After beginning playing in Jersey, he moved to England and debuted for Chelsea in 1989. He left Chelsea in 1993 to join the Blackburn side and was part of their 1994-95 Premier League winning team. In 1997 he returned to Chelsea, staying there for six seasons until moving to Southampton in 2003. He announced his retirement from football upon Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League in 2005.
How do you like to spend time after training and football matches?
I used to try to get as far away from football in my down time. It was hard when I was younger as people took that as I wasn’t a team player.
If you were stranded on a desert island who would be the worst team mate past or present to be with and why?
Dennis Wise – We are great mates but on a desert island it would be carnage. He isn’t good in confined spaces and has so much nervous energy that I would have to constantly keep him occupied.
Best city you have toured and played football in?
Istanbul – Played against Galatasaray in Champions League, such a great city and made it so much nicer that we beat them 5-0!!
Who do you think will win the World Cup this year?
Easy choice is Brazil – As it’s a home crowd, great team and lots of passion.
There are a lot of young players in our squad this year who do you think will shine during this tournament?
Oxlade-Chamberlain but he got injured before the first match. Also Ross Barkley
Do you have any pre match superstitions? If so what were they?
We were very routine based, so I tried to force myself to break my routine so I didn’t get set on it. I used to put my left shin pad on before my right.
Worst injury?
Fracture and dislocation of my right foot, which meant I missed 1996 as I had a big op and one year’s rehabilitation programme. I still have a plate and 7 screws in my ankle, so thanks for bringing that up again….!!!!
If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be?
Great question!! There are so many people out there that I look up to. I would love to be David Cameron as I would love the power. I would go through everything in a week with no sleep and just move everything back to how I want it to be before David returns.