David Unsworth

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David Unsworth
Personal information
Full name David Michael Unsworth
Date of birth 16 October 1973 (1973-10-16) (age 34)
Place of birth    Chorley, England
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Centre-back, left-back
Club information
Current club Burnley
Number 26
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1991–1997
1997–1998
1998
1998–2004
2004–2005
2005
2005–2007
2007
2007–
Everton
West Ham United
Aston Villa
Everton
Portsmouth
Ipswich Town (loan)
Sheffield United
Wigan Athletic
Burnley
116 (11)
032 0(2)
000 0(0)
188 (23)
018 0(2)
016 0(1)
039 0(4)
010 0(1)
029 0(1)   
National team2
1994–1995
1995
England U21
England
007 0(0)
001 0(0)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 21:25, 8 April 2008 (UTC).
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 12:00, 10 June 2006 (UTC).
* Appearances (Goals)

David Michael Unsworth (born 16 October 1973 in Chorley, England) is a footballer who plays in the position of centre-back or left-back.

He currently plays for Burnley, but 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 with the Liverpool based club paying 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. 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.

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 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]

[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: 1995

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Wigan snap up defender Unsworth", BBC Sport, 2007-01-05. Retrieved on 2007-04-01. 
  2. ^ Tactical Formation. Football-Lineups.com. Retrieved on January 20, 2007.
  3. ^ "Unsworth and De Zeeuw leave Wigan", BBC Sport, 2007-05-17. Retrieved on 2007-05-17. 
  4. ^ BBC Radio Lancashire, August 11, 2007

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME David Gerald Unsworth
ALTERNATIVE NAMES David Unsworth
SHORT DESCRIPTION Football Defender
DATE OF BIRTH October 16, 1973
PLACE OF BIRTH Chorley, Lancashire, England
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Languages