Darren Anderton

Darren Robert Anderton ( born March 3, 1972 in Southampton, England ) is a former English footballer. The 30- times capped player and participant in the Euro 1996 in England and the 1998 World Cup in France was in the 1990s as one of the most talented English players. Between 1992 and 2004, he was long active for Tottenham Hotspur and 1999 he won the League Cup with the club. His preferred position was initially that of the right winger, before he was due also used by numerous injuries increases in the central or right midfield as a playmaker.

Sports career

Club career

Portsmouth FC (1990-1992)

After a first experience in the Southampton Tyro League unterklassigen at the Itchen Saints pulled it Anderton in February, 1988 in the youth department of FC Portsmouth. Two years later he signed with the " Pompey " said club a professional contract. His league debut came on 3rd November 1990 in second English top flight against Wolverhampton Wanderers until the end of the season 1990/91 he was becoming a serious contender for a starting berth. Originally, he was often used on the left wing position and by its response speed and good technique he showed his strengths, opponents in the sprint duel to " dub " and with precise cross into the box gifts to provide for risk.

In the season 1991/92 he celebrated his sporting breakthrough. From the beginning, he was a fixture in the starting XI of Portsmouth and particularly in the FA Cup stopped Anderton attention to itself. He scored both goals in the 2-0 win against Leyton Orient in the fourth round and two more goals in the 4-2 away win against Middlesbrough FC. The journey ended in the semifinals narrowest of margins to the high favorites from Liverpool. In the extension where he scored after 20 minutes the score to 1-0, which was offset just before closing - the replay, Liverpool won eventually by a penalty shootout. The national attention that had been given to him thereby, ultimately led unsurprisingly to his move to the newly created Premier League. The contract was awarded in May 1992 Tottenham Hotspur, his then coach Terry Venables to pay the transfer fee of 1.75 million pounds was ready.

Tottenham Hotspur (1992-2004)

After initial injury problems, Anderton quickly established itself in the new team. The " Spurs " had in midfield after the departure of Chris Waddle problems in relation to the creative elements of the outer positions and Anderton should help to close this gap - a quick winger who asked many opposing full-back before problems and defensive strengths showed, fit well in this regard to the requirement profile. Normally Anderton acted on the right side of his passes and benefited especially true center strikers like Teddy Sheringham. It drew from him that he only suggested the flanks less in the middle, but preferred the flat pass at the right moment in the course of the goal. By now matured to the English A-National player the 1994/95 season was the next milestone in the career of Darren Anderton. Together with Nick Barmby, Teddy Sheringham, Klinsmann and Ilie Dumitrescu Anderton became part of an offensive series, which was praised because of their attractive style of play under the Argentine coach Osvaldo Ardiles as "Famous Five". After the dismissal of Ardiles, which was due to the weak results in spite of the strong attack in the game, Anderton adapted quickly to the defensive approach of the successor Gerry Francis. As a regular in the England team his status was now undisputed in Tottenham, which found its expression in the fact that the club turned down a transfer offer from Manchester United in the amount of five million pounds.

Mid -1990s marked Anderton's career peak, increased from where his problems. The 1995/ 96 season, he missed largely due to an injury and after he was fitgeworden in time for the Euro 1996 in their own country, to another two years joined in Tottenham, where Anderton sporadically was used. During this time he was given the nickname " Sick Note " ( German: Disease certificate ) awarded, who accompanied him in further career development. The injuries also ensures that the speed that had distinguished him former him was lost, attended. This meant that he moved increasingly into the midfield center and there used his technical skills in the passing game.

In the 1998/99 season with Tottenham Anderton won the only major club titles in his career, after he won the League Cup final against Leicester City. Anderton remained mostly " first choice " for the starting lineup, so far as his health permitted. In 2002, the club reached with him again a League Cup final, in which he was defeated Blackburn Rovers 1-2. After two more years, his contract expired in the summer of 2004, and although he was offered an additional performance-based contract ( "pay- as-you- play"), his involvement ended in Tottenham. He had a total of 299 league matches and cup tournaments 59 ( League Cup and FA Cup) denied and shot 48 goals for Spurs.

Birmingham, Wolverhampton & Bournemouth (2004-2008)

Transfer fee free Anderton hired in August 2004 to the Erstligakonkurrenten Birmingham City. There he was - as previously offered at Tottenham - paid initially in accordance with its bets before he signed a contract after proving his fitness. In midfield, the "Blues " he made at first for positive accents and in a relegation battle, he was with his good position understand and strengths in the passing game a " calming element ", although it only nine times stood in his 20 league inserts in the starting lineup. Highlight of his time in Birmingham was on 6 November 2004, the 1-0 winner at Liverpool, making a temporary Sieglosserie of Birmingham City came to an end.

The next stop for Anderton was from August 2005, the second division side Wolverhampton Wanderers. There was busy with Glenn Hoddle a former England manager, had played under the Anderton. In his debut in the League Cup against Chester City (5:1), he scored a free-kick straight away, but after five appearances he had to stop due to a shin injury for the next six games. At times, he demonstrated at the " Wolves " on his "old class ", but a thigh injury made ​​sure that he no longer came into existence in March 2006. In September 2006, Wolverhampton Anderton had free transfer move to the direction of the third division AFC Bournemouth.

As with his previous employer Anderton also resulted in Bournemouth on his debut with a goal one - by spectacular shot against Scunthorpe United ( 1:1). There followed an extremely successful 2006/07 season, in which he was not only a model for his mostly younger players, but also itself repeatedly highlights continued, including his hat-trick for 5-0 against Leyton Orient on 10 February 2007. Thereby, the club extended the contract with him in the summer of 2007 for a further year. After steady inserts at the beginning of the season 2007 /08 he was injured, however, on 6 November 2007 against Leeds United so heavy that he had to miss five months. The 2008/09 season began Anderton as team captain, and after scoring the league opener against FC Gillingham (1:1 ), he showed up in overall good shape before he announced his imminent resignation as an active player. His last game was on December 6, 2008 instead of against Chester City, where he appeared as a substitute and scored the 1-0 winning goal two minutes before the end.

England national team

Four years after the beginning of his professional career in Portsmouth debuted Anderton on 9 March 1994 under coach Terry Venables for the English national team against Denmark (1-0 ). Shortly thereafter, he became a regular player and during the Euro 1996 in their own country, in which England reached the semi-finals, he was on the side of players like Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer and Steve McManaman an important part of the "Three Lions ". Here he met in the exciting extension to eventual champion Germany off the post and missed the golden goal just possible.

As if his injuries as well as the emerging David Beckham as a new competitor on its right attacking midfield position had a detrimental effect on further Anderton's national development. Nevertheless, he was appointed by Glenn Hoddle in the English finals squad for the FIFA World Cup 1998 in France. There, he scored a goal against Colombia. Later injuries were again responsible for ensuring that he lost his place in the team again.

After he was not considered for the Euro 2000 in the Netherlands and Belgium, he could then play for an extended period without injury back in the team. In the 1-1 draw in France, he was reinstated in September 2000 and in November was followed the next game against Italy (0-1). Anderton form in the early stage of the season 2001/ 02 he then brought one of his first nomination under new manager Sven- Göran Eriksson v. Sweden. However, this now 30 countries play should also be his last, as Eriksson then cut it out.

Title / Awards

• English League Cup ( 1): 1999
• Tournoi de France ( 1): 1997