Peter Atherton

Peter Atherton ( born April 6, 1970 in Orrell, Greater Manchester ) is a former English footballer. As a versatile actor that was used to speak as a right full-back, in central defense and defensive midfield, he was primarily known for his time in the second half of the 1990s as captain of Sheffield Wednesday.

Sports career

Wigan Athletic (1984-1991)

Atherton joined in his home in October 1984 on a student contract the club Wigan Athletic on. After the change in the official youth program as a " trainee " in July 1986, he signed in February 1988, the then third division first professional contract. Previously he had given for the first team his league debut at Blackpool FC (0:0) on October 24, 1987. A further 15 league games he completed in 1987/ 88 and in the subsequent season 1988/89 he conquered a permanent place in the " Latics ".

With its use against Huddersfield Town on 26 November 1988, he started using a series of uninterrupted League appearances for Wigan, the entire seasons 1989/90 and 1990/91 included. In these years of versatile in defense and midfield defensive player was within the association named " Player of the Year ." Then there was his nomination in the third division football team of the year (PFA Team of the Year ) by the players' union PFA. For higher duties he had recommended, especially in the FA Cup against first division club Coventry City and there then responsible coach Terry Butcher was so impressed that he piloted Atherton shortly after the start of the 1991/92 season for £ 300,000 to Coventry.

Coventry City (1991-1994)

In Coventry Atherton was once part of a robust line of defense, and with him in the middle (although with around 1.80 meters not just tall ) conceded the team measured the relegation barely reached on average fewer goals conceded - only 44 in 42 league games. To this end, he graduated in October 1991, his first ( and only ) match for the English U- 21 team.

In the following two years until mid- 1994, he became a seasoned player in the newly launched for season 1992/93 Premier League. Atherton completed 79 of 84 league games for Coventry City and was doing mostly in the middle and used sporadically on the right -back position. In early June 1994, he finally changed for the transfer fee of £ 800,000 for Erstligakonkurrenten Sheffield Wednesday.

Sheffield Wednesday (1994-2000)

The " Owls " from Sheffield Atherton should replace the returning to Sweden right defender Roland Nilsson in the first place. But when even the Romanian Dan Petrescu was obliged Atherton initially began again in the middle before he continuously asserted itself as the "first choice " on the right wing position. The decisive factor were his strengths, which were that he combined his strong tackling and good positional play with powerful runs on the right side and good edges. At the end of his first season in Sheffield supporters elected him as " Man of the Year". In the second year, he moved frequently back into central defense, where he was the center of defense together with Des Walker. Under the new coach David Pleat he was also named team captain ( and regarding it succeeds Walker) transported. Key factor in this decision was for Pleat Atherton commitment, to which the younger players had to orient. Atherton has always been considered of so-called " no-nonsense " players, because although it has created with his game a few surprises, but also rare risks entered.

More and more he grew from then on in the role of the central defensive midfielder and not least his leadership qualities it owed ​​the club that he was again able to place in 1997 in the top half of the table (after only brief relegation the year before ). Also in 1997/ 98, as Sheffield Wednesday narrowly averted as two years before the imminent descent, he was further key player in the tactical direction of the team and sometimes he even helped out in attacking positions. In the 1998/99 season he returned to the defense, there to act again as a right defender and a year later, when Sheffield descent as a table next to last in the second division, he held most of the position in the middle. A respected Erstligadefensivspieler it was not surprising then that Atherton turned his back in July 2000, Sheffield and get his free transfer move to Bradford City in the Premier League remained.

Bradford City (2000-2005)

In an unsettled season 2000/ 01 Atherton played for Bradford as a right-back and moved to the injury of Andy O'Brien in central defense before he first found himself in February 2001 against FC Southampton on the bench. Only two days later, Bradford lent him for the rest of the season games to the second division Birmingham City. There contributed after an impressive debut against local rivals West Bromwich Albion (2-1) with nine other league inserts for reaching the play - off games and completed both semi-final games against Preston North End, which ended with the resignation.

Following his return to Bradford City, which is also only played now second-rate, Atherton injured in such a difficult pre-season knee that mid-August 2001, an operation was performed. A comeback attempt ended in November 2001 against Norwich City after the hour and the relapse meant that he no longer came into use in 2001/ 02. In August 2002, the return was successful then and in the following years he played himself - mostly agierend defensive midfielder - in the team back, with his only goal of the season against Crystal Palace (2-1) in March 2003 contributed decisively to three important points in the fight to avoid relegation retract. He now remained largely injury-free and in addition to its integral importance to the field in front of the back four, he served the club in the relegation season 2003/ 04 also temporarily as interim coach. Together with Wayne Jacobs, he oversaw the team against Stoke City before finally Bryan Robson could be required as the new head coach. In August 2004, Atherton broke during a game reserve-team an ankle, after which followed a three-month forced break. Only after the turn of the year he came again during the failure of Darren Holloway to ten inserts in series on the right-back position, but after re- starting berth loss Atherton's contract ran from mid-2005, thus also its involvement in Bradford total ended.

Halifax Town (2005-2008)

Atherton had his career from 2005 in the Football Conference finish at Halifax Town. There he graduated in the 2005 /06 another 14 league appearances before he joined the coaching staff of the club in July 2007. One last own use, he completed on 10 April 2008 against Ebbsfleet United.

Title / Awards

• PFA Team of the Year ( 1): 1990 /91 ( 3.Liga )