Matthew Upson

Matthew Upson
Personal information
Full nameMatthew James Upson
Date of birth18 April 1979
Place of birthHartismere, Eye, Suffolk, England
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1]
Playing positionCentre back
Club information
Current team
Leicester City
Number6
Youth career
–Ipswich Town
1994–1996Luton Town
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1996–1997Luton Town1(0)
1997–2003Arsenal35(0)
2000→ Nottingham Forest (loan)1(0)
2001→ Crystal Palace (loan)7(0)
2002→ Reading (loan)14(0)
2003–2007Birmingham City113(5)
2007–2011West Ham United131(4)
2011–2013Stoke City15(2)
2013→ Brighton & Hove Albion (loan)18(1)
2013–2014Brighton & Hove Albion43(2)
2014–Leicester City5(0)
National team
1998–2000England U2112(2)
2003–2010England21(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:42, 22 March 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Matthew James Upson (born 18 April 1979) is an English footballer who plays for Leicester City. He is a central defender who played for England at full international level including at the 2010 World Cup.

Upson started his career with Bedfordshire club Luton Town before he joined Premiership side Arsenal for a fee of £2 million in May 1997. Upson struggled to force his way into the first team at Highbury making 57 appearances in 6 seasons and also spent time out on loan at Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Reading.

Upson joined Birmingham City in 2003 where he enjoyed regular first team football. However following Birmingham's relegation in 2006 he went on to join West Ham United for £7.5 million in January 2007. He was made captain in 2009 following the departure of Lucas Neill. At the end of the 2010–11 season West Ham were relegated to the Championship and Upson left after his contract had expired. Upson signed a two-year contract with Stoke City in August 2011. After a loan spell with Brighton & Hove Albion in the 2012–13 season, he signed a one-year contract with the club in 2013.

Club career

Luton Town

Upson was born in Hartismere, Eye, Suffolk. Originally at the Ipswich Town Centre of Excellence, he joined Luton Town as a trainee in 1994.[2] after Ipswich Town's youth coach Terry Westley moved to Luton Town. He signed professional forms in April 1996,[3] making his sole Football League appearance for the team as an 88th-minute substitute against Rotherham United in August 1996.

Arsenal

He joined Arsenal in May 1997 in a £2 million deal.[2] However, faced with the longevity of Arsenal's existing centre backs, Tony Adams, Steve Bould and Martin Keown, and struck by injury problems of his own, Upson rarely had a chance to break into the first team. He only played five games in the 1997–98 FA Premier League season as Arsenal won the title, meaning he didn't qualify for a winners' medal.[2] After spending a year out of the game recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in 1999, Upson only made a handful of first team appearance for Arsenal, in between loan spells at Nottingham Forest in 2000 and Crystal Palace in 2001.[4][5]

In 2001–02, his final full season at Arsenal however, Upson did make 22 appearances; these included 14 in the league, earning him a Premier League winners' medal, but a broken leg in February 2002 ruled him out for the rest of the season and Arsenal's FA Cup-winning run as they won the Double. After recovering from his broken leg, Upson joined Reading in September 2002 on a three-month loan.[6] It was at Reading where Upson scored his first professional career goal, in a 3–1 loss at Cambridge United in the League Cup.[7] With Arsenal's newly established centre back pairing of Sol Campbell and Kolo Touré keeping him out of the side, he was bought by Birmingham City in January 2003. He played 57 times for Arsenal in all competitions, never scoring.

Birmingham City

Birmingham City completed the signing of Upson from Arsenal in January 2003, for a fee of £1 million rising to £3 million depending on appearances.[8]

He suffered a leg injury whilst preparing for the local derby against Aston Villa in April 2006 and subsequently missed the rest of the season as Birmingham City were relegated to The Championship. Upson remained with the club while he worked on regaining his fitness and returned to action in December in the 3–0 victory over Plymouth Argyle, scoring the second of the three goals.

West Ham United

Upson warming-up for a West Ham game, October 2009

On 18 January 2007, Birmingham rejected West Ham United's bid for Upson of £4 million, also rejecting an improved bid of £6 million a few days later. An offer of £6 million, with the potential to rise to £7.5 million depending on appearances, was accepted on the last day of the transfer window, and Upson agreed a four-and-a-half-year contract with West Ham.[9] Birmingham City's manager Steve Bruce later claimed that he did not want to sell Upson, but was forced to do so by the club's managing director Karren Brady.[10]

Upson suffered a calf injury less than 30 minutes into his West Ham United debut against Aston Villa, which West Ham lost 0–1.[11] He then lasted just 11 minutes of his comeback game before coming off injured against Tottenham Hotspur in a 4–3 loss at Upton Park in March 2007.[12]

Upson completed his first full game for West Ham in the 2–0 home defeat to Manchester City in August 2007. One week later he made his first appearance as West Ham captain in the 1–0 away win against former club Birmingham City.[13] On 29 December 2007 Upson scored his first goal in West Ham colours when he headed in the winning goal against Premier League champions Manchester United.[14]

In July 2008, Upson's squad number of 6 was retired by the club in memory of Bobby Moore, after which he took the number 15 shirt.[15] In August 2009, following the departure of Lucas Neill, Upson was appointed captain of West Ham.[16] He captained West Ham through a difficult 2009–10 campaign in which he scored a goal in the opening game against Wolverhampton Wanderers and two more against Stoke City and Portsmouth.

Following West Ham's relegation from the Premier League in May 2011, new manager Sam Allardyce announced on 1 June that Upson had left the club, after his contract had expired.[17]

Stoke City

Upson joined Stoke City on a two-year contract on 9 August 2011.[18][19] Following his move to the Britannia Stadium, Upson revealed that playing in the UEFA Europa League was one of the main reasons he decided to join Stoke.[20] Upson made his debut for Stoke in a 1–0 victory over FC Thun in the Europa League.[21] He scored his first goal for Stoke City in the second leg against Thun in a 4–1 victory at the Britannia Stadium.[22] Since joining Stoke Upson and fellow summer signing Jonathan Woodgate have been used as back up to first choice centre backs Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross. He has been regular in the Europa League where he played in all of the group matches as Stoke qualified for the round of 32.[23] He scored his first league goal for Stoke in a 2–0 home win against Swansea City on 26 February 2012 in a man of the match performance.[24] Upson made his first League appearance of the 2012–13 season on 29 December 2012 against Southampton due to Shawcross serving a one match suspension. Upson scored Stoke's second goal in a 3–3 draw.[25] He was released by Stoke at the end of the season.[26]

Brighton & Hove Albion

On 31 January 2013 Upson joined Brighton & Hove Albion on loan until the end of the 2012–13 season.[27] He scored his first goal for the Seagulls in a 6–1 win over Blackpool on 20 April.[28][29]

Upson joined Brighton on a permanent basis on 10 July 2013, signing a one-year contract at the Falmer Stadium.[30]

Leicester City

On 23 May 2014 Upson agreed a one-year contract with newly promoted Premier League side Leicester City.[31] After spending the first half of the season on the sidelines with injury, Upson returned to full training in late January 2015.[32] On 10 February 2015, Upson made his long awaited debut, playing nearly an hour before being substituted, in a 2-1 defeat to former club Arsenal.[33]

International career

Upson won twelve caps for the England U21 team and scored two goals.[34] His performances for Birmingham City in the 2002–03 season led to his selection for the England senior squad and he made his debut for England against South Africa in May 2003. He won seven full caps while a Birmingham player.[3]

Upson was named in Fabio Capello's first provisional England squad for the February 2008 friendly against Switzerland at Wembley.[35] He was named in the starting line-up to partner Rio Ferdinand, winning his eighth England cap nearly four years after his last appearance. He was named in the starting line-up against Kazakhstan for his 10th cap, after John Terry picked up an injury, playing for the full 90 minutes.

Upson scored his first goal for England on 19 November 2008 in a friendly match against Germany.[36] The match finished 2–1 to England and Upson picked up ITV's man of the match award. Upson was included in England's squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. On 23 June, making his World Cup debut, he played in the third match of the group stage, against Slovenia after being an unused substitute in the first two games.[37] On 27 June he scored the only England goal against Germany in the 2010 World Cup in the round of 16. It was Upson's second goal for England and his second against Germany, having previously scored in a friendly in 2008. This goal also made him England's joint top scorer for the 2010 World Cup, tying with Steven Gerrard and Jermain Defoe on one goal each.[38] The game was a defensive fiasco for Upson, who, along with Terry was caught out by a goal-kick allowing Miroslav Klose to score the opener on 20 minutes. The defenders were also opened up for Lukas Podolski to score 12 minutes later. In the second half, Upson and Terry were caught on the break twice as England attempted to equalise. The game ended 4–1 to Germany.

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 19 November 2008 Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany  Germany 0–1 1–2 Win Friendly
2 27 June 2010 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa  Germany 1–2 1–4 Loss 2010 FIFA World Cup

Personal life

Upson's girlfriend is British runner Ellie Darby. They have one son together, called Elijah.[39]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 March 2015
Club statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Luton Town 1995–96[1][40] First Division0000001[lower-alpha 1]010
1996–97[41] Second Division100000–10
Luton Town total 1000001020
Arsenal 1997–98[2] Premier League5020100080
1998–99[42] Premier League5020101[lower-alpha 2]090
1999–2000[43] Premier League9020002[lower-alpha 2]0130
2000–01[44] Premier League2010001[lower-alpha 2]040
2001–02[45] Premier League14010106[lower-alpha 2]0220
2002–03[46] Premier League0010–0000
Arsenal total 3504080100570
Nottingham Forest (loan) 2000–01[44] First Division100000–10
Crystal Palace (loan) 2000–01[44] First Division70–––70
Reading (loan) 2002–03[46] First Division140–11–151
Birmingham City 2002–03[46] Premier League140–––140
2003–04[47] Premier League3002010–330
2004–05[48] Premier League3622020–402
2005–06[49] Premier League2411040–291
2006–07[50] Championship923000–122
Birmingham City total 11358070–1285
West Ham United 2006–07[50] Premier League20–––20
2007–08[51] Premier League2912020–331
2008–09[52] Premier League3702020–410
2009–10[53] Premier League3331010–353
2010–11[54] Premier League3001030–340
West Ham United total 13146080–1454
Stoke City 2011–12[55][56] Premier League14120108[lower-alpha 3]1252
2012–13[57] Premier League110010–21
Stoke City total 152202081273
Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 2012–13[57] Championship181––2[lower-alpha 4]0201
Brighton & Hove Albion 2013–14[58] Championship4323000–462
Brighton & Hove Albion total 613300020663
Leicester City 2014–15[59] Premier League501000–60
Leicester City total 5010000060
Career total 3931424026121145516
  1. ↑ Appearance in Anglo-Italian Cup
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  3. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ↑ Appearances in Championship play-offs

International

As of August 2011[60]

England national team
YearAppsGoals
200360
200410
200851
200960
201031
Total212

Honours

Arsenal

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2007). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2007–08. Edinburgh: Mainstream. pp. 411–12. ISBN 978-1-84596-246-3.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Games played by Matthew Upson in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Matthew Upson Profile". England Football Online. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
  4. ↑ "Upson adds to Platt woes". BBC Sport. 20 December 2000. Retrieved 29 June 2007.
  5. ↑ "Upson in Palace move". BBC Sport. 28 February 2001. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
  6. ↑ "Reading secure Upson deal". BBC Sport. 5 September 2002. Retrieved 26 June 2007.
  7. ↑ "Cambridge 3–1 Reading". BBC Sport. 10 September 2002. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  8. ↑ "Birmingham sign Upson". BBC Sport. 11 February 2003. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
  9. ↑ "Matthew Upson signs for West Ham United". West Ham United F.C. 31 January 2007. Retrieved 31 January 2007.
  10. ↑ Hunter, James (26 October 2009). "Bruce blasts back at Karren Brady". Evening Chronicle (Newcastle). Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  11. ↑ Rutledge, Lewis (3 February 2007). "Curbs bemoans Upson injury". Sky Sports. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
  12. ↑ Buckingham, Mark (18 April 2007). "Curbs: Upson spell a disaster". Sky Sports. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
  13. ↑ Nursey, James (20 August 2007). "Birmingham 0–1 West Ham". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 20 August 2007.
  14. ↑ Sanghera, Mandeep (29 December 2007). "West Ham 2–1 Man Utd". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
  15. ↑ "Club to retire No6 shirt". West Ham United F.C. 4 August 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
  16. ↑ "Upson sets captain's example". West Ham United F.C. 16 September 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  17. ↑ "Sam Allardyce appointed West Ham United manager". BBC Sport. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
  18. ↑ "City Complete Upson Signing". Stoke City F.C. 9 August 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  19. ↑ "Matthew Upson joins Stoke City after West Ham release". BBC Sport. 9 August 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  20. ↑ "Europe A Big Attraction For Upson". Stoke City F.C. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  21. ↑ "Upson Handed City Debut". Stoke City F.C. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  22. ↑ "Stoke 4 FC Thun 1 (agg 5–1): Upson stokes the fire for Pulis in Potters' Euro rout". Daily Mail (London). 26 August 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  23. ↑ Chowdhury, Saj (14 December 2011). "Besiktas 3–1 Stoke". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  24. ↑ Ashton, Becky (26 February 2012). "Stoke 2–0 Swansea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  25. ↑ Shemilt, Stephan (29 December 2012). "Stoke 3-3 Southampton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  26. ↑ "Potters Announce Retained List". Stoke City F.C. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  27. ↑ "Upson Joins Brighton". Stoke City F.C. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  28. ↑ "Brighton 6-1 Blackpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  29. ↑ "Matthew Upson: Brighton & Hove Albion must use momentum". BBC Sport. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  30. ↑ Jago, Will (10 July 2013). "Upson Joins on Permanent Deal". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  31. ↑ "Leicester City Swoop For Upson". Leicester City. 23 May 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  32. ↑ "Leicester City's injury-hit Matt Upson returns to full training". Leicester Mercury. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  33. ↑ "Match Report Arsenal 2-1 Leicester". Leicester City FC. 15 February 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  34. ↑ "Matthew Upson". The Football Association (The FA). Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  35. ↑ Widdicombe, Josh (31 January 2008). "Beckham misses out in Capello's inaugural England squad". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  36. ↑ McKenzie, Andrew (19 November 2008). "Germany 1–2 England". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
  37. ↑ "Upson stars for England". West Ham United F.C. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  38. ↑ McNulty, Phil. "Germany 4–1 England". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  39. ↑ Lawrence, Julia; Topham, Laura (17 June 2010). "WORLD CUP 2010: Here come the WAGs... glossier, richer and more soaked in scandal than ever!". Daily Mail (London). Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  40. ↑ Tattum, Colin (14 October 2006). "Terry's lads a real class act". Birmingham Mail.
  41. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 1996/1997". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  42. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  43. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  45. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 46.2 "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  47. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  48. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  49. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  51. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  52. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  53. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  54. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  55. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  56. ↑ "UEFA Europa League 2011/12: Stoke: Squad". UEFA. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  58. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  59. ↑ "Games played by Matthew Upson in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  60. ↑ "Upson, Matthew". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 August 2011.

External links