David Unsworth
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| David Unsworth | ||
 |
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Michael Unsworth | |
| Date of birth | 16 October 1973 | |
| Place of birth | Chorley, England | |
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | |
| Playing position | Centre-back, left-back | |
| Senior career1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1991–1997 1997–1998 1998 1998–2004 2004–2005 2005 2005–2007 2007 2007–2008 2008–2009 |
Everton West Ham United Aston Villa Everton Portsmouth → Ipswich Town (loan) Sheffield United Wigan Athletic Burnley Huddersfield Town |
116 (11) 32 (2) 0 (0) 188 (23) 18 (2) 16 (1) 39 (4) 10 (1) 29 (1) 4 (0) |
| National team2 | ||
| 1994–1995 1995 |
England U21 England |
7 (0) 1 (0) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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David Michael Unsworth (born October 16, 1973 in Chorley, England) is a former footballer who played in the position of centre-back or left-back.
He is best remembered for his time at Everton during the 1990s, where he was part of their FA Cup winning team of 1995. He has one full England cap, having played a full international in 1995.
Contents |
[edit] Club career
Unsworth began his career at Everton, and was part of the 1995 FA Cup winning team. After 133 league and cup games over several impressive seasons at Everton, Unsworth transferred to West Ham United for the 1997–98 season. After only a season and 41 games, he was signed by Birmingham-based club Aston Villa for £3 million but his family did not settle in Birmingham. After only a month, before the season had even begun, he returned to Everton who paid Villa the same £3 million West Ham had accepted only a few weeks before.
Unsworth was a consistent performer in his second spell with Everton, being first choice left-back, but also scoring some vital goals in his role as dead-ball specialist, mostly penalties, he became a fan's favourite and still is a shown when he came onto the pitch at Goodison Park to an uproar of "Rhino" which was the nickname he received for his gutsy ruthless playing style and physique. At the end of the 2003–04 season, after a further 216 games and his contract expired, a disagreement with the club over the length of a new contract led to Unsworth leaving on a free transfer. Although his status as a hero waxed and waned during his second spell at The Toffees, 'Rhino' as he was known is still held in affection by the fans. He returned to Goodison Park the following season as a fan and was mobbed by Evertonians as he sat on the Gwladys Street Terrace for the derby game against Liverpool.
He was signed by Portsmouth for the 2004–05 season. He made his debut in a 1–1 home draw with Birmingham City, scoring the equaliser from a penalty. He also scored another spot-kick in Portsmouth's famous 2–0 victory over Manchester United in October 2004. However, following the resignation of manager Harry Redknapp, Unsworth lost his place having played just 18 games, and spent the second half of the season on loan at Ipswich Town, making 16 appearances, scoring on his debut against Sheffield United.
At the start of the 2005–06 season he was signed by Sheffield United on a three-year contract after it became clear that Ipswich Town could not afford his wages.
On 5 January 2007, Unsworth signed for Wigan Athletic from Sheffield United on a free transfer.[1] He played his first match on 13 January against Chelsea.[2] Unsworth had fallen down the pecking order at Sheffield United under the management of Neil Warnock, and he had been placed on the transfer list prior to the signing. On the last day of the 2006–07 Premier League season, in a twist of fate, Unsworth would score the penalty that sent down his former club Sheffield United, whilst simultaneously saving his new employers Wigan Athletic from relegation. To make matters worse, Unsworth missed his penalty for United against Blackburn Rovers earlier in the season, which could have made the difference.
Unsworth was released by Wigan at the end of the 2006–07 season on 17 May 2007.[3]On 11 August, he signed for Burnley on a one-year contract.[4] At the end of the season, he was offered a new deal as a player/coach by manager Owen Coyle, but he rejected the offer and left the club on 30 June 2008.[5]
In 2008 he joined Huddersfield Town on trial after rejecting a player-coach role at Burnley. On 8 August 2008, he joined Huddersfield on a one-year deal after impressing in the Terriers' pre-season.[6]He along with five other players made his Town debut in a 1-1 draw against Stockport County at the Galpharm Stadium on 9 August 2008. He was released from his contract at the Terriers on March 30, 2009.[7]
Unsworth announced his retirement on 3rd April 2009 [8]
[edit] 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 | |||||||
| 1991-92 | Everton | First Division | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | |||
| 1992-93 | Premier League | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 1993-94 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 11 | 0 | |||
| 1994-95 | 38 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 45 | 3 | |||
| 1995-96 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | 3 | 1 | 36 | 3 | |||
| 1996-97 | 34 | 5 | - | 2 | 0 | - | 36 | 5 | ||||
| 1997-98 | West Ham United | Premier League | 32 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | 41 | 2 | |
| 1998-99 | Everton | Premier League | 34 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | - | 40 | 2 | |
| 1999-00 | 33 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | 39 | 9 | |||
| 2000-01 | 29 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 32 | 5 | |||
| 2001-02 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 36 | 4 | ||||
| 2002-03 | 33 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | 37 | 7 | |||
| 2003-04 | 26 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 31 | 3 | |||
| 2004-05 | Portsmouth | Premier League | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 19 | 2 | |
| 2004-05 | Ipswich Town | Championship | 16 | 1 | - | - | - | 16 | 1 | |||
| 2005-06 | Sheffield United | Championship | 34 | 4 | - | - | - | 34 | 4 | |||
| 2006-07 | Premier League | 5 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | - | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2006-07 | Wigan Athletic | Premier League | 10 | 1 | - | - | - | 10 | 1 | |||
| 2007-08 | Burnley | Championship | 29 | 1 | - | 2 | 0 | - | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2008-09 | Huddersfield Town | League One | 4 | 0 | - | - | - | 4 | 0 | |||
| Total | England | 446 | 46 | 28 | 5 | 29 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 509 | 53 | |
| Career Total | 445 | 46 | 28 | 5 | 29 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 509 | 53 | ||
[edit] National career
Unsworth has been capped once by England, in the 2–1 victory against Japan at Wembley on 3 June 1995. Other debutants that day included Gary Neville and Stan Collymore.
[edit] Honours
FA Cup: Everton 1995
[edit] References
- ^ "Wigan snap up defender Unsworth". BBC Sport. 5 January 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wigan_athletic/6234613.stm. Retrieved on 2007-04-01.
- ^ "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups.com. http://www.football-lineups.com/wiki/_match3155.php. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
- ^ "Unsworth and De Zeeuw leave Wigan". BBC Sport. 17 May 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wigan_athletic/6665927.stm. Retrieved on 2007-05-17.
- ^ BBC Radio Lancashire, 11 August 2007
- ^ "Unsworth Leaves Burnley". Burnley FC. 30 June 2008. http://www.burnleyfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestHeadlines/0,,10413~1336183,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-06-30.
- ^ Huddersfield Town - Unsworth Signs Up at Town
- ^ "Unsworth released by Huddersfield". BBC Sport. 2009-03-30. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/huddersfield_town/7972162.stm. Retrieved on 2009-03-30.
- ^ http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/rhino-retires.html
- ^ David Unsworth | Burnley | Team | Profiles
[edit] External links
- David Unsworth profile at burnleyfootballclub.com
- David Unsworth career stats at Soccerbase
