{{short description|English footballer}} {{Use British English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Andy Linighan | image = | fullname = Andrew Linighan<ref>{{Hugman|id=11760|accessdate=30 September 2019}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1962|6|18}} | birth_place = [[Hartlepool]], England | height = 1.88m<ref name="11v11" /> | position = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]] | youthyears1 = 1979–1980 | youthclubs1 = Smith's Dock | years1 = 1980–1984 | years2 = 1984–1986 | years3 = 1986–1988 | years4 = 1988–1990 | years5 = 1990–1997 | years6 = 1997–2000 | years7 = 1998–1999 | years8 = 2000–2001 | years9 = 2001 | clubs1 = [[Hartlepool United F.C.|Hartlepool United]] | clubs2 = [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] | clubs3 = [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] | clubs4 = [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] | clubs5 = [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] | clubs6 = [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] | clubs7 = → [[Queen's Park Rangers]] (loan) | clubs8 = [[Oxford United F.C.|Oxford United]] | clubs9 = [[St Albans City F.C.|St Albans City]] | caps1 = 110 | caps2 = 66 | caps3 = 87 | caps4 = 74 | caps5 = 119 | caps6 = 111 | caps7 = 7 | caps8 = 13 | caps9 = 4 | goals1 = 4 | goals2 = 3 | goals3 = 6 | goals4 = 6 | goals5 = 5 | goals6 = 5 | goals7 = 0 | goals8 = 0 | goals9 = 0 | totalcaps = 591 | totalgoals = 42 | club-update = | nationalyears1 = 1989-90 | nationalteam1 = [[England national football B team|England B]] | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 0 }} '''Andrew Linighan''' (born 18 June 1962) is an English former professional [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[defender (association football)|defender]] from 1980 until 2000, notably in the [[Premier League]] for [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] and [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]].
He also played in the [[Football League]] for [[Hartlepool United F.C.|Hartlepool United]], [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]], [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]], [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]], [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] and [[Oxford United F.C.|Oxford United]] before finishing his career with Non-league [[St Albans City F.C.|St Albans City]].
==Career== Linighan was born in [[Hartlepool]] into a footballing family: his father, [[Brian Linighan (footballer, born 1936)|Brian Linighan]], and his brothers [[David Linighan|David]] and [[Brian Linighan|Brian]] were also professional footballers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/2001/5/11/171217.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120701154933/http://archive.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/2001/5/11/171217.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 July 2012 |title=New season will begin again minus a Linighan |work= The Northern Echo|date=11 May 2001 |access-date=16 November 2020}}</ref> He first played for his local side, [[Hartlepool United F.C.|Hartlepool United]], before he signed for [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] in 1984.<ref>{{Soccerbase|id=4539}}</ref> He spent two season at [[Elland Road]], being part of the team which narrowly missed out on promotion to the First Division in his first season there and then signed for [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]].<ref name="ozwhitelufc">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ozwhitelufc.net.au/players_profiles/L/LinighanA.php |title=Leeds United F.C. History |website=www.ozwhitelufc.net.au |access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref>
In March 1988, a 25-year-old Linighan finally arrived on the First Division scene when Oldham sold him to [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] for £350,000. A tall, imposing [[centre back]], Linighan became notable for his calm performances in defence for Norwich, who finished fourth in the league and reached the [[FA Cup]] semi finals in his first full season with them.
He was then signed by [[George Graham (footballer, born 1944)|George Graham]] for [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] in a £1.2{{nbsp}}million deal in July 1990.<ref name="Arsenal" /> Linighan had been very reluctant to leave Norwich, but was told by then-chairman Robert Chase that he was being sold.<ref name=LIW />
Linighan mainly played as backup to [[England national football team|England]] international defenders [[Tony Adams (footballer)|Tony Adams]] and [[Steve Bould]] in his first season, in which Arsenal won the [[Football League First Division|First Division]].<ref name="Arsenal" /> Linighan managed to put in 10 league appearances, which were enough for him to earn a winners medal.<ref name="Arsenal" /> His biggest moment for the club came at the end of the [[1992-93 in English football|1992–93]] season. Linighan was victorious as he lifted the [[Football League Cup|League Cup]] as Arsenal beat [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] 2–1 in the final at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]].<ref name="Arsenal" /> Arsenal again met Wednesday of whom they faced in the final of the [[FA Cup]]. The final finished 1–1, forcing a replay, which finished a goal apiece after 90 minutes and thus went to [[extra time]]. With 119 minutes gone, Linighan, who was suffering from a broken nose after [[Mark Bright]] had struck him in the face with his elbow, came up for a [[corner kick|corner]] and headed in the winner.<ref name="Arsenal" /> Coincidentally it was Bright who Linighan outjumped to score.<ref name="LIW">{{Cite web |url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-my-whites-playing-days-linighan-interview-1-3452193/amp |title=Leeds United: My Whites playing days – Linighan INTERVIEW |website=www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk |access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref> Thanks to his goal, Arsenal became the first club in English football to win the [[Double (association football)#Domestic Cup Double|Cup Double]].<ref name=LIW /> His former club, Norwich City, qualified for the [[UEFA Cup]] as a result of his FA Cup final winning goal, as it meant the European place for the League Cup winner went to the team who had finished third in the [[FA Premier League|Premier League]] instead.<ref name="FFTN">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/linighan.htm |title=Flown From the Nest – Andy Linighan |website=www.ex-canaries.co.uk |access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref>
By then, Linighan's place in the Arsenal side was further in doubt, as [[Martin Keown]] was no longer [[cup-tied]] after signing for the club earlier that year.<ref name="Arsenal" /> Despite this, he stayed on at the club as fourth-choice centre-back. A highlight in his later years at Arsenal was scoring a late equaliser in a 2–2 draw away at [[Aston Villa]] in September 1996.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/ruffled-villa-hit-panic-button-1362466.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/ruffled-villa-hit-panic-button-1362466.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Ruffled Villa hit panic button |date=9 September 1996 |access-date=30 September 2019 |work=The Independent |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
After more than six years at [[Arsenal Stadium|Highbury]], he was sold to Division One promotion chasers [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] for £110,000 in January 1997.<ref name="ozwhitelufc" /> He helped Palace as they won promotion to the [[FA Premier League|Premiership]] that year as playoff winners.<ref name="CP">{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-hopkins-late-hit-has-palace-glad-all-over-1263790.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-hopkins-late-hit-has-palace-glad-all-over-1263790.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Football: Hopkin's late hit has Palace glad all over |date=27 May 1997 |website=The Independent |language=en |access-date=30 September 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Linighan also in that year became the captain of the Eagles, but was unable to prevent them from being relegated straight back to Division One.<ref name="ozwhitelufc" /> He stuck with Palace during the club's financial problems, even after they were forced to loan him to [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] for the final stages of the [[1998-99 in English football|1998–99 season]] to reduce their wage bill.<ref name="ozwhitelufc" /> Linighan returned to the club after his loan spell as captain, and in his 38th year was voted as Crystal Palace's Player of the Year in [[1999-2000 in English football|1999–2000]].<ref name=CPPOTY /> After a falling out with new owner [[Simon Jordan]], he was given a [[free transfer (soccer)|free transfer]] in the autumn of 2000.<ref name=FFTN />
Linighan saw out the rest of the season with [[Oxford United F.C.|Oxford United]], which ended in disappointment as United were relegated to the [[Football League Third Division|Division Three]].<ref name="ozwhitelufc" /> Afterwards he briefly played for non-league [[St Albans City F.C.|St Albans]], before retiring completely from the game.<ref name=FFTN />
==Personal life== After his playing days came to an end, Linighan became the owner of a [[plumbing]] company.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/columnists/backtrack/backtrack/16231644.victoria-plumber/|title = Victoria Plumber}}</ref>
== Career statistics == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="3" |League ! colspan="2" |FA Cup ! colspan="2" |League Cup ! colspan="2" |Europe ! colspan="2" |Other ! colspan="2" |Total |- !Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |- | rowspan="5" |[[Hartlepool United F.C.|Hartlepool United]] |[[1980-81 Football League Fourth Division|1980–81]]<ref name="inthemadcrowd">{{Cite web |url=http://www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk/UI/Person.aspx?oid=451 |title=In The Mad Crowd |website=www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk |access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref> | rowspan="4" |[[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth Division]] |6 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |6 |0 |- |[[1981-82 Football League Fourth Division|1981–82]]<ref name="inthemadcrowd" /> |17 |0 |3 |0 |2 |0 | colspan="2" |― |3<ref name="FLT" group="lower-alpha">Appearances in [[Football League Trophy]]</ref> |0 |25 |0 |- |[[1982-83 Football League Fourth Division|1982–83]]<ref name="inthemadcrowd" /> |45 |3 |3 |0 |4 |1 | colspan="2" |― |1<ref name="FLT" group="lower-alpha" /> |0 |53 |4 |- |[[1983-84 Football League Fourth Division|1983–84]]<ref name="inthemadcrowd" /> |42 |1 |2 |0 |2 |0 | colspan="2" |― |1<ref name="FLT" group="lower-alpha" /> |1 |47 |2 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !110 !4 !8 !0 !8 !1 ! colspan="2" |― !5 !1 !131 !6 |- | rowspan="3" |[[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] |[[1984-85 Football League Second Division|1984–85]]<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ozwhitelufc.net.au/leeds_stats/leeds_united_player_details/L/LinighanA_LUFC.php |title=Leeds United F.C. History |website=www.ozwhitelufc.net.au |access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref> | rowspan="2" |[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] |42 |2 |1 |0 |3 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |46 |2 |- |[[1985-86 Football League Second Division|1985–86]]<ref name=":2" /> |24 |1 |1 |0 |3 |1 | colspan="2" |― |2<ref group="lower-alpha">Appearances in [[Full Members' Cup]]</ref> |0 |30 |2 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !66 !3 !2 !0 !6 !1 ! colspan="2" |― !2 !0 !76 !4 |- |Norwich |? |? |? | | | | | | | | | | | |- | rowspan="8" |[[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] |[[1990–91 Arsenal F.C. season|1990–91]]<ref name="11v11">{{Cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/andy-linighan-1727/ |title=Andy Linighan |website=11v11.com |access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref> | rowspan="2" |[[Football League First Division|First Division]] |10 |0 |4 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |14 |0 |- |[[1991–92 Arsenal F.C. season|1991–92]]<ref name="11v11" /> |17 |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |2<ref group="lower-alpha">Appearances in [[UEFA European Cup]]/UEFA Champions League</ref> |1 | colspan="2" |― |22 |1 |- |[[1992–93 Arsenal F.C. season|1992–93]]<ref name="11v11" /> | rowspan="5" |[[Premier League]] |21 |2 |7 |1 |4 |1 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |32 |4 |- |[[1993–94 Arsenal F.C. season|1993–94]]<ref name="11v11" /> |21 |0 |0 |0 |4 |0 |2<ref name="UCWC" group="lower-alpha">Appearances in [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]]</ref> |0 |1<ref group="lower-alpha">Appearance in [[FA Charity Shield]]</ref> |0 |28 |0 |- |[[1994–95 Arsenal F.C. season|1994–95]]<ref name="11v11" /> |20 |2 |2 |0 |2 |0 |3<ref name="UCWC" group="lower-alpha" /> |0 | colspan="2" |― |27 |2 |- |[[1995–96 Arsenal F.C. season|1995–96]]<ref name="11v11" /> |18 |0 |1 |0 |2 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |21 |0 |- |[[1996–97 Arsenal F.C. season|1996–97]]<ref name="11v11" /> |11 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |2<ref group="lower-alpha">Appearances in [[UEFA Cup]]</ref> |0 | colspan="2" |― |13 |1 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !119 !5 !14 !1 !14 !1 !9 !1 !1 !0 !157 !8 |- | rowspan="6" |[[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] |[[1996–97 Crystal Palace F.C. season|1996–97]]<ref>{{Soccerbase season|id=4539|season=1996|accessdate=1 October 2019}}</ref> |First Division |19 |2 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |3<ref group="lower-alpha">Appearances in [[Football League First Division play-offs]]</ref> |0 |22 |2 |- |[[1997–98 Crystal Palace F.C. season|1997–98]]<ref>{{Soccerbase season|id=4539|season=1997|accessdate=1 October 2019}}</ref> |Premier League |26 |0 |3 |0 |2 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |31 |0 |- |[[1998–99 Crystal Palace F.C. season|1998–99]]<ref name="Soccerbase9899">{{Soccerbase season|id=4539|season=1998|accessdate=1 October 2019}}</ref> | rowspan="3" |First Division |20 |0 |1 |0 |3 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |24 |0 |- |[[1999–2000 Crystal Palace F.C. season|1999-00]]<ref>{{Soccerbase season|id=4539|season=1999|accessdate=1 October 2019}}</ref> |45 |3 |1 |0 |2 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |48 |3 |- |[[2000–01 Crystal Palace F.C. season|2000–01]]<ref name="Soccerbase0001">{{Soccerbase season|id=4539|season=2000|accessdate=1 October 2019}}</ref> |1 |0 | colspan="2" |― |2 |1 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |3 |1 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !111 !5 !5 !0 !9 !1 ! colspan="2" |― !3 !0 !128 !5 |- |[[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] (loan) |[[1998–99 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season|1998–99]]<ref name="Soccerbase9899" /> |First Division |7 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |7 |0 |- |[[Oxford United F.C.|Oxford United]] |[[2000–01 Oxford United F.C. season|2000–01]]<ref name="Soccerbase0001" /> |Second Division |13 |0 |2 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |0 |0 |15 |0 |- |[[St Albans City F.C.|St Albans City]] |[[2001–02 Isthmian League|2001–02]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://saintsstatistics.co.uk/saintsstats/player2.php?id=136&season=8 |title=St Albans City F.C. Statistics |website=saintsstatistics.co.uk |access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref> |[[Isthmian League]] Premier Division |4 |0 | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― | colspan="2" |― |4 |0 |- ! colspan="3" |Career total !430 !17 !31 !1 !37 !4 !9 !1 !11 !1 !518 !24 |} {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
==Honours== '''Arsenal''' *[[Football League First Division]]: [[1990–91 Football League First Division|1990–91]]<ref name="Arsenal">{{Cite web |url=https://www.arsenal.com/historic/players/andy-linighan |title=Andy Linighan |website=Arsenal.com |access-date=1 October 2019}}</ref> *[[FA Charity Shield]]: [[1991 FA Charity Shield|1991]] (shared){{citation needed|date=September 2025}} *[[FA Cup]]: [[1992–93 FA Cup|1992–93]]<ref name="Arsenal" /> *[[EFL Cup|Football League Cup]]: [[1992–93 Football League Cup|1992–93]]<ref name="Arsenal" /> *[[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup Winners' Cup]]: [[1993–94 European Cup Winners' Cup|1993–94]]<ref name="Arsenal" /> **Runner-up: [[1994–95 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup|1994–95]]
'''Crystal Palace'''
*[[EFL Championship play-offs|Football League First Division play-offs]]: [[1997 Football League play-offs#First Division|1996–97]]<ref name="CP" />
'''Individual''' *[[Crystal Palace F.C. Player of the Year|Crystal Palace Player of the Year]]: [[1999–2000 Crystal Palace F.C. season|1999–2000]]<ref name="CPPOTY">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cpfc.co.uk/club/club-history/player-of-the-year-winners/ |title=Crystal Palace FC – Player of the Year Winners |website=www.cpfc.co.uk |access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerbase|id=4539}} *[http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/linighan.htm Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk]
{{s-start}} {{s-sports}} {{s-bef|before=[[Andy Roberts (footballer)|Andy Roberts]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] captain|years=1997–2000}} {{s-aft|after=[[Neil Ruddock]]}} {{s-end}}
{{Crystal Palace F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Linighan, Andy}} [[Category:1962 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Footballers from Hartlepool]] [[Category:Arsenal F.C. players]] [[Category:Crystal Palace F.C. players]] [[Category:English men's footballers]] [[Category:England men's B international footballers]] [[Category:Men's association football central defenders]] [[Category:Hartlepool United F.C. players]] [[Category:Leeds United F.C. players]] [[Category:Norwich City F.C. players]] [[Category:Oldham Athletic A.F.C. players]] [[Category:Oxford United F.C. players]] [[Category:St Albans City F.C. players]] [[Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. players]] [[Category:Premier League players]] [[Category:People educated at English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College]] [[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]