Dalian Atkinson

Dalian Robert Atkinson (born 21 March 1968) is an English former footballer who played as a striker in the Football League and Premier League for Ipswich Town, Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa and Manchester City, in La Liga for Real Sociedad, in Ligue 1 for Metz, in the Turkish Super League for Fenerbahçe, in Saudi Arabia for Al-Ittihad, and in the K-League for Daejeon Citizen and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

Career

Atkinson is probably most often remembered for his magnificent solo goal against Wimbledon in a 3-2 away win on 3 October 1992, which won a BBC Match of the Day Goal of the Season competition for the 1992-93 season, the first season of the new FA Premier League, when Villa finished runners-up. Starting deep in the Aston Villa half of the pitch with a one-touch trap from a lofted ball that immediately took him away from a defending player, Atkinson then skipped past two more Wimbledon players and, pausing briefly as he reached the edge of the opposition penalty area, produced a delicately arced chip-shot that floated over the onrushing goalkeeper. He also had the distinction of scoring Villa's first Premier League goal, when he scored their 84th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town on the opening day of the season.