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Alan Miller (footballer)

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Alan Miller
Personal information
Full name Alan John Miller
Date of birth (1970-03-29)29 March 1970
Place of birth Epping, England
Date of death 3 June 2021(2021-06-03) (aged 51)
Place of death Holkham, England
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1984–1988 Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1994 Arsenal 8 (0)
1988–1989 → Plymouth Argyle (loan) 13 (0)
1991 → West Bromwich Albion (loan) 3 (0)
1991–1992 → Birmingham City (loan) 15 (0)
1994–1997 Middlesbrough 57 (0)
1997 → Huddersfield Town (loan) 0 (0)
1997 → Grimsby Town (loan) 3 (0)
1997 → West Bromwich Albion (loan) 5 (0)
1997–2000 West Bromwich Albion 93 (0)
2000–2003 Blackburn Rovers 1 (0)
2000 → Bristol City (loan) 4 (0)
2000 → Coventry City (loan) 1 (0)
2001–2002 → St Johnstone (loan) 18 (0)
Total 221 (0)
International career
1985 England schoolboys 2 (0)
1985–1986 England U16 9 (0)
1988–1990 England U21 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alan John Miller (29 March 1970 – 3 June 2021) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

He played in the Premier League for Arsenal, Middlesbrough and Coventry City, but made most appearances for West Bromwich Albion, with 108 First Division appearances over two spells. He also played in the Football League for Plymouth Argyle, Birmingham City, Grimsby Town, Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers, as well as in the Scottish Premier League for St Johnstone. He represented England at schoolboy, under-16 and under-21 levels.

Life and career

[edit]

Alan John Miller was born on 29 March 1970 in Epping, Essex,[2] and attended Epping Forest High School at nearby Loughton.[3] He was selected for the Football Association's School of Excellence at Lilleshall as an Arsenal-associated schoolboy in 1984,[4][1] and was capped by England at schoolboy and under-16 level.[5][6] He signed for Arsenal as a trainee ahead of the 1986–87 season,[7] and was a member of their FA Youth Cup-winning team of 1988.[8] He made four appearances for the England under-21 team.[9]

He turned professional in 1988,[1] but with John Lukic and then David Seaman on the staff, first-team opportunities were rare.[10] He had loan spells with Plymouth Argyle, West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City, whom he helped gain promotion from the Third Division in 1991–92.[2][11] He finally made his Arsenal debut on 21 November 1992 away to Leeds United, replacing the injured Seaman to become the first Arsenal goalkeeper to come on as a substitute, and made another seven appearances over the next two seasons.[1][12] He won FA Cup and League Cup winners' medals in 1992–93 and a European Cup Winners' Cup medal in 1993–94, each time as an unused substitute.[1]

In August 1994, wanting first-team football, Miller signed for Middlesbrough;[13] a Football League tribunal set the fee at an initial £325,000, plus £100,000 in the event of his 50th appearance.[14] winning a First Division winners' medal in his first season.[15] However, he lost his place to Gary Walsh through injury in September 1995[16] and played only three more Premiership matches that season.[17] After beginning the 1996–97 season as first choice, Miller was one of several players made available for transfer in October to raise funds to strengthen the struggling Middlesbrough defence.[18]

After spells on loan at Huddersfield Town and Grimsby Town, and following the arrival of goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer at Middlesbrough, Miller joined West Bromwich Albion in February 1997, initially on loan.[19] The move was made permanent for a £500,000 fee just before the transfer deadline.[20] He was undisputed first choice for his first full season, and his performances earned him the club's Player of the Year award[21] and inclusion in the First Division PFA Team of the Year.[22]

Despite complications from a hernia operation that meant he missed pre-season,[23][24] Miller was a regular in the side until a succession of minor injuries combined with the performances of stand-in Phil Whitehead kept him out for the second half of the 1998–99 season,[17][25] and was transfer-listed ahead of the 1999–2000 season.[26] Nevertheless, he began the season as first choice, and played until the end of the year,[17] but contract talks came to nothing,[27] and in February 2000, he moved on.[28]

Miller joined First Division rivals Blackburn Rovers on a three-and-a-half-year contract; the initial £50,000 fee could rise to £70,000 depending on appearances.[28] He made only two, against Sheffield United in the league and Portsmouth in the League Cup.[29] He went on loan to Bristol City and Coventry City during 2000–01. His only appearance for Coventry was as a substitute against Chelsea after Chris Kirkland was sent off with the score goalless; Coventry lost 6–1.[30] In October 2001, he was loaned to Scottish Premiership club St Johnstone,[31] where he played regularly until being recalled as back-up to Brad Friedel because of injury to the regular second-choice goalkeeper Alan Kelly ahead of the 2002 Football League Cup Final, which Blackburn won.[32][33] Miller retired from football in 2003 after failing to overcome a back injury.[34]

Miller later lived in Holkham, Norfolk, where he worked as business development manager at Holkham Hall.[35] He died at Holkham on 3 June 2021, aged 51.[2]

Career statistics

[edit]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal 1988–89[12] First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
1989–90[12] First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1990–91[12] First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
1991–92[12] First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1992–93[12] Premier League 4 0 0 0 0 0 — 4 0
1993–94[12] Premier League 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Total 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0
Plymouth Argyle (loan) 1988–89[36] Second Division 13 0 2 0 — — 15 0
West Bromwich Albion (loan) 1991–92[17] Third Division 3 0 — 0 0 — 3 0
Birmingham City (loan) 1991–92[37] Third Division 15 0 0 0 0 0 1[c] 0 16 0
Middlesbrough 1994–95[17] First Division 41 0 2 0 1 0 2[d] 0 46 0
1995–96[38] Premier League 6 0 0 0 0 0 — 6 0
1996–97[39] First Division 10 0 0 0 2 0 — 12 0
Total 57 0 2 0 3 0 2 0 64 0
Huddersfield Town 1996–97[17] First Division 0 0 — — — 0 0
Grimsby Town 1996–97[40] First Division 3 0 — — — 3 0
West Bromwich Albion 1996–97[40][20] First Division[e] 12 0 — — — 12 0
1997–98[17] First Division 41 0 2 0 4 0 — 47 0
1998–99[41] First Division 20 0 0 0 1 0 — 21 0
1999–2000[42] First Division 25 0 1 0 4 0 — 30 0
Total 98 0 3 0 9 0 — 110 0
Blackburn Rovers 1999–2000[42] First Division 1 0 — — — 1 0
2000–01[43] First Division 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 0
2001–02[44] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
2001–02[45] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
Total 1 0 0 0 1 0 — 2 0
Bristol City (loan) 2000–01[43] Second Division 4 0 — 0 0 — 4 0
Coventry City (loan) 2000–01[43] Premier League 1 0 — 0 0 — 1 0
St Johnstone (loan) 2001–02[44] Scottish Premier League 18 0 1 0 — — 19 0
Career total 221 0 8 0 13 0 3 0 245 0
  1. ^ Includes FA Cup and Scottish Cup
  2. ^ Includes Football League Cup and Scottish League Cup
  3. ^ Appearance in Associate Members' Cup
  4. ^ Appearance in Anglo-Italian Cup
  5. ^ The first five appearances were made while on loan from Middlesbrough.[40][20]

Honours

[edit]

Arsenal[46]

Middlesbrough

Blackburn Rovers

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e "Alan Miller: Profile". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Alan Miller". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  3. ^ Idris, Arike (4 June 2021). "Alan Miller: Essex-born goalkeeper and former Arsenal, West Brom, Middlesbrough and Blackburn player dies aged 51". Essex Live. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Football school founders". Evening Sentinel. Stoke-on-Trent. 12 April 1984. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Match results schoolboys (under 15)". England Football Online. Chris Goodwin & Glen Isherwood. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  6. ^ "Match results under 16 1985–1990". England Football Online. Chris Goodwin & Glen Isherwood. 6 October 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  7. ^ Connolly, Kevin, ed. (1986). Arsenal Handbook 1986–87. Arsenal F.C. pp. 28–29 – via The Arsenal Collection.
  8. ^ Sharma, Shweta (4 June 2021). "Alan Miller: Former West Brom, Arsenal and Middlesbrough goalkeeper dies aged 51". The Independent. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  9. ^ Courtney, Barrie (23 August 2018). "England – U-21 International Results 1986–1995 – Details". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  10. ^ Wilson, Jeremy (4 June 2021). "Alan Miller, former Arsenal and Middlesbrough goalkeeper, dies at 51". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  11. ^ Matthews (2010), p. 57.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g "Arsenal first team line-ups". The Arsenal History. Andy Kelly. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024.
  13. ^ Nunn, Paul (9 August 1994). "Robbo swoops for Arsenal keeper". The Journal. Newcastle upon Tyne. p. 43 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Sporting Digest: Football". The Independent. London. 23 September 1994. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  15. ^ a b Winter, Henry (5 May 1995). "Robson is just the ticket for Middlesbrough". The Daily Telegraph. London. p. 38 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Taylor, Tim (9 September 1995). "Jan warns Barmby he's got a fight on". The Journal. Newcastle upon Tyne. p. 61 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Player search: Miller, AJ (Alan)". English National Football Archive (ENFA). Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  18. ^ Dunn, Andy (15 September 1996). "Walsh and go. Boro bust-up could spell end for Gary". The People. London. p. 55 – via Newspapers.com.
    Ross, Ian (26 October 1996). "Everton chase Sinclair and Barmby with £10m". The Guardian. London. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
    Irwin, Mark (7 November 1995). "Muddles Boro!". Daily Mirror. London. p. 44 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Bishop, Rob (1 March 1997). "Miller hopes second spell at Albion is permanent". Birmingham Post. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
    Ellis, Vince (1 March 1997). "Albion winger blow". Black Country Evening Mail. p. 48 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ a b c Ellis, Vince (27 March 1997). "England star no to Albion". Black Country Evening Mail. p. 112 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Player archive: Player of the Year awards". Albion Till We Die. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  22. ^ a b Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1998). The 1998–99 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. Queen Anne Press. p. 352. ISBN 1-85291-588-9.
  23. ^ Ellis, Vince (24 May 1998). "Miller talks of injury battle". Evening Mail. Birmingham. p. 42 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Hickman, Leon (13 July 1998). "Baggies fired up". Evening Mail. Birmingham. p. 35 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Gordos, Phil (15 December 1998). "Enzo debut thrills Smith". Black Country Evening Mail. p. 48 – via Newspapers.com.
    Ellis, Vince (5 January 1999). "Battling Fab not finished". Evening Mail. Birmingham. p. 44 – via Newspapers.com.
    Gordos, Phil (26 February 1999). "Albion star put on transfer list". Black Country Evening Mail. p. 104 – via Newspapers.com.
    Bishop, Rob (27 March 1999). "Miller's tale one of hands-on determination to win battle of keepers". Birmingham Post. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ Gordos, Phil (16 July 1999). "Miller joins Albion exodus". Evening Mail. Birmingham. p. 83 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ Gordos, Phil (18 December 1999). "Albion keeper looks to Italy". Black Country Evening Mail. p. 48 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ a b Anderson, David (16 February 2000). "Ferguson calls for strong refereeing in Leeds clash". The Independent. London. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Alan Miller". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  30. ^ "Chelsea hammer sorry Coventry". BBC Sport. 21 October 2000. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  31. ^ "Miller joins St Johnstone". BBC Sport. 10 October 2001. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  32. ^ "Miller back at Blackburn". BBC Sport. 15 February 2002. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  33. ^ a b "Cole strike stuns Spurs". BBC Sport. 24 February 2002. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  34. ^ "Miller forced to retire". BBC Sport. 7 April 2003. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  35. ^ McMillan, Aaron (4 June 2021). "Former Arsenal goalkeeper and Norfolk estate manager dies". Eastern Daily Press. Norwich. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  36. ^ "Alan Miller". Greens on Screen. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  37. ^ Matthews (2010), p. 418–419, 481.
  38. ^ "Games played by Alan Miller in 1995/1996". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  39. ^ "Alan Miller". 11v11. Association of Football Statistics. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  40. ^ a b c "Games played by Alan Miller in 1996/1997". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  41. ^ "Games played by Alan Miller in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  42. ^ a b "Games played by Alan Miller in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  43. ^ a b c "Games played by Alan Miller in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  44. ^ a b "Games played by Alan Miller in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  45. ^ "Games played by Alan Miller in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  46. ^ Harris, Jeff (1995). Hogg, Tony (ed.). Arsenal Who's Who. Independent UK Sports. p. 281. ISBN 978-1-899429-03-5.

Sources

[edit]
  • Matthews, Tony (2010). Birmingham City: The Complete Record. Derby: DB Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85983-853-2.
[edit]
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