# Nigel Winterburn
**Nigel Winterburn** (born 1963) is an English former professional footballer who played as a left back, most notably for Arsenal from 1987 to 2000, where he was part of the celebrated defensive line known as "The Back Four" and won three league titles.[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/) • [2](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0193-0f844f74d0d2-cc073253765c-1000--winterburn-calls-it-a-day/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1963, England[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/) |
| Position | Defender / left back[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/) |
| Clubs | Birmingham City (1981–83), Oxford United (1983), Wimbledon (1983–87), Arsenal (1987–2000), West Ham United (2000–03)[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/) |
| Arsenal league record | 429 league appearances (plus 11 as substitute), 8 goals, over 13 seasons[3](https://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/arsenal-fc/nigel-winterburn-9287/league-appearances_a19093/) |
| Major honors | English league title 1989, 1991, 1998; FA Cup 1993 and 1998; League Cup 1993; European Cup Winners' Cup 1994 (runner-up 1995)[2](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0193-0f844f74d0d2-cc073253765c-1000--winterburn-calls-it-a-day/) • [1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/) |
| England career | 2 caps, 1990–1993[4](https://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?ham=758&united=Nigel_Winterburn&west=2) |
| Retirement | Announced July 2003, aged 39, after 17 years as a professional[2](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0193-0f844f74d0d2-cc073253765c-1000--winterburn-calls-it-a-day/) |
## Early career
Winterburn began his football career with Birmingham City, joining them in August 1981, but was discarded by the club as a youngster. He moved to Oxford United in August 1983 and, after only weeks there, signed for Wimbledon on 22 September 1983.[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/) He made his league debut for Wimbledon on 27 August 1983, aged 19, in a 2-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers, and over four seasons at the club made 164 league appearances (plus one as substitute), scoring 8 goals.[3](https://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/arsenal-fc/nigel-winterburn-9287/league-appearances_a19093/) Wimbledon of this era was the home of the self-styled "Crazy Gang", and Winterburn arrived at Arsenal from that background.[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/)
## Arsenal (1987–2000)
Arsenal manager George Graham signed Winterburn from Wimbledon on 26 May 1987 for £407,000, with a view to replacing the aging [Kenny Sansom](https://www.edgepedia.org/kenny-sansom).[3](https://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/arsenal-fc/nigel-winterburn-9287/league-appearances_a19093/) • [5](https://www.arsenal.com/feature/greatest-50-players-32.-nigel-winterburn-alLcz2Q71KOG) Replacing Sansom, a long-serving stalwart, was a demanding task, and Winterburn spent the majority of his debut season in the reserves before impressing enough to fight for a starting place.[5](https://www.arsenal.com/feature/greatest-50-players-32.-nigel-winterburn-alLcz2Q71KOG) His league debut came on 21 November 1987 as a substitute in a 1-0 home defeat to Southampton, aged 23.[3](https://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/arsenal-fc/nigel-winterburn-9287/league-appearances_a19093/) In his early months Graham also used him on several occasions at right back to give the disappointed new signing playing time.[6](https://www.arsenal.com/sites/default/files/documents/Aston%20Villa%20digital%20programme%20Nov%208%202020.pdf)
**The Back Four.** Winterburn held down a permanent spot in Arsenal's famous back four of the late 1980s and 1990s, alongside [Lee Dixon](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-dixon), Tony Adams, and [Steve Bould](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-bould), with [David Seaman](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-seaman) behind them.[2](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0193-0f844f74d0d2-cc073253765c-1000--winterburn-calls-it-a-day/) The end result of that era was three league titles, two FA Cups, one League Cup, and a European Cup Winners' Cup success.[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/) UEFA records that he helped Arsenal win the English league title in 1989, 1991, and 1998 as well as a number of cup competitions.[2](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0193-0f844f74d0d2-cc073253765c-1000--winterburn-calls-it-a-day/)
His honors with the club, as listed in his playing record, were the First Division championship in 1989 and 1991, the [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup) and League Cup, both won in 1993, the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1994, and the Cup Winners' Cup runner-up medal in 1995.[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/) One early low point came in the 1988 League Cup final against Luton Town, which he played at right back and in which he missed a penalty as Arsenal lost 3-2.[6](https://www.arsenal.com/sites/default/files/documents/Aston%20Villa%20digital%20programme%20Nov%208%202020.pdf)
Across 13 seasons he made 429 league appearances for Arsenal, scoring 8 goals, with his final season, 1999-2000, spent largely as a squad player making 19 league starts and 9 substitute appearances.[3](https://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/arsenal-fc/nigel-winterburn-9287/league-appearances_a19093/) • [1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/) Although predominantly a defender in a water-tight team, he was not averse to bombing forward on the left flank, and his professionalism and appetite for the game commanded the respect of fans throughout his Highbury career.[5](https://www.arsenal.com/feature/greatest-50-players-32.-nigel-winterburn-alLcz2Q71KOG) In a poll of tens of thousands of Arsenal fans worldwide, he was ranked 32nd in the club's Greatest 50 Players list.[5](https://www.arsenal.com/feature/greatest-50-players-32.-nigel-winterburn-alLcz2Q71KOG)
## West Ham United and retirement
Winterburn left for West Ham United in the summer of 2000, at the age of 36, for a fee of £250,000, after 13 years of service to Arsenal.[3](https://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/arsenal-fc/nigel-winterburn-9287/league-appearances_a19093/) He sought a club that allowed him to continue playing at the highest level, and his desire remained strong.[5](https://www.arsenal.com/feature/greatest-50-players-32.-nigel-winterburn-alLcz2Q71KOG) His West Ham league debut came on 19 August 2000 in a 4-2 defeat at Chelsea, aged 36.[3](https://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/arsenal-fc/nigel-winterburn-9287/league-appearances_a19093/)
In his first season at Upton Park he was rarely absent, a model of consistency who became a firm favorite of the West Ham fans. Deployed either as a left wing back or in a midfield role on the left flank, he formed a good understanding with [Paolo Di Canio](https://www.edgepedia.org/paolo-di-canio), and his sole goal for West Ham was a diving header that clinched a 1-0 win at Leeds.[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/) Over three seasons he made 78 league appearances (plus 4 as substitute) and scored 1 goal.[3](https://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/arsenal-fc/nigel-winterburn-9287/league-appearances_a19093/)
West Ham released him at the end of the 2002-03 season, after 17 years as a professional, and in July 2003 he announced his retirement at the age of 39. "At 39 I don't think I'm capable of playing in the Premier League any longer," he said. "I always said I would like to finish at the top."[2](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0193-0f844f74d0d2-cc073253765c-1000--winterburn-calls-it-a-day/)
## England career
Despite being one of the most consistent defenders in England over his Arsenal years, Winterburn was almost constantly overlooked by international managers, winning just 2 England caps between 1990 and 1993.[4](https://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?ham=758&united=Nigel_Winterburn&west=2) One of his international appearances came on 18 December 1991, when England beat Spain 1-0.[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/)
## References
1. [Nigel Winterburn Football Player Statistics, 11v11.com](https://www.11v11.com/players/nigel-winterburn-20/)
2. [Winterburn calls it a day, UEFA.com, 23 July 2003](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0193-0f844f74d0d2-cc073253765c-1000--winterburn-calls-it-a-day/)
3. [Nigel WINTERBURN - Arsenal - League appearances, sporting-heroes.net](https://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/arsenal-fc/nigel-winterburn-9287/league-appearances_a19093/)
4. [Nigel Winterburn, westhamstats.info](https://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?ham=758&united=Nigel_Winterburn&west=2)
5. [Greatest 50 Players - 32. Nigel Winterburn, Arsenal.com](https://www.arsenal.com/feature/greatest-50-players-32.-nigel-winterburn-alLcz2Q71KOG)
6. [Aston Villa digital matchday programme, 8 November 2020, Arsenal.com](https://www.arsenal.com/sites/default/files/documents/Aston%20Villa%20digital%20programme%20Nov%208%202020.pdf)
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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 1990–2004*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license