Neil Webb

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Neil Webb
Personal information
Full name Neil John Webb
Date of birth 30 July 1963 (1963-07-30) (age 44)
Place of birth    Reading, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position Midfielder
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1980–1982
1982–1985
1985–1989
1989–1992
1992–1996
1994
1996–1997		 Reading
Portsmouth
Nottingham Forest
Manchester United
Nottingham Forest
→ Swindon Town (loan)
Grimsby Town
Career		 072 0(22)
123 0(34)
146 0(47)
075 00(8)
030 00(3)
000 00(0)
004 00(1)
450 (115)   
National team
1985–1986
1987–1992
1990–1992		 England U21
England
England B		 003 00(0)
026 00(4)
004 00(0)
Teams managed
1997 Weymouth

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of March 16, 2007.
* Appearances (Goals)

Neil John Webb (born 30 July 1963 in Reading, Berkshire) is an English television pundit and former football player.

Contents

[edit] Playing career

Webb joined Reading on leaving school in 1979 and made his first-team debut in February 1980. He became the youngest ever scorer for the team. In July 1982 he transferred to Portsmouth where he was a regular first-team player. In 1985 Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough paid Portsmouth £250,000[1] for Webb. At Forest he developed into a top class midfielder. During his time on Trentside he won the League Cup in 1989 and became a regular member of the England national team.

In the summer of 1989 he joined Manchester United for a £1.5m transfer fee, scoring on his league debut against Arsenal.[1] Unfortunately, after a bright start for the Manchester club, Webb snapped his achilles tendon while playing a match for England against Sweden. He never returned to his previous form, suffering from weight problems and other injuries.[2] Webb was still a precise passer of the ball and was included in the England 1990 World Cup squad. He also helped Manchester United win the FA Cup, Cup Winners' Cup and League Cup, memorably hitting a clinical 50 yard pass to Lee Martin who subsequently scored the winning goal in the FA Cup Final replay. However, his injuries and competition from other midfielders like Paul Ince and Bryan Robson, meant that his days at Old Trafford were numbered and he returned to Nottingham Forest in November 1992. He was the 1000th player to win an England cap.

His second spell at Forest was unsuccessful, as he could not win a regular first-team place because of the emergence of other players like Steve Stone and Lars Bohinen. He had a spell on loan at Reading in the 1995-96 season before finally leaving Forest for good in the summer of 1996 and signing for Grimsby Town.

In a vote to compile the Royals' best-ever eleven, Webb was voted on the team in central midfield.[3]

[edit] Management career

After having to give up playing football in 1996, from June to December 1997 he was player-coach of Dr Martens Southern Division side Weymouth, but quit after just 70 days. His next spell in management with non-league Reading Town in 2001 was also short-lived.

[edit] After football

After Webb left Reading, he could occasionally be found selling programmes at Reading F.C.'s Madejski Stadium. He then worked as a postman in Reading, working 10 hour shifts and getting paid £220 a week.[citation needed]

He soon started working with The Score Television Network in Canada as their English football correspondent for their "Sportsworld" and "Footy Show" programs. He is on every Sunday, and gives his opinion on the happenings of the English Premier League (EPL) and the world of football. He finished his job as a postman, and now works for Charlton Athletic F.C., a Championship side

[edit] Private life

Neil Webb's ex-wife Shelley Webb became a TV presenter, becoming a real footballers' wives interviewee, and then wrote the book called Footballers' Wives. Webb and Shelley have two sons, Luke and Josh, who are playing football; Luke with Hereford United and Josh at youth level with Reading. Luke Webb previously played with Arsenal Under-18s.

[edit] Honours

With Nottingham Forest:

With Manchester United:

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Neil Webb at Soccerbase.com
  2. ^ Rice, X. 2004. When the music stops: Part 1. The Observer
  3. ^ Revealed - The Royals' best-ever XI. ReadingFC.co.uk
v • d • e
England squad - 1990 FIFA World Cup Fourth Place
1 Shilton • 2 Stevens • 3 Pearce • 4 Webb • 5 Walker • 6 Butcher • 7 Bryan Robson • 8 Waddle • 9 Beardsley • 10 Lineker • 11 Barnes • 12 Parker • 13 Woods • 14 Wright • 15 Dorigo • 16 McMahon • 17 Platt • 18 Hodge • 19 Gascoigne • 20 Steven • 21 Bull • 22 Beasant • Coach: Bobby Robson
 Flag of England
v • d • e
England squad - 1992 UEFA European Championship
1 Woods • 2 Curle • 3 Pearce • 4 Keown • 5 Walker • 6 Wright • 7 Platt • 8 Steven • 9 Clough • 10 Lineker • 11 Sinton • 12 Palmer • 13 Martyn • 14 Dorigo • 15 Webb • 16 Merson • 17 Smith • 18 Daley • 19 Batty • 20 Shearer • Coach: Taylor
 Flag of England