David Dunn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
David Dunn

Dunn playing for Blackburn Rovers in 2009
Personal information
Full name	David John Ian Dunn
Date of birth	(1979-12-27) 27 December 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth	Great Harwood, England
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Youth career
1997–1998	Blackburn Rovers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2003	Blackburn Rovers	136	(30)
2003–2007	Birmingham City	58	(7)
2007–2015	Blackburn Rovers	180	(20)
2015–2016	Oldham Athletic	8	(0)
Total		382	(57)
International career
1998	England U18	3	(0)
1998–2002	England U21	20	(3)
2002	England	1	(0)
Managerial career
2015–2016	Oldham Athletic
2017–2018	Blackburn Rovers U-23 (co-manager)
2020	Blackpool (caretaker)
2020	Barrow
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

David John Ian Dunn (born 27 December 1979) is an English former professional football player, manager and coach.

Dunn was an exciting attacking midfielder who played most of his career for Blackburn Rovers. He started as a youth player in 1997 and became a professional a year later. During his first time at Blackburn, he helped the team get promoted to the Premier League in 2001. He also helped them win the League Cup in 2002. David Dunn even played one game for the England national team in 2002.

After leaving Blackburn for Birmingham City in 2003, he returned to his home club in 2007. He played for Blackburn until 2015 before finishing his playing career at Oldham Athletic. After retiring as a player, Dunn moved into coaching and management. He has managed Oldham Athletic and Barrow, and also worked as a coach for other clubs.

Early Life and Football Dreams

David Dunn was born on 27 December 1979 in Great Harwood, England. He joined Blackburn Rovers as a schoolboy. After finishing school, he joined the club's youth training program.

David always wanted to be a footballer. His grandfather, David, was also a footballer and a big Blackburn Rovers fan, which inspired him. He looked up to former Blackburn player Simon Garner. Besides football, David also enjoyed playing cricket when he was growing up.

Club Career Highlights

David Dunn spent most of his playing days with his hometown club, Blackburn Rovers. He also played for Birmingham City and Oldham Athletic.

Blackburn Rovers: First Spell (1998–2003)

David joined Blackburn Rovers as a trainee in 1997. He quickly impressed the reserve team coaches. He made his first-team debut on 26 September 1998 against Everton. Even though his first game was short, he was excited to play.

His first goal for Blackburn came on 6 February 1999 against Aston Villa. By the end of the 1998–99 season, he had played 16 games and scored one goal.

Becoming a Key Player

In the 1999–2000 season, David worked hard to earn a regular spot in midfield. He scored his first goal of the season in a League Cup match against Portsmouth. Despite some injuries, he played 26 games and scored three goals that season.

The 2000–01 season was a big one for David. He became a regular starter and scored his first goal of the season against Norwich City. He even scored a hat-trick from the penalty spot in a League Cup game against Rochdale. David scored 18 goals that season, helping Blackburn get promoted back to the Premier League. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year for his great performances.

Premier League Success

In the 2001–02 season, David continued to shine in the Premier League. He played a big part in Blackburn's exciting 7–1 win over West Ham United. He also scored two goals, including a last-minute equaliser, in a thrilling 3–3 draw against Arsenal.

David helped Blackburn win the League Cup in 2002. They beat Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 in the final at the Millennium Stadium. He finished the season with seven goals in 34 games.

In the 2002–03 season, David started strong, scoring against Liverpool and Chelsea. He also played in the UEFA Cup for the first time. Despite some injuries, he scored eight goals in 35 games. At the end of this season, David decided to leave Blackburn for a new challenge.

Birmingham City (2003–2007)

David joined Birmingham City in 2003 for £5.5 million. He made a fantastic start, scoring on his debut in a 1–0 win against Tottenham Hotspur. He scored again two weeks later against Newcastle United.

However, injuries became a problem for David during his time at Birmingham. He struggled with hamstring and calf injuries, which limited his playing time. He even thought about retiring from football because of his injuries. Despite this, he scored two goals in 22 games in his first season. Over his four years at Birmingham, he played 58 league games and scored 7 goals.

Blackburn Rovers: Second Spell (2007–2015)

David returned to his beloved Blackburn Rovers on 17 January 2007. He was very happy to be back at his boyhood club. In his first game back, he helped Blackburn win with a last-minute goal against Sheffield United.

Key Player and Injuries

In the 2007–08 season, David started well, scoring against Arsenal. He became a very important player in midfield. He played 38 games that season and won the Special Club Award.

He was made vice-captain for the 2008–09 season. He scored in the first game against Everton but then suffered a serious Achilles injury, which kept him out for four months. His season was affected by more injuries, and he played 17 games, scoring once.

The 2009–10 season saw David return to top form. He scored in a League Cup game against Gillingham. He then scored important Premier League goals, including a memorable equaliser against local rivals Burnley. He also scored twice against Birmingham City and the winning penalty against Burnley at Turf Moor. David finished as Blackburn's top scorer with 10 goals in 28 games.

Later Years at Blackburn

David continued to play for Blackburn in the following seasons, but injuries remained a challenge. He still scored important goals, like against Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2010. In 2012, he scored against Fulham and Aston Villa. Blackburn was relegated from the Premier League that season.

In the 2012–13 season, David scored a dramatic 95th-minute goal against Burnley, which was named Goal of the Season. He signed a new one-year deal in 2013. He scored four goals in the 2013–14 season and was named the club's Man of the Year.

David announced he would leave Blackburn Rovers at the end of the 2014–15 season. He played his final game for the club on 2 May 2015, receiving a standing ovation from the fans. He played 12 games in his last season.

Oldham Athletic (2015)

On 30 July 2015, David signed for League One club Oldham Athletic. He made his debut on the opening day of the season against Walsall. He played nine games for Oldham before taking on a new role as manager.

International Career

David Dunn played for England at different youth levels. He played for the England U18 team in 1998. He then played for the England U21 team from 1998 to 2002, scoring three goals in 20 games.

He made his only appearance for the senior England squad on 7 September 2002. He came on as a substitute against Portugal. David later said he wished he had earned more caps for his country.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, David Dunn moved into coaching and management.

Oldham Athletic Manager (2015–2016)

On 13 September 2015, David was appointed caretaker manager of Oldham Athletic. He was later given the job permanently on 7 October. His first win as permanent manager was a 2–1 victory against Swindon Town. However, the team struggled, and David was dismissed on 12 January 2016.

Blackburn Rovers Coach (2016–2018)

In February 2016, David returned to Blackburn Rovers as an assistant coach for the under-23s team. This meant he officially retired from playing football. In 2017, he was promoted to first-team coach. He helped the under-23s team win their league in 2018. He left Blackburn in June 2018 to focus on family and other interests.

Blackpool Coach (2020)

In January 2020, David joined Blackpool as an assistant coach. He briefly became caretaker manager in February 2020. Under his care, Blackpool had a good run of results, including wins against Bolton Wanderers and Ipswich Town. He returned to his assistant coach role when a new manager was appointed.

Barrow Manager (2020)

In July 2020, David was appointed manager of Barrow, signing a two-year contract. This was his first permanent managerial role since Oldham. However, he was sacked on 13 December 2020, after 22 matches.

Port Vale Coach (2022–2024)

In July 2022, David joined Port Vale as a first-team coach. He left the club in February 2024.

Personal Life

David Dunn has three children with his wife, Hayley. He was previously engaged to actress Sammy Winward, and they have a daughter named Mia.

During his first time at Blackburn Rovers, David wrote a column for the Lancashire Telegraph. He is also involved in a timber business with former teammate Garry Flitcroft.

Career statistics

Club

International

Managerial

Honours

Blackburn Rovers

• FA Youth Cup runner-up: 1998
• Football League First Division second-place promotion: 2000–01
• League Cup: 2001–02

Birmingham City

• Football League Championship second-place promotion: 2006–07

Individual

• BBC North West's Annual Sports Awards: 2001
• PFA Team of the Year: 2000–01 First Division

Images for kids

• 

  Dunn playing for Blackburn Rovers in 2009

See also

In Spanish: David Dunn para niños