Arjan de Zeeuw facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Adrianus Johannes de Zeeuw | ||
| Date of birth | 16 April 1970 | ||
| Place of birth | Castricum, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Vitesse '22 | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1992–1995 | Telstar | 102 | (5) |
| 1995–1999 | Barnsley | 138 | (7) |
| 1999–2002 | Wigan Athletic | 130 | (6) |
| 2002–2005 | Portsmouth | 106 | (5) |
| 2005–2007 | Wigan Athletic | 52 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | Coventry City | 17 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | ADO '20 | 12 | (0) |
| Total | 557 | (23) | |
|
|||
Adrianus Johannes "Arjan" de Zeeuw (born April 16, 1970) is a former Dutch professional footballer. He played as a centre-back, which is a key defensive position.
Arjan started his career with Telstar in the Netherlands. He then spent most of his playing days in England. He played in the top league, the Premier League, for both Barnsley and Portsmouth. He helped these teams get promoted to the Premier League in 1997 and 2003. He also played for Wigan Athletic and Coventry City. Arjan retired from football in 2009 after a short time back in the Netherlands with ADO '20.
Contents
Arjan's Football Journey
Starting in the Netherlands
Arjan de Zeeuw was born in Castricum, North Holland, in the Netherlands. He began his football career playing for an amateur club called Vitesse '22. While playing, he also studied medical science at university.
When he was 22 years old, Arjan decided to become a professional footballer. He signed with Telstar, a team in the Eerste Divisie, which is the second division in Dutch football. In 1995, he almost quit football. He felt Telstar was asking for too much money for him to move to a bigger club, Utrecht. But he decided to stay with Telstar for one more year.
Moving to England: Barnsley
Later in 1995, an English club called Barnsley became interested in Arjan. They signed him for about £250,000 during the 1995–96 season. In December 1995, he scored his first goal in English football. It was in a 2–2 draw against Ipswich Town.
Arjan was a very important player for Barnsley. He helped the team win promotion to the Premier League in the 1996–97 season. The Premier League is the highest football league in England. Barnsley was relegated, meaning they went down a division, the next year. Arjan almost left the club, but the new manager, John Hendrie, convinced him to stay.
Success at Wigan Athletic
When his contract ended in 1999, Arjan moved to Wigan Athletic. At Wigan, he quickly became a key player. He was very reliable in defence. Fans and coaches recognized his hard work. He won the club's Player of the Year award in both 2001 and 2002.
Joining Portsmouth and Becoming Captain
Arjan's contract with Wigan ended in 2002. He then moved to Portsmouth for free. He was a crucial part of the Portsmouth team that won the First Division championship in 2003. This meant Portsmouth also got promoted to the Premier League!
He continued to play very well in Portsmouth's first season in the Premier League. Fans voted him Portsmouth Player of the Year. For the 2004–05 season, he was given the captain's armband. He led the team and helped them stay in the Premier League.
In 2004, during a match, Arjan showed great professionalism. He remained calm and focused. He then scored the winning goal for Portsmouth in their 1–0 victory. Many people see him as a great example of a professional footballer.
Returning to Wigan and Later Career
In the summer of 2005, Arjan returned to Wigan Athletic. He wanted to be sure he would play regularly. Even though he was older for a footballer, he had a very consistent season with Wigan. He helped them finish well in the Premier League. Even the Prime Minister at the time, Tony Blair, praised him!
In Wigan's second Premier League season, Arjan faced some injuries. He struggled to get a regular spot in the first team. He left the club on May 17, 2007. While at Wigan, he played in the 2006 Football League Cup Final. In a special poll, fans voted Arjan de Zeeuw as the best player of all time for Wigan Athletic.
In June 2007, Arjan signed a one-year contract with Coventry City. He made his debut on September 15, 2007, against Bristol City. His season was affected by injuries. At the end of the 2007–08 season, Coventry City decided not to renew his contract.
In 2009, he signed with ADO '20, a club back in the Netherlands, before retiring.
Life After Football
After retiring from football in 2009, Arjan de Zeeuw started a new career. He began working as an investigative detective in Alkmaar, Netherlands. He specializes in forensics, which involves using scientific methods to solve crimes.
Honours
Wigan Athletic
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2005–06
Individual
- Barnsley Player of the Year: 1995–96
- PFA Team of the Year: 2000–01 Second Division, 2001–02 Second Division
See Also
- List of footballers who have played for Barnsley F.C.
- List of Portsmouth F.C. players
- List of Wigan Athletic F.C. players
