Nigel Winterburn
In 1963 one of Arsenals most solid left backs was born his name is Nigel Winterburn, he would go onto win three league titles, two FA Cups, one League Cup and one Cup Winners Cup.
May 1980 witnessed Winterburn agree an apprenticeship with Birmingham City before he signed pro a year later after having featured for Nuneaton schoolboys. Whilst with Birmingham City Winterburn collected one England Youth Cap however he struggled to get into Birmingham’s first side. After a difficult trial with Oxford United, he put pen to paper at Wimbledon in 1983 in a free deal.
Winterburn assisted Wimbledon to the top-flight of English football by the end of the 1983/84 campaign. Within four years Winterburn only failed to make seven of 172 matches at the Dons turning out in every match of the 1986/87 season when Wimbledon beat all expectations finishing sixth in the First Division. He was awarded Player of the Year at the South London team for four years on the trot securing England u-21 achievements. In May of 1987 he was picked up by Arsenal in a £350,000 purchase when manager George Graham was aiming to replace Kenny Samson.
Winterburn commenced his Arsenal days out of position at right back after Graham failed to find someone to replace Viv Anderson. Winterburn would make his Arsenal debut coming off the bench versus Southampton in November 1987 playing the final 17 matches of the season.
Despite being a strong left footer Winterburn stayed at right back, becoming rapidly involved in two tricky situations on the pitch in his opening campaign. To start off with he was witnessed to have goaded Brian McClair after the Manchester United talisman failed to score from the spot in the final moments of the game in an FA Cup tie at Highbury. The latter account occurred in the League Cup final during that same season. Whilst The Gunners were beating Luton Town, Winterburn ironically missed from the penalty spot before his side was eventually beaten 3-2 in 1988.
Once Samson had departed Highbury for Newcastle United in December 1988, Winterburn was slotted into his natural position of left-back where he stayed for over a decade. He secured a strong defensive partnership with captain Tony Adams, old boy David O’ Leary, Lee Dixon and Steve Bould where, come the final match of the 1988/89 season, they prepared to win the title at Anfield. The Gunners had to score two goals against Liverpool which was just what they did, helping Arsenal lift their first league title since 1971.
Later on in November 1989 Winterburn made his first team England debut in, joining the field as substitute in a 0-0 draw to Italy. However England manager Bobby Robson chose Stuart Pierce over Winterburn for the 1990 World Cup in Italy which they reached the semi-final of. Therefore the defender was picked for the B team instead.
By the end of the 1990/91 season Winterburn clinched his second title after Arsenal won the First Division beating Liverpool in second place by nearly ten points.
Within two years Winterburn lifted the Cup double after Arsenal overcame Sheffield Wednesday in league and FA Cup finals, the second in the replay.
Winterburn’s reputation at The Gunners meant he secured a short England recall by Graham Taylor who put him in the team for the mini-tournament in America which England were beaten 2-0 in by the U.S. Winterburn was substituted on for Manchester United midfielder Lee Sharpe in the last game versus Germany seeing him play for England for the final time.
During the 1993/94 season Winterburn assisted The Gunners to their most recent piece of European silverware after Arsenal narrowly edged past Parma 1-0 in the Cup Winners Cup.
In 1996 Arsene Wenger walked into the prestigious doors of Highbury with dietary recommendations which extended the careers of a number of players approaching 30 including Winterburn. Inside two years Winterburn won his final league title and FA Cup in 1998 as The Gunners won their second double in history.
In 1999 Winterburn was chosen by England caretaker manager Ray Wilkinnson in a friendly versus France however he would fail to start as The Three Lions were beaten 2-0.
Skip forward a year and Arsenal were in the UEFA Cup final versus Galatasaray although despite helping the side in the first leg of the third round against Nantes in which he scored in the 3-0 victory he was displaced for the final. This was after Wenger replaced the Englishman with Sylvinho.
In June 2000 Winterburn was signed by West Ham United for £250,000 after having played 429 times and grabbing eight goals at Arsenal. He would end up being chosen on 94 occasions at the Hammer netting once in a match against Leeds United. Three years later Winterburn retired with his last appearances versus Liverpool in February 2003.
Skip forward five years Winterburn returned to the game as coach helping Paul Ince’s backroom staff as chief defensive coach. By the end of 2008 his coaching days had come swiftly and sharply to a halt.
At the age of 60 Winterburn regularly appears on TNT Sport as pundit after having been a pivotal defensive piece in the Arsenal sides of the 1980s and 1990s.
Liam Harding
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