5'9"  10st.7lb.
b. Durham 27 October 1958
 

Debut  16 November 1991 (33y 20d) Final Game 8 May 1993 (34y 193d)
First Goal 7 December 1991 Final Goal 3 October 1992
CAREER: Garibaldi School,Mansfield;Mansfield Villa;Aston Villa Sep'76[276+10-42];Bari (Italy) Jun'85 (with Rideout for £850,000);Aston Villa Jul'88 (£250,000)[124+1-15];Blackburn Rovers Nov'91 (£200,000); Aston Villa Jun'93 (free)[9+2];Derby County Jan'94 (£80,000)[36];Wolverhampton Wanderers Dec'94 (£20,000)[31+6];Sheffield                                    United Dec'95 (free)[18+2];Bradford City Jul'96 (free)[23+1];Stockport County Mar'97 (free)[6+1];                                     Burnley Jul'97-Jun'98[5+1].
INTERNATIONALS England 10 apps
’83 v Wal,Hun,NIr,Sco,Aus,Aus,Aus.’86 v Egy,USSR.’91 v RoI.
HONOURS FL Ch (Aston Villa) ’81.FL Cp win (Aston Villa) ’81.Eur Cp win (Aston Villa) ’82.
 

FL/PL  49 + 1 apps       2 gls  - 9 wdn                                             + 5ns
FAC       5 apps             1 gl
FLC       4 apps                         - 1 wdn
PO        3 apps
Total  61 + 1 apps       3 gls   -10 wdn  + 17m - 144m et 30m    + 5ns
 

One of the most complete midfield players England has produced he was groomed through all the grades of the international game. If he had not twice broke a leg he would probably have established himself as a fixture in the national side. Perceptive, patient and a leader he perpetually demanded the ball playing it long or short and was always moving in order to make himself available for the pass. For one who employed the sliding tackle to such good effect he had a remarkable ability to recover to the vertical, an asset limited to good athletes. He was recruited by Kenny Dalglish to mastermind the attempt to gain promotion and was probably the key player when the club achieved this in 1992. Expected to be omitted in the upper flight he wrestled a place for himself but when his contract expired he returned home for his third spell with Aston Villa. After wandering from club to club he took over as reserve coach at Burnley but inevitably found himself playing again. Unsurprisingly when he left he returned again to Villa on the coaching staff.