Michael Appleton
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| Michael Appleton | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Appleton | |
| Date of birth | April 12, 1975 (age 31) | |
| Place of birth | Salford, England | |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | |
| Playing position | Midfielder | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | West Bromwich Albion (assistant academy manager) |
|
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1994-1997 1995 1997 1997-2001 2001-2003 |
Manchester United → Lincoln City (loan) → Grimsby Town (loan) Preston North End West Bromwich Albion |
0 (0) 4 (0) 10 (3) 121 (12) 33 (0) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Michael Appleton (born April 12, 1975), is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder until his playing career was cut short by a serious knee injury. He is West Bromwich Albion's assistant academy manager.
Contents |
[edit] Playing career
[edit] Manchester United
Appleton started his playing career at Manchester United, earning a professional contact in 1994. In 1995 Appleton was loaned out to Lincoln City for a month to get first team experience, playing four league matches and one match in the Football League Trophy, before returning to Old Trafford. In October 1996, Appleton made his Manchester United début in the 2-1 League Cup victory versus Swindon Town. Appleton's second and last game for The Red Devils was the 2-0 defeat at Filbert Street against Leicester City. In January 1997, Appleton joined Grimsby Town on a two month loan from United, scoring three goals in 10 league matches for The Mariners against Swindon Town, Barnsley and United's Manchester rivals; Manchester City. He returned to United in March 1997.
[edit] Preston North End
In the 1997-98 pre-season, Appleton joined Preston North End for a fee of £500,000. In his 3½ years at Deepdale, Appleton played 145 first team games, scoring 15 goals. He also played an important part in The Lilywhites promotion to Division One in 2000.
[edit] West Bromwich Albion
In January 2001, Appleton moved from Preston to West Bromwich Albion for a fee of £750,000, signing a 3½ year contract.[1] Appleton made his début in a 2-1 victory versus Sheffield United, picking up a yellow card. He went on to play an important part in The Baggies play-off chase, although they ultimately lost to Bolton Wanderers in the semi-finals. At the start of the 2001-02 season, Appleton was a regular in the first team, but on 19 November, 2001, Appleton tore Posterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee, after an accidental training ground collision with team mate Des Lyttle. He was initially expected to be out for the rest of the season.[2] With West Brom getting promoted to the Premier League, Appleton had to wait until February 2003 for his return to football, 28 minutes into a reserve team match against former club Manchester United.[3] In November 2003, at the age of 27, Appleton was forced to retire, after losing his two year battle against injury. West Brom manager Gary Megson described Appleton's retirement as "One of the saddest days I've had as a manager, Football can't afford to be losing a player of his ilk."[4]
[edit] Injury damages court case
In June 2005, Appleton announced that he was going to sue the surgeon that he believed had ended his career early. The surgeon's name was not announced, and the case was set to start in early 2007.[5] In June West Bromwich Albion Football Club began a £1,000,000 compensation claim against knee specialist Medhet Mohammed El-Safty, the surgeon who operated on Appleton, who West Brom described as "negligent".[6] It was said if West Bromwich Albion had won the case, it could result in many similar cases, the appeal court was told.[7] Mr Appleton's case against Mr El-Safty was heard by a high court judge in Manchester, with evidence provided by Appleton's former manager Sir Alex Ferguson and former team mates Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville, Manchester United's captain. Mr Appleton won his case but had to wait to hear how much many he would receive for his damages.[8]
| "I am relieved finally to have received judgment and to be able to put this chapter of my life behind me" |
| -- Michael Appleton[9] |
On March 23, 2007, Appleton was awarded £1.5 million pounds in damages for his injury as Mr El-Safty had admitted he wrongly operated on Mr Appleton. It was said that he could have earned £500,000 a year in the Premiership and the high court also commented that his career could have lasted until 2009.[9]
[edit] Coaching career
| "Having had my playing career taken away from me prematurely, I am all the more determined now to make a success of my coaching career" |
| -- Michael Appleton[9] |
Appleton is West Brom's assistant academy manager and hopes that his early end to his playing career means that he can become a successful football manager.[9]
[edit] Notes
- ^ "West Brom sign Appleton", BBC Sport, January 18, 2001. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
- ^ "Baggies' Appleton blow", BBC Sport, November 22, 2001. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
- ^ "Appleton on road to recovery", BBC Sport, February 4, 2003. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
- ^ "Appleton forced to retire", BBC Sport, November 13, 2001. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
- ^ "Ex-West Brom star to sue surgeon", BBC Sport, June 21, 2005. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
- ^ "West Brom sue 'negligent' surgeon", BBC News Online, June 21, 2006. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
- ^ "Warning over football club claim", BBC News Online, June 22, 2006. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
- ^ "Player must wait on surgery claim", BBC News Online, January 24, 2007. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
- ^ a b c d "Surgeon must pay footballer £1.5m", BBC News Online, March 23, 2007. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
