{{Short description|English footballer (born 1969)}} {{Use British English|date=June 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Andy Hinchcliffe | image = | fullname = Andrew George Hinchcliffe | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|2|5|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Manchester]], England | height = 5 ft 10 in<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rollin |first1=Glenda |url=https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball0000unse_y6y3 |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1999–2000 |last2=Rollin |first2=Jack |publisher=Headline Book Publishing |year=1999 |isbn=0-7472-7627-7 |location=London |pages=512}}</ref> | position = Left-back | youthyears1= {{0|0000}}–1986 | youthclubs1= [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] | years1 = 1986–1990 | years2 = 1990–1998 | years3 =1998–2002 | clubs1 = [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] | clubs2 = [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] | clubs3 = [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] | caps1 = 112 | goals1 = 8 | caps2 = 182 | goals2 = 7 | caps3 = 86 | goals3 = 7 | totalcaps = 380 | totalgoals = 22 | nationalyears1 = 1986 | nationalteam1 = [[England national under-18 football team|England Youth]] | nationalcaps1 = 6 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalyears2 = 1988 | nationalyears3 =1996–1998 | nationalteam2 = [[England national under-21 football team|England U21]] | nationalteam3 =[[England national football team|England]] | nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalcaps3 = 7 | nationalgoals3 = 0 }} '''Andrew George Hinchcliffe''' (born 5 February 1969) is an English former professional [[Association football|footballer]]. He is now a television pundit and match summariser for [[Sky Sports]].
As a player, he was a [[defender (association football)|left-back]] from 1986 until 2002. He began his career with [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] in the old [[Football League First Division|First Division]] but later played in the [[Premier League]] for both [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] and [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]. He was part of the Everton side that lifted the [[FA Cup]] in 1995. He was also capped seven times by [[England national football team|England]] between 1996 and 1998 having initially won a single cap for the [[England national under-21 football team|England U21]] team.
==Playing career== For much of his early life, Hinchcliffe played for Manchester City's academy, coming through with a number of other players who would go on to establish themselves for City's senior side. In 1986 he was part of the side that won the club's first-ever [[FA Youth Cup]] trophy, playing in a team that also featured [[Ian Brightwell]], [[Steve Redmond]], [[David White (English footballer)|David White]], [[Paul Lake]] and [[Paul Moulden]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mancity.com/news/academy/academy-news/archive/2008/april/hinch-recalls-86-fayc-triumph |title=HINCH RECALLS '86 FAYC TRIUMPH |work=[[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] |date=14 April 2008 |accessdate=30 April 2022 }}</ref> and which was managed by club legend [[Tony Book]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/pictures-manchester-city-class-86-6300432 |title=In pictures: Manchester City class of 86 re-union |work=[[Manchester Evening News]] |date=13 November 2013 |accessdate=30 April 2022 }}</ref>
Having started his career with City he established himself as the club's first-choice left-back. Whilst at City, Hinchcliffe was one of the scorers in the [[Manchester derby]] on 23 September 1989 in a 5–1 victory over [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]].<ref>{{cite news | title = The last Maine Road derby: your views | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/sport/2002/11/08/manchester_derby.shtml | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030818124046/http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/sport/2002/11/08/manchester_derby.shtml | url-status = dead | archive-date = 18 August 2003 | work = BBC Sport | date = 9 November 2002 | access-date =5 October 2007 }}</ref> Hinchcliffe won the 1995 [[FA Cup]] while with Everton and enjoyed the best form of his career at the club, winning seven full England caps. His England debut came in a 3–0 away victory over [[Moldova national football team|Moldova]] on 1 September 1996, in what was manager [[Glenn Hoddle]]'s first game in charge.<ref>{{cite news | title = England Expects | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/1192973.stm | work = BBC Sport | date = 27 February 2001 | access-date =5 October 2007 }}</ref>
After injuring his cruciate ligament in December 1996, Hinchcliffe did not return until September 1997, with Everton then under new management after [[Howard Kendall]] had replaced Joe Royle. Kendall was not known to be a big Hinchliffe fan, having sold him previously whilst Manchester City manager. He was subsequently sold by the Toffees to Sheffield Wednesday five months into Kendall's reign for £2.65m where he played for a further four years.
Hinchcliffe retired from playing football in March 2002 following surgery on his left knee.<ref>{{cite news | title = Hinchcliffe forced to quit | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_wed/1896444.stm | work = BBC Sport | date = 27 March 2002 | access-date =5 October 2007 }}</ref> He only made two appearances in his final season at the club (2001–02), one of which was in the League Cup semifinal first leg against Blackburn Rovers,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/cole-helps-blackburn-to-seize-advantage-662646.html?cmp=ilc-n |title=Cole helps Blackburn to seize advantage |work=[[The Independent]] |date=8 January 2002 |access-date=18 April 2010 | location=London | first=Tim | last=Rich}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> the other in the league against Crewe Alexandra.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/1753058.stm |title=Sheff Wed 1–0 Crewe |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=12 January 2002 |access-date=18 April 2010}}</ref>
==Media career== Hinchcliffe now works as a co-commentator on [[Sky Sports]]. He does co-commentary for both Premier League and Championship games, as well as some Manchester City games in the [[FA Women's Super League|Women's Super League]]. He also sometimes appears on Sky Sports News in the morning with other football guests to talk about transfers and games that have gone on recently.
==Personal life== Hinchcliffe was educated at Manchester's William Hulme's Grammar School for Boys, a rugby-playing school.
==Honours==
'''Manchester City''' *[[FA Youth Cup]]: [[FA Youth Cup Finals of the 1980s|1985–86]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mancity.com/news/academy/academy-news/archive/2008/april/hinch-recalls-86-fayc-triumph|title=HINCH RECALLS '86 FAYC TRIUMPH|date=14 April 2008|publisher=[[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]|website=mancity.com}}</ref>
'''Everton''' * [[FA Cup]]: [[1995 FA Cup Final|1994–95]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.planetfootball.com/in-depth/andy-hinchcliffe-on-evertons-set-piece-success-and-willie-donachies-key-role/|title=Andy Hinchcliffe on Everton's set-piece success and Willie Donachie's key role|date=1 July 2020|author=Baldi, Ryan|publisher=Planet Football|website=planetfootball.com}}</ref> * [[FA Community Shield|FA Charity Shield]]: [[1995 FA Charity Shield|1995]]
'''Individual''' *[[PFA Team of the Year]]: [[1987–88 Football League#Second Division|1987–88 Second Division]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Lynch |title=The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes |page=147}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerbase}} {{1987–88 Football League Second Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hinchcliffe, Andy}} [[Category:English men's footballers]] [[Category:England men's international footballers]] [[Category:England men's under-21 international footballers]] [[Category:Men's association football defenders]] [[Category:Manchester City F.C. players]] [[Category:Everton F.C. players]] [[Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players]] [[Category:Premier League players]] [[Category:Footballers from Manchester]] [[Category:1969 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People educated at William Hulme's Grammar School]] [[Category:English football commentators]] [[Category:English Football League players]] [[Category:English association football podcasters]] [[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]