Nigel Winterburn

Nigel Winterburn (born 11 December 1963) is an English retired professional footballer, coach and current television personality for BT Sport.

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.

He became an apprentice at Birmingham City in May 1980 before turning professional in 1981, after he had played for Nuneaton schoolboys.

While at Birmingham City, Winterburn won an England Youth Cap but failed to make the Birmingham first team.

Winterburn played primarily as a left back from 1981 to 2003.

After an unsuccessful trial at Oxford United, he was signed by Dave Bassett to join Wimbledon on a free transfer in August 1983.

Winterburn helped Wimbledon to promotion from Division Three to Division Two in 1983-84, and Division Two to Division One in 1985-86.

In four seasons at the club, Winterburn missed only seven out of 172 league games for the club while being ever present in 1986-87, when Wimbledon finished sixth in the First Division.

He was voted Player of the Year for the club in four consecutive seasons, and earned England under-21 honours.

In May 1987 he was transferred to Arsenal for £350,000.

Manager George Graham was seeking a long-term replacement for Kenny Sansom.

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.

Winterburn made his Arsenal league debut as a substitute at Highbury against Southampton on 21 November 1987, and on the remainder of that season he played in 17 league games.

Though heavily left-footed, Winterburn settled into the right back role and became quickly involved in two controversial incidents on 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 20 February 1988 at Highbury.

The second incident came in the League Cup final later that same season.

Despite having fallen behind in the early stages, Arsenal, the holders, were leading Luton Town 2–1 at Wembley with less than quarter of an hour to go when David Rocastle got a penalty.

Arsenal were awarded a penalty.

Michael Thomas had been Arsenal's designated penalty taker all season but after spot-kick failures from Thomas and two subsequent successors, 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.

Sansom, demoted to reserve team football, left Arsenal for Newcastle United in December 1988 and Winterburn settled into his more familiar left back role as a result, staying in it for more than a decade.

He earned two caps for England between 1989 and 1993.

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.

In the penultimate game, a 2–2 draw at home to Wimbledon, 17 May 1989, Winterburn scored what some consider the finest goal of his career, driving the ball diagonally into the far, top corner from fully 25 yards with his little-used right foot.

Given both points and goal difference were identical (Arsenal winning the league on more goals scored) every single goal Arsenal scored that campaign eventually proved decisive in winning the league, but had Arsenal lost that day then the Anfield game would have been irrelevant as the title would have already been lost.

Winterburn made his England debut later the same year, 15 November 1989, 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.

Winterburn was eventually booked, and subsequently fined two weeks wages (along with 3 teammates and the manager, George Graham), but despite the two-point deduction - one more than Manchester United as Arsenal had been involved in a similar brawl against Norwich City in 1989 - Arsenal went on to win the league comfortably.

He is best known for his role alongside Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Martin Keown and Lee Dixon, forming a celebrated defensive line for Arsenal in the Premier League and European football during the 1990s.

He also played in the top flight for West Ham United and in the Football League for Wimbledon as well as being contracted to Birmingham City and Oxford United.

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; however, he did earn appearances for the B team.

Arsenal ended 1990 trophyless, but went on to win the league title again the next year, with only one loss.

During a 1–0 victory away at Manchester United, there was a mass brawl that was started by a Winterburn tackle on Denis Irwin.

During the 2008–09 season, Winterburn was briefly a part of the coaching staff at Blackburn Rovers under Paul Ince but was removed from his position and replaced by Sam Allardyce.

Winterburn was born in Arley, Warwickshire.