# Lee Dixon
**Lee Dixon** (Lee Michael Dixon, born 1964 in Manchester) is an English former footballer who played as a right-back, most notably for Arsenal from 1988 to 2002, and who now works as a pundit and co-commentator for [NBC Sports](https://www.edgepedia.org/nbc-sports) and ITV.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964, Manchester, England; height 1.75 m, weight 74 kg[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/lee-dixon-14/) |
| Clubs | Burnley (1982–84), Chester City (1984–85), Bury (1985–86), Stoke City (1986–88), Arsenal (January 1988 – 2002)[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/lee-dixon-14/) |
| Arsenal record | 619 appearances, 28 goals[2](https://www.arsenal.com/feature/arsenal-dream-team-2.-lee-dixon-aq44V1d2BRGG) |
| Honours with Arsenal | Four league titles (1989, 1991, 1998, 2002), three FA Cups (1993, 1998, 2002), League Cup (1993), European Cup Winners' Cup (1994)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1325928/trivia/) |
| England | 22 caps, 1 goal, all while an Arsenal player[4](https://www.englandstats.com/player.php?pid=1021) |
| Transfer to Arsenal | Signed by George Graham from Stoke City for £390,000 in 1988[5](https://cdn.hattersheritage.co.uk/archive/1991-92%2BSeason%2BDONE/Matches/M3986%2BLuton%2BTown%2Bv%2BArsenal/Programme/Programme.pdf) |
| Broadcasting | NBC Sports Premier League analyst since the 2013–14 season; ITV co-commentator alongside Sam Matterface at international tournaments[6](https://www.nbcsports.com/pressbox/bios/lee-dixon) • [7](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/world-cup-2026-itvs-presenters-pundits-commentators-and-reporters-in-full) |
## Early career
Dixon began as an apprentice at Burnley, joining the club in the summer of 1980, and made his first-team breakthrough in the early 1980s in the lower divisions of English football[8](https://www.clarets-mad.co.uk/feat/ed35/lee_dixonnbsp_342602/index.shtml). His league record shows 3 appearances for Burnley in 1982–83 (Division Two), 16 appearances and 1 goal for Chester City in 1983–84 (Division Four), and 42 appearances and 3 goals for Stoke City in 1986–87 (Division Two)[9](https://www.historical-lineups.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Right-Backs-3.pdf). A spell at Bury in 1985–86 sits between the Chester and Stoke periods[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/lee-dixon-14/).
He made over 180 league appearances for Stoke before Arsenal signed him for £390,000 in January 1988[5](https://cdn.hattersheritage.co.uk/archive/1991-92%2BSeason%2BDONE/Matches/M3986%2BLuton%2BTown%2Bv%2BArsenal/Programme/Programme.pdf). His father, Roy Dixon, had been a goalkeeper at Manchester City[10](https://thetopflight.com/posts/premier-league-legends-lee-dixon-01j9b4amasgh).
## Arsenal
Dixon joined a side being rebuilt by manager George Graham and became a fixture at right-back for 14 years at Highbury[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/lee-dixon-14/). He was part of the defensive unit, with goalkeeper [David Seaman](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-seaman) and defenders [Nigel Winterburn](https://www.edgepedia.org/nigel-winterburn), Tony Adams, and [Steve Bould](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-bould), that underpinned Arsenal's title wins in 1989 and 1991[10](https://thetopflight.com/posts/premier-league-legends-lee-dixon-01j9b4amasgh). In 1988–89, his first full season, he made 31 league appearances and scored once as Arsenal won the First Division[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/lee-dixon-14/).
The honors accumulated across his Arsenal career are extensive: First Division championships in 1989 and 1991, the Premier League in 1998 and 2002, the [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup) in 1993, 1998, and 2002, the League Cup in 1993, the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1994, and Charity Shields in 1998 and 1999[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1325928/trivia/). He was on the losing side in the 1995 European Cup Winners' Cup final[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/lee-dixon-14/) and in the 2000 UEFA Cup final, and received a testimonial from the club in 1999[11](https://www.tvnewsroom.co.uk/biography-images/lee-dixon-6826/).
Under [Arsène Wenger](https://www.edgepedia.org/arsene-wenger), who arrived in 1996, Dixon added two league-and-cup doubles (1997–98 and 2001–02), scoring 27 goals in 616 matches across all competitions in his Arsenal career, 24 of them in 458 league appearances[10](https://thetopflight.com/posts/premier-league-legends-lee-dixon-01j9b4amasgh). Arsenal's official site credits him with 619 appearances and 28 goals and describes him as an energetic overlapping full-back who linked with [David Rocastle](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-rocastle), Paul Merson, and [Freddie Ljungberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/freddie-ljungberg) at different stages, and who took on penalty duties before Ian Wright joined the club[2](https://www.arsenal.com/feature/arsenal-dream-team-2.-lee-dixon-aq44V1d2BRGG). He retired in 2002 at age 38, after 13 league appearances (3 starts, 10 as substitute) in the 2001–02 title-winning season[11](https://www.tvnewsroom.co.uk/biography-images/lee-dixon-6826/) • [1](https://www.11v11.com/players/lee-dixon-14/).
## England
Dixon won 22 caps for England, all while an Arsenal player, scoring 1 goal[4](https://www.englandstats.com/player.php?pid=1021). His international appearances by year were 4 in 1990, 7 in 1991, 3 in 1992, and 6 in 1993[12](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/15069/Lee_Dixon.html). Some sources give the total as 21 caps[12](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/15069/Lee_Dixon.html) • [7](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/world-cup-2026-itvs-presenters-pundits-commentators-and-reporters-in-full), while the England international database records 22[4](https://www.englandstats.com/player.php?pid=1021).
## Style of play
Contemporary description emphasizes reliability over flash. Arsenal's official account calls him rarely spectacular but solid and pragmatic, with fierce tackling, positional awareness, and a willingness to relish a physical battle, and notes his accurate long passing, including the long ball to the center forward that helped set up the decisive goal in the 1989 title decider at Liverpool[2](https://www.arsenal.com/feature/arsenal-dream-team-2.-lee-dixon-aq44V1d2BRGG). The 11v11 profile describes his efficient defending as the basis of an intelligent use of the ball further forward[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/lee-dixon-14/).
## Broadcasting
After retiring, Dixon moved into media work. He has served as a Premier League analyst for NBC Sports since the network began its exclusive United States coverage in the 2013–14 season[6](https://www.nbcsports.com/pressbox/bios/lee-dixon). For ITV he works as co-commentator alongside Sam Matterface on international fixtures, including at [UEFA Euro 2024](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-euro-2024) and the 2026 World Cup[7](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/world-cup-2026-itvs-presenters-pundits-commentators-and-reporters-in-full) • [13](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/who-are-the-itv-pundits-commentators-and-presenters-for-england-vs-spain).
## References
1. [Lee Dixon Football Player Statistics, 11v11.com](https://www.11v11.com/players/lee-dixon-14/)
2. [Arsenal Dream Team: 2. Lee Dixon, Arsenal.com](https://www.arsenal.com/feature/arsenal-dream-team-2.-lee-dixon-aq44V1d2BRGG)
3. [Lee Dixon – Trivia, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1325928/trivia/)
4. [Lee Dixon (1021), The England International Database, EnglandStats](https://www.englandstats.com/player.php?pid=1021)
5. [Today's visitors, Arsenal v Luton Town programme, 1991–92 season](https://cdn.hattersheritage.co.uk/archive/1991-92%2BSeason%2BDONE/Matches/M3986%2BLuton%2BTown%2Bv%2BArsenal/Programme/Programme.pdf)
6. [Lee Dixon, NBC Sports Pressbox bio](https://www.nbcsports.com/pressbox/bios/lee-dixon)
7. [World Cup 2026: ITV's presenters, pundits, commentators and reporters in full, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/world-cup-2026-itvs-presenters-pundits-commentators-and-reporters-in-full)
8. [Lee Dixon, Clarets Mad](https://www.clarets-mad.co.uk/feat/ed35/lee_dixonnbsp_342602/index.shtml)
9. [League Statistics: Right-Backs, historical-lineups.com](https://www.historical-lineups.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Right-Backs-3.pdf)
10. [Premier League Legends – Lee Dixon, The Top Flight](https://thetopflight.com/posts/premier-league-legends-lee-dixon-01j9b4amasgh)
11. [Lee Dixon biography, TV Newsroom](https://www.tvnewsroom.co.uk/biography-images/lee-dixon-6826/)
12. [Lee Dixon (Player), National Football Teams](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/15069/Lee_Dixon.html)
13. [Who are the ITV pundits, commentators and presenters for England vs Spain?, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/competition/who-are-the-itv-pundits-commentators-and-presenters-for-england-vs-spain)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of the British Isles (modern era) › English footballers 1970–1989*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license