Nigel Winterburn (born 11 December 1963) is an English former professional footballer who made 687 appearances in the Football League and Premier League. He was capped twice by England, in 1989 and 1993.
Winterburn played primarily as a left back from 1981 to 2003. He is best known for his role alongside Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Martin Keown and Lee Dixon, forming the defensive line for Arsenal in the Premier League and European football during the 1990s. He also played for Wimbledon and West Ham United, and was contracted to Birmingham City and Oxford United.
After his playing career ended, he went into media work. He was briefly a part of the coaching staff at Blackburn Rovers.
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Playing career
Birmingham City
Winterburn was born in Arley, Warwickshire. 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. After an unsuccessful trial at Oxford United, he was signed by Dave Bassett to join Wimbledon on a free transfer in August 1983.
Wimbledon
Winterburn contributed to Wimbledon's promotion from Division Three to Division Two in 1983–84, and from Division Two to Division One two years later. Winterburn was voted Wimbledon's Player of the Year in each of his four seasons with the club. He missed only 7 out of 172 league games, was ever-present in 1986–87 when Wimbledon finished sixth in the First Division, and was capped by the England under-21 team. In May 1987 he was transferred for £350,000 to Arsenal, whose manager, George Graham, was seeking a long-term replacement for Kenny Sansom.
Arsenal
Winterburn began his Arsenal career at right-back, an emergency measure employed by Graham after he had been unsuccessful in finding a replacement for Viv Anderson. Winterburn made his Arsenal league debut as a substitute at Highbury against Southampton on 21 November 1987, playing in 17 league games that season.
Though primarily left-footed, Winterburn settled into the right-back role and became quickly involved in two controversial incidents in 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 on 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 Arsenal were awarded a penalty after David Rocastle was fouled. 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 had never taken a penalty for Arsenal before – who stepped up to take the kick. He struck powerfully towards to the bottom 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 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.
In the penultimate game, a 2–2 draw at home to Wimbledon on 17 May 1989, Winterburn scored what some consider the finest goal of his career, driving the ball diagonally into the far, top corner from 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.
West Ham United
Winterburn joined West Ham United in June 2000 for a fee of £250,000 after making 429 league appearances and scoring 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 18 November 2000. He retired in 2003, with his last game played on 2 February 2003 against Liverpool.
International career
Winterburn made his full debut for England 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. 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. Following Ince's dismissal 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."
Media career
In 2013, Winterburn became a pundit for BT Sport at the start of their football coverage. He regularly appears on the programme BT Sport Score.
Honours
Arsenal
Football League First Division: 1988–89, 1990–91
Premier League: 1997–98
FA Cup: 1992–93, 1997–98
Football League Cup: 1992–93
Football League Centenary Trophy: 1988
FA Charity Shield: 1991 (shared), 1998, 1999
European Cup Winners' Cup: 1993–94
Individual
Arsenal Player of the Season: 1998–99