N.B. We are imposing the rule that, to be eligible for this list, a player must have made at least 100 Premier League appearances.
So, while they have all played in the English top flight, the likes of David O’Leary, Ronnie Whelan, Mark Kennedy, Alan Kelly, Kevin Moran, Josh Cullen, Dara O’Shea, Keith Andrews, Evan Ferguson, Caoimhín Kelleher, John Egan and Enda Stevens fall short as they are below this number.
From the resulting list, while a player’s overall talent level is taken into account, the primary factor in determining an individual’s position is how well they fared in the Premier League. So, for instance, Mark Kinsella indisputably had a better international career than Damien Delaney but had less impact at Premier League level, so is below him on the list.
20. James McCarthy (271 appearances)
McCarthy probably doesn’t always get the credit he deserves, perhaps because his Ireland career never really took off, despite winning 43 caps and appearing at Euro 2016. His career also petered out badly, making only 12 appearances in three years at Celtic. He had many miles on the clock by then, however, making his debut for Hamilton Academical at the age of 16, rejecting a move to Liverpool around that time. The Glasgow-born midfielder was still only 18 when he made his Premier League bow with Wigan Athletic. In four top-flight seasons, he established himself as a top-flight regular with the Latics. Their relegation in 2013 was offset by a sensational FA Cup win, as McCarthy completed 90 minutes in the 1-0 upset victory over Roberto Mancini’s Man City. He then followed manager Roberto Martinez to Everton, completing a £13 million (€15.19 million) move to become the club’s second-most expensive player in the Toffees’ history. With McCarthy playing alongside Gareth Barry in midfield, his first season could hardly have gone much better, as the club secured a record 72 points and finished fifth. He made 57 appearances over the next two campaigns amid back-to-back 11th-place finishes. But injuries took their toll thereafter, culminating in a broken leg suffered in January 2018. 33 Premier League appearances for Crystal Palace in the 2019-20 campaign were the anomaly as McCarthy generally struggled to gain consistent minutes in the latter half of his career.
19. Matt Holland (202 appearances)
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
One of many examples on this list of an Irish footballer who overcame a major setback early in his career. The Bury-born player was rejected by Arsenal as a youngster and spent time in West Ham’s academy, but never made the grade at the Hammers either. He spent seven seasons in the lower leagues, encompassing loan stints at Farnborough Town and Bournemouth, before the latter deal became permanent. He then joined Ipswich Town, where he had a remarkable record – in five seasons, Holland featured in 259 out of a possible 260 league games, 76 of which were in the Premier League. His best season with the Tractor Boys was 2000-01, where he was key to a fifth-place finish, with George Burley’s side finishing only three points off the final Champions League spot secured by Liverpool. Unfortunately, they could not build on this progress and were relegated the following season. After Ipswich failed to win promotion in their first campaign back in the second tier, Holland joined Charlton for a £750,000 (€876,000) fee and instantly assumed the role of club captain. He was an ever-present in his first season at the club, as Alan Curbishley’s side finished seventh in the table. Holland remained prominent as they earned 11th and 13th-place finishes the next two years, but the decision to part ways with Curbishley proved costly, as the club were relegated in 2007. Holland spent two more seasons in the Championship with the Addicks before retiring. There are more talented players below him on this list, but the 49-times-capped Ireland international’s consummate professionalism ensured he had a memorable career.
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18. Shane Long (344 appearances)
Never really a prolific goalscorer at Premier League level, yet Long had a substantial career in the top flight for other qualities, primarily his pace and work off the ball. Having started with Cork City in the League of Ireland, he ultimately played 15 seasons in the top flight. The Gortnahoe-born striker only hit double figures once, scoring 10 in the 2015-16 campaign, but usually chipped in with a few. His 56 goals in total leave him behind only Niall Quinn (59) and Robbie Keane (126) on the all-time list. He was part of the Reading side that played two seasons in the top flight between 2006 and 2008, while he managed 19 goals in 81 appearances for a West Brom team that earned back-to-back eighth-place finishes under Steve Clarke. He had a brief spell at Steve Bruce’s Hull City before a £12 million (€14.02 million) move to Southampton made him the fifth most expensive Irish player ever at the time of the deal. And the move was a success. For three seasons, Long featured regularly as the Saints earned three consecutive top-eight finishes under Ronald Koeman and Claude Puel. The Tipperary native gradually became more of a squad player, but Southampton remained a Premier League club throughout his time there. He played on loan at Bournemouth before returning to Reading for a season in the Championship ahead of his retirement in 2023. At international level, Long also leaves a strong legacy. 17 goals in 88 appearances puts him seventh on the all-time scorers list – the most memorable of which was unquestionably the winner against reigning world champions Germany in 2015.
17. Lee Carsley (282 appearances)
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
One of the most solid and dependable defensive midfield players of his era. Carsley initially made his name at Derby County – he was part of the side that won promotion to the Premier League in 1996. He was key to establishing the Rams in the top flight. In three seasons of Premier League football, they instantly became reliable mid-table finishers. In March 1999, Carsley joined Blackburn for £3.4 million (€3.97 million), but the move was badly timed. In eight appearances for Brian Kidd’s side, he could not prevent their relegation. He was one of their better performers in the second tier, finishing the season as the club’s top scorer with 11 goals before sealing a move back to the Premier League with Coventry for £2.5 million (€2.92 million). Despite playing regularly, Carsley couldn’t prevent Gordon Strachan’s side suffering a first relegation in 34 years. Yet the 40-times-capped Irish international recovered well from this setback. He moved to Walter Smith’s Everton just before David Moyes took charge. The signing of Carsley was integral to Everton going from relegation battlers to a side that finished in the top seven for four of Carsley’s seven seasons there. At 34, he joined hometown club Birmingham City and was a regular in the side as they instantly secured Premier League promotion, winning the Players’ Player of the Season award there. Yet the veteran was restricted to nine appearances the following season owing to injuries, and he retired after one more campaign in the Championship. Since then, he has become a highly rated coach, guiding England’s U21s to back-to-back victories at the European Championship in 2023 and 2025.
16. Kenny Cunningham (335 appearances)
The Dubliner spent the first five and a bit seasons of his career at Millwall, making five top-flight appearances as the club were relegated at the end of the 1989-90 season. In November 1994, along with fellow Ireland international Jon Goodman, he joined Joe Kinnear’s Wimbledon for a joint fee of £1.3 million (€1.52 million). Cunningham spent the next eight seasons at the Dons, winning their Player of the Season award twice. There were two top-10 finishes during that period, but Joe Kinnear’s men often found themselves in a relegation scrap and eventually went down in 2000. After two seasons in the second tier, he joined Birmingham for a £600,000 (€701,000) fee, just after the Blues had been promoted to the Premier League. The former Home Farm player swiftly became a fan favourite, winning Player of the Season in his first campaign and helping the club play four seasons in the top flight. At one stage, manager Steve Bruce was even prompted to describe Cunningham as the best defender in the top flight “on current form”. But the spell unfortunately ended with relegation in 2006. He then joined Roy Keane’s Sunderland, but an injury-ridden stint concluded with just 11 Championship appearances. A decorated Ireland career saw him win 72 caps, make the 2002 World Cup squad and captain his country before retiring and becoming a popular pundit.
15. Niall Quinn (250 appearances)
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
You could make a strong case that Quinn’s best years were pre-Premier League. The former Dublin GAA minor player initially had an unsuccessful trial with Fulham before joining Arsenal. He was a regular during the 1986–87 season, scoring eight goals in 35 appearances. But he struggled for game time after George Graham signed Alan Smith, and the Dubliner eventually moved to Manchester City. Quinn’s first full season was his best, as he scored 20 goals from 38 First Division appearances in the 1990-91 campaign. He played four Premier League seasons with City, scoring 30 goals from 121 appearances. A transfer to Sunderland initially looked unpromising, as the club were relegated the season he signed. Yet Quinn formed an impressive partnership up front with Kevin Phillips and the pair eventually inspired the Black Cats to promotion, with Quinn contributing 32 goals amid two seasons in the second tier. A strong end to his career ensued – Quinn was a regular as Peter Reid’s side managed back-to-back seventh place finishes. The Irish star also featured in every game of the 2001-02 season as Sunderland came 17th, narrowly avoiding relegation. He made a further eight appearances the following year before retiring. At international level too, he was a key figure in both the Jack Charlton and Mick McCarthy eras, scoring 21 goals – only Robbie Keane has more.
14. Andy Townsend (215 appearances)
Another player whose best days were just before the Premier League era began and would be higher on the list if they had counted. Townsend made the PFA Team of the Year on three occasions between 1988 and 1992. He was 29 by the time of the inaugural PL campaign and was a regular in a Chelsea side that finished 11th. He then moved to Aston Villa for £2.1 million (€2.45 million), and enjoyed some memorable moments there, featuring in the final of both the 1994 and 1996 League Cup triumphs, captaining the team for the latter game. In the league, Villa were inconsistent during Townsend’s four seasons – in chronological order, finishing 10th, 18th, fourth and fifth. The midfielder was 34 by the time he moved down a division to join Middlesbrough, who promptly gained promotion to the Premier League. Townsend remained a regular during Boro’s first season back in the top flight, before signing for second-tier West Brom, making a further 17 league appearances, only for a recurring knee injury to prompt his retirement in the summer of 2000. The Maidstone-born player’s international career was just as impressive as his club one, winning 70 caps, featuring at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, and captaining Ireland at the latter tournament.
13. Gary Kelly (325 appearances)
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Alamy Stock Photo
A rare and remarkable one-club man. Kelly was just 17 when he made his Leeds United debut, making two appearances in the First Division during the 1991-92 campaign, when they won the title. But it wasn’t until the 1993-94 season that the Drogheda native became a regular in the side, featuring in all 42 of their games that season. In total, the right-back made over 500 appearances for Leeds, the only non-Don Revie-managed player to achieve that feat. He is eighth on the club’s all-time appearances list, one spot ahead of fellow Irishman John Giles. The Home Farm graduate was part of their first team for 16 seasons. In the first nine seasons when Kelly was a regular, Leeds finished in the Premier League top five on seven occasions. He was a key part of the side that finished third in the 1999-2000 season and also featured regularly when they reached the Champions League semi-finals the following year. Kelly turned 30 just after the Elland Road outfit were relegated to the Championship, but remained a regular for two more seasons, eventually losing his place and retiring at the end of the 2006-07 campaign. He was a valuable member of the Irish squad too, winning 52 caps and playing at the 1994 and 2002 World Cups.
12. Steve Finnan (236 appearances)
Ireland had four great right-backs in roughly the same era – Finnan, Stephen Carr, Jeff Kenna and Gary Kelly (Denis Irwin came slightly before them). Finnan has the fewest Premier League appearances of the quartet, but his career had the greatest highs. He famously played in all four divisions of English football. The Limerick native had stints at Welling United, Birmingham City and Notts County before gaining promotion to the Premier League with Fulham. He was 25 by the time he made his top-flight debut, playing two seasons there under Jean Tigana and Chris Coleman, making the PFA Team of the Year in 2002 before earning a £3.5 million (€4.09 million) move to Liverpool. The Reds finished between third and fifth in all five of Finnan’s seasons at Anfield, encompassing the managerial stints of Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez. Finnan also won both the Champions League and FA Cup during his time with the club, and started two Champions League finals, in 2005 and 2007, both against AC Milan. He then made four La Liga appearances with Espanyol and 21 in the Premier League for Portsmouth before retiring with over 600 senior games to his name.
11. Stephen Carr (377 appearances)
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
At his best, Carr was consistently among the top full-backs in the Premier League. He spent seven seasons as a regular at Tottenham – missing the entirety of the 2001-02 season and that summer’s World Cup through injury. It was at Spurs where the Dubliner enjoyed his apex. Even in a team that regularly flattered to deceive and invariably finished around mid-table, Carr was always among the top performers and, at his peak, was linked with the likes of Barcelona and Man United. The former Stella Maris youngster was 28 by the time he made a £2 million (€2.34 million) move to Newcastle, but injuries slowed him down, and he wasn’t quite the same player in four inconsistent seasons with the Magpies. Yet he wasn’t done yet. Carr had an impressive Indian summer at Birmingham, making 13 Championship appearances in their promotion-winning campaign, and playing regular Premier League football for the next two seasons. The 2010-11 season was especially memorable, as Alex McLeish’s side suffered relegation and won the League Cup final in the space of a few weeks. Carr retired after a further 20 Championship appearances with the Blues. He featured on the PFA Team of the Year in 2001 and 2003, and was Tottenham’s Player of the Year two years on the bounce in 1999 and 2000.
You can read about numbers 10-1 at 9pm tomorrow on The 42
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Ireland's greatest-ever Premier League players: 20-11
N.B. We are imposing the rule that, to be eligible for this list, a player must have made at least 100 Premier League appearances.
So, while they have all played in the English top flight, the likes of David O’Leary, Ronnie Whelan, Mark Kennedy, Alan Kelly, Kevin Moran, Josh Cullen, Dara O’Shea, Keith Andrews, Evan Ferguson, Caoimhín Kelleher, John Egan and Enda Stevens fall short as they are below this number.
From the resulting list, while a player’s overall talent level is taken into account, the primary factor in determining an individual’s position is how well they fared in the Premier League. So, for instance, Mark Kinsella indisputably had a better international career than Damien Delaney but had less impact at Premier League level, so is below him on the list.
20. James McCarthy (271 appearances)
McCarthy probably doesn’t always get the credit he deserves, perhaps because his Ireland career never really took off, despite winning 43 caps and appearing at Euro 2016. His career also petered out badly, making only 12 appearances in three years at Celtic. He had many miles on the clock by then, however, making his debut for Hamilton Academical at the age of 16, rejecting a move to Liverpool around that time. The Glasgow-born midfielder was still only 18 when he made his Premier League bow with Wigan Athletic. In four top-flight seasons, he established himself as a top-flight regular with the Latics. Their relegation in 2013 was offset by a sensational FA Cup win, as McCarthy completed 90 minutes in the 1-0 upset victory over Roberto Mancini’s Man City. He then followed manager Roberto Martinez to Everton, completing a £13 million (€15.19 million) move to become the club’s second-most expensive player in the Toffees’ history. With McCarthy playing alongside Gareth Barry in midfield, his first season could hardly have gone much better, as the club secured a record 72 points and finished fifth. He made 57 appearances over the next two campaigns amid back-to-back 11th-place finishes. But injuries took their toll thereafter, culminating in a broken leg suffered in January 2018. 33 Premier League appearances for Crystal Palace in the 2019-20 campaign were the anomaly as McCarthy generally struggled to gain consistent minutes in the latter half of his career.
19. Matt Holland (202 appearances)
One of many examples on this list of an Irish footballer who overcame a major setback early in his career. The Bury-born player was rejected by Arsenal as a youngster and spent time in West Ham’s academy, but never made the grade at the Hammers either. He spent seven seasons in the lower leagues, encompassing loan stints at Farnborough Town and Bournemouth, before the latter deal became permanent. He then joined Ipswich Town, where he had a remarkable record – in five seasons, Holland featured in 259 out of a possible 260 league games, 76 of which were in the Premier League. His best season with the Tractor Boys was 2000-01, where he was key to a fifth-place finish, with George Burley’s side finishing only three points off the final Champions League spot secured by Liverpool. Unfortunately, they could not build on this progress and were relegated the following season. After Ipswich failed to win promotion in their first campaign back in the second tier, Holland joined Charlton for a £750,000 (€876,000) fee and instantly assumed the role of club captain. He was an ever-present in his first season at the club, as Alan Curbishley’s side finished seventh in the table. Holland remained prominent as they earned 11th and 13th-place finishes the next two years, but the decision to part ways with Curbishley proved costly, as the club were relegated in 2007. Holland spent two more seasons in the Championship with the Addicks before retiring. There are more talented players below him on this list, but the 49-times-capped Ireland international’s consummate professionalism ensured he had a memorable career.
18. Shane Long (344 appearances)
Never really a prolific goalscorer at Premier League level, yet Long had a substantial career in the top flight for other qualities, primarily his pace and work off the ball. Having started with Cork City in the League of Ireland, he ultimately played 15 seasons in the top flight. The Gortnahoe-born striker only hit double figures once, scoring 10 in the 2015-16 campaign, but usually chipped in with a few. His 56 goals in total leave him behind only Niall Quinn (59) and Robbie Keane (126) on the all-time list. He was part of the Reading side that played two seasons in the top flight between 2006 and 2008, while he managed 19 goals in 81 appearances for a West Brom team that earned back-to-back eighth-place finishes under Steve Clarke. He had a brief spell at Steve Bruce’s Hull City before a £12 million (€14.02 million) move to Southampton made him the fifth most expensive Irish player ever at the time of the deal. And the move was a success. For three seasons, Long featured regularly as the Saints earned three consecutive top-eight finishes under Ronald Koeman and Claude Puel. The Tipperary native gradually became more of a squad player, but Southampton remained a Premier League club throughout his time there. He played on loan at Bournemouth before returning to Reading for a season in the Championship ahead of his retirement in 2023. At international level, Long also leaves a strong legacy. 17 goals in 88 appearances puts him seventh on the all-time scorers list – the most memorable of which was unquestionably the winner against reigning world champions Germany in 2015.
17. Lee Carsley (282 appearances)
One of the most solid and dependable defensive midfield players of his era. Carsley initially made his name at Derby County – he was part of the side that won promotion to the Premier League in 1996. He was key to establishing the Rams in the top flight. In three seasons of Premier League football, they instantly became reliable mid-table finishers. In March 1999, Carsley joined Blackburn for £3.4 million (€3.97 million), but the move was badly timed. In eight appearances for Brian Kidd’s side, he could not prevent their relegation. He was one of their better performers in the second tier, finishing the season as the club’s top scorer with 11 goals before sealing a move back to the Premier League with Coventry for £2.5 million (€2.92 million). Despite playing regularly, Carsley couldn’t prevent Gordon Strachan’s side suffering a first relegation in 34 years. Yet the 40-times-capped Irish international recovered well from this setback. He moved to Walter Smith’s Everton just before David Moyes took charge. The signing of Carsley was integral to Everton going from relegation battlers to a side that finished in the top seven for four of Carsley’s seven seasons there. At 34, he joined hometown club Birmingham City and was a regular in the side as they instantly secured Premier League promotion, winning the Players’ Player of the Season award there. Yet the veteran was restricted to nine appearances the following season owing to injuries, and he retired after one more campaign in the Championship. Since then, he has become a highly rated coach, guiding England’s U21s to back-to-back victories at the European Championship in 2023 and 2025.
16. Kenny Cunningham (335 appearances)
The Dubliner spent the first five and a bit seasons of his career at Millwall, making five top-flight appearances as the club were relegated at the end of the 1989-90 season. In November 1994, along with fellow Ireland international Jon Goodman, he joined Joe Kinnear’s Wimbledon for a joint fee of £1.3 million (€1.52 million). Cunningham spent the next eight seasons at the Dons, winning their Player of the Season award twice. There were two top-10 finishes during that period, but Joe Kinnear’s men often found themselves in a relegation scrap and eventually went down in 2000. After two seasons in the second tier, he joined Birmingham for a £600,000 (€701,000) fee, just after the Blues had been promoted to the Premier League. The former Home Farm player swiftly became a fan favourite, winning Player of the Season in his first campaign and helping the club play four seasons in the top flight. At one stage, manager Steve Bruce was even prompted to describe Cunningham as the best defender in the top flight “on current form”. But the spell unfortunately ended with relegation in 2006. He then joined Roy Keane’s Sunderland, but an injury-ridden stint concluded with just 11 Championship appearances. A decorated Ireland career saw him win 72 caps, make the 2002 World Cup squad and captain his country before retiring and becoming a popular pundit.
15. Niall Quinn (250 appearances)
You could make a strong case that Quinn’s best years were pre-Premier League. The former Dublin GAA minor player initially had an unsuccessful trial with Fulham before joining Arsenal. He was a regular during the 1986–87 season, scoring eight goals in 35 appearances. But he struggled for game time after George Graham signed Alan Smith, and the Dubliner eventually moved to Manchester City. Quinn’s first full season was his best, as he scored 20 goals from 38 First Division appearances in the 1990-91 campaign. He played four Premier League seasons with City, scoring 30 goals from 121 appearances. A transfer to Sunderland initially looked unpromising, as the club were relegated the season he signed. Yet Quinn formed an impressive partnership up front with Kevin Phillips and the pair eventually inspired the Black Cats to promotion, with Quinn contributing 32 goals amid two seasons in the second tier. A strong end to his career ensued – Quinn was a regular as Peter Reid’s side managed back-to-back seventh place finishes. The Irish star also featured in every game of the 2001-02 season as Sunderland came 17th, narrowly avoiding relegation. He made a further eight appearances the following year before retiring. At international level too, he was a key figure in both the Jack Charlton and Mick McCarthy eras, scoring 21 goals – only Robbie Keane has more.
14. Andy Townsend (215 appearances)
Another player whose best days were just before the Premier League era began and would be higher on the list if they had counted. Townsend made the PFA Team of the Year on three occasions between 1988 and 1992. He was 29 by the time of the inaugural PL campaign and was a regular in a Chelsea side that finished 11th. He then moved to Aston Villa for £2.1 million (€2.45 million), and enjoyed some memorable moments there, featuring in the final of both the 1994 and 1996 League Cup triumphs, captaining the team for the latter game. In the league, Villa were inconsistent during Townsend’s four seasons – in chronological order, finishing 10th, 18th, fourth and fifth. The midfielder was 34 by the time he moved down a division to join Middlesbrough, who promptly gained promotion to the Premier League. Townsend remained a regular during Boro’s first season back in the top flight, before signing for second-tier West Brom, making a further 17 league appearances, only for a recurring knee injury to prompt his retirement in the summer of 2000. The Maidstone-born player’s international career was just as impressive as his club one, winning 70 caps, featuring at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, and captaining Ireland at the latter tournament.
13. Gary Kelly (325 appearances)
A rare and remarkable one-club man. Kelly was just 17 when he made his Leeds United debut, making two appearances in the First Division during the 1991-92 campaign, when they won the title. But it wasn’t until the 1993-94 season that the Drogheda native became a regular in the side, featuring in all 42 of their games that season. In total, the right-back made over 500 appearances for Leeds, the only non-Don Revie-managed player to achieve that feat. He is eighth on the club’s all-time appearances list, one spot ahead of fellow Irishman John Giles. The Home Farm graduate was part of their first team for 16 seasons. In the first nine seasons when Kelly was a regular, Leeds finished in the Premier League top five on seven occasions. He was a key part of the side that finished third in the 1999-2000 season and also featured regularly when they reached the Champions League semi-finals the following year. Kelly turned 30 just after the Elland Road outfit were relegated to the Championship, but remained a regular for two more seasons, eventually losing his place and retiring at the end of the 2006-07 campaign. He was a valuable member of the Irish squad too, winning 52 caps and playing at the 1994 and 2002 World Cups.
12. Steve Finnan (236 appearances)
Ireland had four great right-backs in roughly the same era – Finnan, Stephen Carr, Jeff Kenna and Gary Kelly (Denis Irwin came slightly before them). Finnan has the fewest Premier League appearances of the quartet, but his career had the greatest highs. He famously played in all four divisions of English football. The Limerick native had stints at Welling United, Birmingham City and Notts County before gaining promotion to the Premier League with Fulham. He was 25 by the time he made his top-flight debut, playing two seasons there under Jean Tigana and Chris Coleman, making the PFA Team of the Year in 2002 before earning a £3.5 million (€4.09 million) move to Liverpool. The Reds finished between third and fifth in all five of Finnan’s seasons at Anfield, encompassing the managerial stints of Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez. Finnan also won both the Champions League and FA Cup during his time with the club, and started two Champions League finals, in 2005 and 2007, both against AC Milan. He then made four La Liga appearances with Espanyol and 21 in the Premier League for Portsmouth before retiring with over 600 senior games to his name.
11. Stephen Carr (377 appearances)
At his best, Carr was consistently among the top full-backs in the Premier League. He spent seven seasons as a regular at Tottenham – missing the entirety of the 2001-02 season and that summer’s World Cup through injury. It was at Spurs where the Dubliner enjoyed his apex. Even in a team that regularly flattered to deceive and invariably finished around mid-table, Carr was always among the top performers and, at his peak, was linked with the likes of Barcelona and Man United. The former Stella Maris youngster was 28 by the time he made a £2 million (€2.34 million) move to Newcastle, but injuries slowed him down, and he wasn’t quite the same player in four inconsistent seasons with the Magpies. Yet he wasn’t done yet. Carr had an impressive Indian summer at Birmingham, making 13 Championship appearances in their promotion-winning campaign, and playing regular Premier League football for the next two seasons. The 2010-11 season was especially memorable, as Alex McLeish’s side suffered relegation and won the League Cup final in the space of a few weeks. Carr retired after a further 20 Championship appearances with the Blues. He featured on the PFA Team of the Year in 2001 and 2003, and was Tottenham’s Player of the Year two years on the bounce in 1999 and 2000.
You can read about numbers 10-1 at 9pm tomorrow on The 42
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