Andrew Neil "Andy" Webster (born 23 April 1982 in Dundee, Scotland) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a centre back. He is currently a free agent, having been released from Rangers on 31 January 2011.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Andrew Neil Webster | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Free Agent | ||
| Number | - | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2001 | Arbroath | 17 | (1) |
| 2001–2006 | Heart of Midlothian | 149 | (6) |
| 2006–2008 | Wigan Athletic | 4 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | → Rangers (loan) | 1 | (1) |
| 2008–2011 | Rangers | 2 | (0) |
| 2008 | → Bristol City (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | → Dundee United (loan) | 26 | (3) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2003– | Scotland | 22 | (1) |
| 2009 | Scotland B | 1 | (1) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:25, 19 June 2010 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:25, 19 June 2010 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Arbroath
Webster began his career at Arbroath in the Scottish Second Division. He made his debut aged 17, against Stirling Albion in the League Cup on 24 August 1999. He went on to make 24 appearances in total over nearly two seasons. His first and only goal for the club came on 17 March 2001 during a league match against Queen's Park which Arbroath won 2–0.
Little over a week later, Scottish Premier League club Dundee United confirmed they had had a "five-figure bid accepted", with the bid to be completed at the end of the season.[1] Two days later, Webster phoned manager Alex Smith to inform he had turned down the chance to move to Tannadice.[2]
Hearts
Shortly afterwards he was signed to Hearts by then manager Craig Levein on 30 March for a reported £75,000.[3] He was a regular for the side and made 184 appearances for the Jambos but in 2006 he was left out of the match against Dundee United because of a disagreement over contracts, with chairman Vladimir Romanov, who later suggested to many that Webster would leave soon.
Webster made football transfer history when he was the first to invoke a loophole in Article 17 of new transfer regulations FIFA had adopted to bring football's transfer system into line with EU law, enabling him to cancel his contract with Hearts in the third year of a four-year deal, with the proviso that he join a club in a foreign country and that sufficient notice be given to his former employers. Webster's transfer to Wigan Athletic was ratified by FIFA on 4 September 2006, seemingly creating a legal precedent for the conduct of international football transfers.[4]
Wigan Athletic
He made his debut in a league match against Manchester City as a second half substitute for Fitz Hall in a 4–0 win on 21 October 2006.[5] He went on to start the next three matches but found the switch to the English Premier League difficult.
Rangers
On January 4, 2007, the day Paul Le Guen left Rangers, the BBC reported that Webster would sign for the Glasgow club on a loan deal, which was confirmed the following day.[6] Soon after, Hearts issued a formal complaint to FIFA and the SFA regarding Webster's registration. The Edinburgh club contended that Webster was unable to play for another Scottish team within 12 months of leaving Tynecastle.[7] However, FIFA decided that Webster's move to Rangers was in order and this ruling was followed by the SFA.
Webster missed the rest of the 2006–07 season due to an injury suffered during his first training session with Rangers. He made his debut in a post-season friendly match in May 2007, against LA Galaxy at the Home Depot Center, coming on as a substitute for Karl Svensson.
On June 29, 2007, Webster's loan deal at Rangers was extended to last until January 2008.[8] He made his first official appearance for Rangers in September that year, scoring in a win 4–0 home win against newly promoted Gretna.[9] Shortly after this match he was sidelined with an ankle injury and then it was revealed that he would be out until the new year after further surgery on his previously injured knee.[10] On 9 June 2008, Webster's loan deal from Wigan Athletic was made permanent for an undisclosed fee.[11]
Bristol City
Webster signed a six month loan deal with English Championship club Bristol City on 18 August 2008.[12] He made his debut against Coventry City. He returned to Rangers on 29 December 2008.
Dundee United
Over eight years after nearly joining Dundee United, Webster finally made the move to Tannadice in July 2009, joining on a season-long loan.[13] While on loan his performances earned him a nomination for SPFA Players' Player of the Year and he also was captain of the team that won the Scottish Cup.
International career
Webster has won 22 Scotland caps during his career. His last cap came against Switzerland in March 2006. He made his debut in a friendly match during the Berti Vogts era, the match ended in a 2–0 defeat to Austria. His first and only goal came in a friendly against the United States during a 1–1 draw at Hampden Park on 12 November 2005.
On 6 May 2009, Webster was selected for a Scotland B team match against a Northern Ireland B team. He played the full 90 minutes and scored the opening goal in a 3–0 win for Scotland.[14]
On the 22 February, Webster was called up to the Scotland national team for the first time in 4 years. His absence was mainly due to a torrid time with injuries. He was called up alongside uncapped Dundee United duo Paul Dixon & Garry Kenneth.
International goals
- Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 12 November 2005 | Hampden Park, Glasgow |  United States |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly match |
Transfer saga
In May 2007, FIFA ruled that Webster had cancelled the contract "without just cause" and without the required full 15-day notice. FIFA suspended him for the first two matches of the 2007–08 season. They also ordered him to pay £625,000 to Hearts.[15]
On 30 January 2008, Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Heart of Midlothian Football Club were to be awarded £150,000 for Webster's breach of contract. This amount was to be paid by Webster to the club. The arbitration board reduced the compensation from previous amount of £625,000 that Hearts appealed against.[16][17]
Career statistics
- After 20 June 2010
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arbroath | 1999–00 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 2000–01 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 16 | 1 | |
| Total | 17 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 1 | |
| Heart of Midlothian | 2000–01 | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 0 |
| 2001–02 | 27 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 30 | 1 | |
| 2002–03 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 25 | 1 | |
| 2003–04 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 39 | 3 | |
| 2004–05 | 35 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 50 | 3 | |
| 2005–06 | 30 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 36 | 1 | |
| Total | 149 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 184 | 9 | |
| Wigan | 2006–07 | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Rangers (loan) | 2006–07 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Rangers | 2008–09 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Bristol City (loan) | 2008–09 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 6 | 0 |
| Total | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| Dundee United (loan) | 2009–10 | 26 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 4 |
| Total | 26 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 4 | |
| Career total | 202 | 11 | 22 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 249 | 14 | |
Honours
References
- ^ "WEBSTER BID PROGRESSES". Dundee United FC. 2001-03-26. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
- ^ "WEBSTER 'NO' TO UNITED MOVE". Dundee United FC. 2001-03-28. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
- ^ "Jambos in new move for Webster". Daily Record. 29 March 2001.
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Docherty, John (29 March 2001). "Jambos in a Spin for Web Star; Andy snubs United for Tynecastle". Daily Record.{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)
McLeman, Neil (31 March 2001). "Top-Six Race Could Cost a Boss His Job". Daily Record.{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)
"Hearts catch Andy in a Web". Daily Mirror. 31 March 2001.{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Fifa allows Webster to join Wigan". BBC Sport. 4 September 2006.
- ^ "Wigan 4–0 Man City" Soccerbase. 21 October 2006.
- ^ "Webster checks in as loan Ranger". BBC Sport. 2007-01-04.
- ^ "Romanov in fight to block Webster move to Rangers". Scotsman. 11 January 2007.
- ^ "Webster extends Ibrox loan deal". BBC Sport. 29 June 2007.
- ^ "Rangers 4–0 Gretna". BBC Sport. 1 September 2007.
- ^ "Webster injury jinx strikes again". BBC Sport. 2007-10-28.
- ^ "Webster completes Rangers switch". BBC Sport. 9 June 2008.
- ^ "Bristol City land Webster on loan" BBC Sport. 18 August 2008.
- ^ "Rangers' Webster joins Dundee Utd". BBC Sport. 2009-07-15.
- ^ "Scotland B 3–0 N Ireland B" BBC Sport. 6 May 2009.
- ^ "Webster must pay Hearts £625,000" BBC Sport. 4 March 2007.
- ^ "Hearts demanding £5m for Webster" BBC Sport. 31 March 2007.
- ^ "Hearts get £150,000 for Webster" BBC Sport. 30 January 2008.
External links
- Andy Webster at Soccerbase
- Andy Webster at the Scottish Football Association