Neil Webb
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| Neil Webb | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Neil John Webb | |
| Date of birth | July 30, 1963 (age 43) | |
| 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 β Swindon Town (loan) Grimsby Town |
72 (22) 123 (34) 146 (47) 75 (8) 30 (3) 0 (0) 4 (1) |
| National team | ||
| 1987-1992 | England | 26 (4) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Neil John Webb (born July 30, 1963 in Reading, Berkshire) is a former English football player.
Contents |
[edit] Player
He joined Reading on leaving school in 1979, debuting in February 1980 becoming the youngest ever scorer for the team. In July 1982 he transferred to Portsmouth and later turned out for Nottingham Forest where he developed into a top class midfielder and won the League Cup in 1989 as well as being a regular member of the England team.
In the summer of 1989 he joined Manchester United. 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.[1]. Webb was still a clinical 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.
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 [2].
[edit] Manager
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 β but quit after just 70 days. Webb split up with his wife Shelley Webb in 1997 after he had a fling with a singer. In 2001 he became manager of Reading Town, but left soon after.
[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 pounds a week.
He soon started working with The Score in Canada as their English football correspondent for their "Sportsworld" program. He is on every Thursday, and gives his opinion on the happenings of the EPL and the world of football. He finished his job as a postman, and now works for Charlton Athletic F.C. of the EPL.
[edit] Private Life
Neil Webb's ex-wife Shelley Webb became a TV presenter, becoming a real footballer's wives interviewee, and then wrote the book called "Footballers' Wives". Webb and Shelley have two sons, Luke and Josh who are playing football at youth level with Coventry City and Reading respectively, the former having previously played with Arsenal Under 18s.
[edit] Honours
With Nottingham Forest:
- League Cup Winner: 1989
With Manchester United:
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Winner: 1991 (Unused Sub)
- FA Cup Winner: 1990
- League Cup Winner: 1992 (Unused Sub)
- League Cup Runner Up: 1991
 |
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 |
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Categories: 1963 births | England international footballers | England under-21 international footballers | English footballers | FIFA World Cup 1990 players | Grimsby Town F.C. players | Living people | Manchester United F.C. players | Nottingham Forest F.C. players | Portsmouth F.C. players | Reading F.C. players | Swindon Town F.C. players | People from Reading, Berkshire | UEFA Euro 1988 players | UEFA Euro 1992 players
