Dalian Atkinson

Dalian Atkinson

Personal information
Full name	Dalian Robert Atkinson[1]
Date of birth	21 March 1968 (1968-03-21) (age 43)
Place of birth	Telford, Shropshire, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1985–1989	Ipswich Town	60	(18)
1989–1990	Sheffield Wednesday	38	(10)
1990–1991	Real Sociedad	29	(12)
1991–1995	Aston Villa	85	(23)
1995–1996	Fenerbahçe S.K.	21	(10)
1996	→ Metz (loan)
1996–1997	→ Manchester City (loan)	8	(2)
1998–1999	Al-Ittihad
2001	→ Daejeon Citizen (loan)	1	(0)
2001	Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors	4	(0)
National team
1990	England B	1	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Dalian Robert Atkinson (born 21 March 1968 in Telford, Shropshire) is an English former footballer who played as a striker in the Football League and Premier League for Ipswich Town, Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa and Manchester City,^[2] in La Liga for Real Sociedad,^[3] in Ligue 1 for Metz, in the Turkish Super League for Fenerbahçe,^[1] in Saudi Arabia for Al-Ittihad, and in the K-League for Daejeon Citizen and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

Atkinson is probably most often remembered for his magnificent solo goal against Wimbledon in a 3-2 away win on 3 October 1992, which won a BBC Match of the Day Goal of the Season competition for the 1992-93 season, the first season of the new FA Premier League, when Villa finished runners-up.^[4]He also had the distinction of scoring Villa's first Premier League goal, when he scored their 84th minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town on the opening day of the season.^[5]

He is also fondly remembered by Aston Villa fans for his inspirational performance and crucial goal in the 1994 League Cup final win against Manchester United.

Atkinson first came to prominence at Ipswich Town as a teenager, impressing seasoned experts with his speed and daring which included an incredible hat-trick against a Middlesbrough side containing Gary Pallister and future Ipswich captain Tony Mowbray at the heart of their defence in the 1987-88 season.

In 1989, manager Ron Atkinson (no relation) brought him to Sheffield Wednesday for £450,000 where he formed a fine front partnership with David Hirst for a single season before moving to Real Sociedad for £1.7million.

He was an ever-present in the league for Sheffield Wednesday in his only season there, scoring 10 goals but being unable to prevent them from being relegated.

After joining Aston Villa for £1.6million in July 1991, he became one half of another impressive partnership, the so-called D-Men (AKA Deadly Duo), alongside Dean Saunders, when Saunders arrived from Liverpool a year after Atkinson arrived there from Real Sociedad. The partnership was broken in 1995 when both players were sold to Turkish clubs - Saunders to Galatasaray and Atkinson to Fenerbahçe for £1.7 million.^[6]

However, despite an encouraging start, Atkinson failed to settle in Turkey and had loan spells with FC Metz and Manchester City before leaving in 1997 and winding down his career with spells in Saudi Arabia and South Korea, finally retiring as a player in 2001.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Player Details: Dalian Robert Atkinson". Turkish Football Federation. http://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?pageId=526&kisiId=26421. Retrieved 24 January 2010. 
2. ^ "Dalian Atkinson". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/dalianatkinson.htm. Retrieved 24 January 2010. 
3. ^ "Real Sociedad - Liga BBVA Squad season 1990-1991". Liga de Futból Profesional. http://www.lfp.es/default.aspx?tabid=113&Controltype=plan&IDEquipo=32&IDTemporada=090&IDDivision=1&language=en-GB. Retrieved 24 January 2010. 
4. ^ [1]
5. ^ [2]
6. ^ Ridley, Ian (13 August 1995). "Club-by-club guide: The prospects, the players to watch, the arrivals and departures". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/clubbyclub-guide-the-prospects-the-players-to-watch-the-arrivals-and-departures-1596119.html. Retrieved 10 October 2010. 

External links

• Dalian Atkinson career stats at Soccerbase
• K-League Player Record (Korean)

Persondata
Name	Atkinson, Dalian
Alternative names
Short description	Footballer
Date of birth	21 March 1968
Place of birth	{Telford} Shropshire, England
Date of death
Place of death