Nigel Worthington facts for kids
Worthington as manager of York City in 2013
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nigel Worthington | ||
| Date of birth | 4 November 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | Ballymena, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender / Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1979–1981 | Ballymena United | 80 | (4) |
| 1981–1984 | Notts County | 67 | (4) |
| 1984–1994 | Sheffield Wednesday | 338 | (12) |
| 1994–1996 | Leeds United | 43 | (1) |
| 1996–1997 | Stoke City | 12 | (0) |
| 1997–1998 | Blackpool | 9 | (0) |
| Total | 549 | (21) | |
| International career | |||
| Northern Ireland U18 | 14 | (0) | |
| 1984–1997 | Northern Ireland | 66 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1997–1999 | Blackpool | ||
| 2000–2006 | Norwich City | ||
| 2007 | Leicester City (caretaker) | ||
| 2007–2011 | Northern Ireland | ||
| 2013–2014 | York City | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Nigel Worthington was born on November 4, 1961. He is a former professional footballer from Northern Ireland. He also worked as a manager for several football clubs, including York City.
Nigel played as a defender and a midfielder. He played for teams like Ballymena United, Notts County, Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United, Stoke City, and Blackpool. A big moment in his playing career was winning the League Cup with Sheffield Wednesday in 1991. He also played for the Northern Ireland national team 66 times and was part of their team at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
After his playing days, Nigel became a manager. He started as a player-manager for Blackpool in 1997. Later, he managed Norwich City and helped them get into the Premier League in the 2003–04 season. He also managed the Northern Ireland national team.
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Playing Career Highlights
Nigel Worthington started his football journey in his hometown of Ballymena, Northern Ireland, in 1979. He played for Ballymena United and was even named the Ulster Football Writers Young Player of the Year in 1981.
Moving to English Football
In 1981, Nigel moved to England to play for Notts County. He then joined Sheffield Wednesday in 1984. He stayed with Sheffield Wednesday for over 10 years, which is a long time for a player!
During his time at Sheffield Wednesday, he helped the team get promoted to the top division of English football. He was also a key player when they won the League Cup in 1991. Two years later, his team reached the final of the FA Cup, which is a very important competition.
After Sheffield Wednesday, Nigel played for Leeds United and Stoke City before finishing his playing career at Blackpool.
International Football for Northern Ireland
Nigel Worthington played for the Northern Ireland under-18 team 14 times. He then made his debut for the senior national team in 1984. This game was special because Northern Ireland won the British Home Championship trophy that day.
He helped Northern Ireland qualify for the 1986 FIFA World Cup. He played in two of their matches at the World Cup tournament. From 1995 to 1996, he was the captain of the Northern Ireland team. He played his last international game in 1997, having earned 66 caps for his country.
Managerial Journey
Nigel Worthington started his coaching career as a player-manager at Blackpool in 1997. He later stopped playing to focus only on managing the team. He left Blackpool in 1999.
Leading Norwich City
In 2000, Nigel became the assistant manager at Norwich City. Soon after, he became the main manager. He successfully saved the club from being relegated to a lower division.
In the 2001–02 season, Norwich City reached the play-off final to get into the top division, but they lost in a penalty shootout. However, in the 2003–04 season, Nigel led Norwich City to win the First Division championship! This meant they were promoted to the Premier League, which is the highest league in English football.
Unfortunately, Norwich City was relegated from the Premier League in 2005. Nigel continued to manage the team until October 2006.
Other Managerial Roles
After Norwich, Nigel briefly worked as a temporary manager for Leicester City in 2007. He helped them avoid relegation.
Later in 2007, he was appointed manager of the Northern Ireland national team. He managed them until 2011.
Managing York City
Nigel Worthington became the manager of York City in March 2013. His main goal was to help the team stay in League Two. On the very last day of the season, York City won their match, which secured their place in the league.
He signed a new contract and led York City to the League Two play-offs in the 2013–14 season. They played well but were eventually beaten in the semi-final. Nigel resigned from his role at York City in October 2014, saying that the team's performances were not meeting his expectations.
Personal Life
Nigel Worthington married Sandra Hopkins in Nottingham in 1983. His cousin, Brendan Rodgers, is also a well-known football manager.
Honours and Achievements
Nigel Worthington achieved several successes both as a player and as a manager.
As a Player
- Ballymena United
- Irish Cup: 1980–81
- Sheffield Wednesday
- Football League Second Division runner-up: 1983–84
- Football League Cup: 1990–91
As a Manager
- Norwich City
- First Division (champions): 2003–04
Individual Awards
- He was named Football League Two Manager of the Month twice, in April 2013 and March 2014.
Images for kids
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Worthington as manager of York City in 2013
