Matthew Upson

Matthew Upson Date of Birth: Apr 18, 1979

After being rejected by both Norwich and Ipswich as a boy, Matthew was taken on at Luton who he skippered to the semi-finals of the F.A.Youth cup.

After only one substitute appearance in the Football League for the Hatters the composed central defender was snapped up by Arsenal in May 1997 for an eventual £2 million as ‘one for the future’.

Sadly, Matthew’s Highbury stay was beset with major injury problems and he decided to make a big money move to Birmingham in 2003 in order to resurrect his career in the Premiership.

Matthew subsequently made a a £6 million move to West Ham, and then on to Stoke, Brighton and Leicester in a long career picking up 21 England caps along the way.

On hanging up his boots, Matthew became a football pundit.