Paul Wotton

Infobox Football biography
playername = Paul Wotton


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1977|8|17
cityofbirth = Plymouth
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Southampton
clubnumber = 10
position = Defender/Midfielder
years = 1994–2008
2008–
clubs = Plymouth Argyle
Southampton
caps(goals) = 394 (54)
008 0(0)
nationalcaps(goals) =
ntupdate =
pcupdate = 19:26, 4 October 2008 (UTC)

Paul Anthony Wotton (born August 17, 1977) is an English footballer who plays Southampton, having spent most of his career with his hometown club of Plymouth Argyle where he is known to be the most successful captain it's history.

Career

His first season for Plymouth Argyle was also his first as a professional, under Neil Warnock in 1994/5. After Argyle were relegated from the Second Division at the end of the 1997/8 season following defeat at Burnley he famously vowed that he would be part of the side that won promotion, and captained the side to the title with a record 102 points in 2001/2 whilst being named in the PFA Division Three team of the year [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1930771.stm] . Two seasons later he again lifted some silverware, this time the Division Two championship. He was named the player of the season for Argyle for the following 2004/5 season, in which the team finished 17th.

Wotton can be described as a solid and mature defender with a ferocious shot taking ability that results in him taking the majority of free-kicks and penalties. Playing at centre back during Argyle's Third and Second Division championship winning seasons, his slight lack of pace means that in the Championship he now tends to play a holding midfield role just in front of the defence. He was the top-scorer in 2004/5 with 12 league goals, an excellent return for a non-striker, and again in 2005/6 with 8 goals. Despite he claimed love of the club Paul actully requested to be sold to Northampton Town at the start of the 2001/2 campaign. Northampton, however, refuesd to offer him a contract, thus he stay with the Pilgrims.

In the summer of 2006 he was involved in an incident with young striker Chris Zebroski, which required Wotton to have more than a hundred stitches in his head. Zebroski was sacked early in the 2006/7 season as a result of this, having been found guilty of gross misconduct. Zebroski said Wotton was bullying him for a while prior to the incident.

In the Championship match against Hull City on Saturday December 9 2006 he damaged his cruciate and medial ligaments to his left knee and missed the rest of the 2006-07 Championship season. He returned from injury in time for Paul Sturrock's return to the club as manager, and after making a handful of substitute appearances he returned to the side for his first start in 15 months in the 2-1 win at Bristol City on March 15, 2008.

His autobiography, "My Journey: The First Ten Years" was published in 2004.

In June 2008, Wotton was released by Plymouth. On 18 June he joined Southampton. [ [http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/articles/article.php?page_id=10234 Wotton signs for Southampton] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/7461270.stm Saints sign former Pilgrim Wotton ] ]

In his first start he came up against former club Plymouth's arch rivals, Exeter City, in the first round of a Carling Cup match that Southampton comfortably won 3-1.

Honours

With Plymouth Argyle

* 2001-02 Division Three Champions
* 2003-04 Division Two Champions
* 2001-02 Named in the PFA Division Three team of the year

Career statistics

"(correct as of May 20, 2008)"

fnb|1"Football League Trophy"

References

External links

* [http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/team/?page_id=6587&player_id=154 Paul Wotton player profile] at saintsfc.co.uk
* [http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10364~10544,00.html Paul Wotton player profile] at pafc.co.uk