiership and FA Cup in 1998. Winterburn was called up by caretaker manager Howard Wilkinson for the England squad in a friendly against France in 1999 but he was the odd one out from Wilkinson's first XI – Seaman, Adams, Keown and Dixon all started but Winterburn lost out to Graeme Le Saux for the left back slot and stayed on the bench for the 2–0 defeat.

In 2000 Arsenal reached the UEFA Cup final but Winterburn had been forced out of the team by the Brazilian left back Sylvinho, although he in turn was displaced by the fledgling Ashley Cole within another 12 months.

West Ham United

Winterburn joined West Ham United in June 2000 for a fee of £250,000 after 429 League appearances and eight goals for Arsenal. He played 94 games in all competitions for West Ham, scoring one goal in a 1–0 away win against Leeds United on 11 November 2000.^[4] He retired in 2003, his last game coming on 2 February 2003 against Liverpool.^[5]

International career

Winterburn's full debut for England came on 15 November 1989 against Italy. He made his second and final appearance for the senior national side nearly four years later on 19 June 1993 against Germany.^[6] The regular England left-back at this stage was Stuart Pearce.

Coaching career

On 14 July 2008, Winterburn joined Paul Ince's backroom staff at Blackburn Rovers as defensive coach.^[7] Following the dismissal of Ince in December 2008, Winterburn was deemed surplus to requirements at Ewood Park. New manager Sam Allardyce stated, "I spoke to Nigel Winterburn today to say that, from my point of view, in terms of specialist defensive coaching, I think I can look after that area myself now."^[8]

Retirement

Winterburn, now retired, lives in Weston Turville, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire with his wife and three children. He now works as a pundit on the game.

Career statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
England			League		FA Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
1981–82	Birmingham City	First Division	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1982–83	Oxford United	Third Division	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1983–84	Wimbledon	Third Division	43	1	2	0	6	0	0	0	51	1
1984–85		Second Division	41	4	5	0	2	0	0	0	48	4
1985–86			39	1	1	0	3	0	0	0	43	1
1986–87		First Division	42	2	4	0	2	0	0	0	48	2
1987–88	Arsenal	First Division	17	0	4	0	4	1	0	0	24	1
1988–89			38	3	2	0	5	1	0	0	45	4
1989–90			36	0	2	0	4	0	0	0	42	0
1990–91			38	0	8	0	4	0	0	0	50	0
1991–92			41	1	1	0	2	0	4	0	48	1
1992–93		Premier League	29	1	8	0	7	1	0	0	44	2
1993–94			34	0	3	0	4	0	9	0	50	0
1994–95			39	0	2	0	5	0	11	0	57	0
1995–96			36	2	1	0	7	0	0	0	44	2
1996–97			38	0	2	0	3	0	2	0	45	0
1997–98			36	1	8	0	3	0	2	0	49	1
1998–99			30	0	6	0	0	0	5	0	41	0
1999–00			28	0	0	0	1	0	10	1	39	1
2000–01	West Ham United	Premier League	33	1	4	0	3	0	0	0	40	1
2001–02			31	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	34	0
2002–03			18	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	20	0
Total	England		687	17	67	0	66	3	43	1	863	21
Career total			687	17	67	0	66	3	43	1	863	21

References

1. ^ Rob Smyth (18 September 2009). "Small Talk: Brian McClair | Sport | guardian.co.uk". London: Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/sep/18/brian-mcclair-small-talk-interview. Retrieved 2010-08-26. 
2. ^ Lawrence, Amy (2009-04-26). "The bad blood between Manchester United and Arsenal may be simmering again, writes Amy Lawrence | Sport | The Observer". London: Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/26/arsenal-manchester-united-champions-league. Retrieved 2010-08-26. 
3. ^ "The Wenger Years - Overview | The Wenger Years | History". Arsenal.com. http://www.arsenal.com/history/the-wenger-years/the-wenger-years-overview. Retrieved 2010-08-26. 
4. ^ Lawrence, Amy (11 November 2000). "Winterburn by a head". London: The Observer. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2000/nov/19/match.sport. Retrieved 3 November 2009. 
5. ^ "Winterburn calls time" BBC Sport website (23 July 2003)
6. ^ "Nigel Winterburn". Englandstats. http://www.englandstats.com/playerreport.php?pid=1074. Retrieved 21 July 2011. 
7. ^ "Winterburn given Blackburn role". BBC Sport. 2008-07-14. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/blackburn_rovers/7505186.stm. Retrieved 2008-07-14. 
8. ^ "Winterburn redundant". BBC Sport. 2008-12-23. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/blackburn_rovers/7798305.stm. Retrieved 2008-12-23. 

External links

• Nigel Winterburn career stats at Soccerbase
• Nigel Winterburn League stats at World-Soccer

Persondata
Name	Winterburn, Nigel
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	11 December 1963
Place of birth	Arley, England
Date of death
Place of death