Alan Miller (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Alan John Miller is an English
former professional football
goalkeeper.
Miller began as an apprentice at Arsenal
in 1984. With them he won the FA Youth Cup
in 1988, and won four caps for the England under-21 team
. However, with John Lukic
and then David Seaman
first-team opportunities were rare; he had loan spells with Plymouth Argyle
, West Bromwich Albion
and Birmingham City
. Nonetheless, while with Arsenal, Miller became renowned as a practical joker. This became apparent by his response to the traditional 'hazing' carried out on him by the Gunners' squad when was promoted from the youth side. In response to Viv Anderson
defecating in his shoe, Miller did the classic swap-shaving-foam-with-deodorant move, resulting in Anderson having a rash on his face for weeks. Things snowballed from there, the most infamous incident coming when Miller told Paul Merson
to bet on Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in a reserve game against Crystal Palace only to throw the ball into his own net in the last minute with his side 4-0 up.
He finally made his Arsenal debut on 21 November 1992 as a substitute (the first ever Arsenal goalkeeper to come on as a sub) and made another seven appearances over the next two seasons. He won FA Cup
and League Cup
winners' medals in 1992-93
and a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
medal in 1993-94
, as an unused sub each time.
In the summer of 1994, Miller moved to Middlesbrough
for £500,000, winning a First Division
winners' medal in his first season. While the official reason given was that he wanted first-team football and could not achieve that behind David Seaman
, Perry Groves
revealed the real cause of the transfer in his autobiography, We All Live In A Perry Groves World (ISBN 1-84454-319-6). By now, the jokes had become an obsession for Miller, so much so that he feigned injury so as to miss training, formulating his plans instead.
In 1997 he signed for West Bromwich Albion
in a £400,000 deal, before moving on to Blackburn Rovers
in 2000. He played only two games during his time at Ewood Park, and spent time on loan at Bristol City
and Coventry City
during 2000-01. In October 2001 he was loaned out again, this time to St Johnstone. Miller retired in 2003 after failing to overcome a back injury.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former professional football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
goalkeeper.
Miller began as an apprentice at Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in 1984. With them he won the FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
in 1988, and won four caps for the England under-21 team
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
. However, with John Lukic
John Lukic
Jovan "John" Lukic is an English former football goalkeeper who was a member of Football League championship sides with two different clubs and played at the highest level of English football in four separate decades.-Childhood and early life:Lukic was born in Chesterfield to Yugoslavian parents;...
and then David Seaman
David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...
first-team opportunities were rare; he had loan spells with Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
and Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. Nonetheless, while with Arsenal, Miller became renowned as a practical joker. This became apparent by his response to the traditional 'hazing' carried out on him by the Gunners' squad when was promoted from the youth side. In response to Viv Anderson
Viv Anderson
Vivian Alexander "Viv" Anderson MBE is an English football player and coach, who played for clubs including Nottingham Forest, Arsenal, Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday in the 1970s and 1980s...
defecating in his shoe, Miller did the classic swap-shaving-foam-with-deodorant move, resulting in Anderson having a rash on his face for weeks. Things snowballed from there, the most infamous incident coming when Miller told Paul Merson
Paul Merson
Paul Charles Merson is a retired English football player, and former player-manager of Walsall. His playing career has included spells at Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and finishing his playing career at Tamworth. He also played for England 21 times...
to bet on Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in a reserve game against Crystal Palace only to throw the ball into his own net in the last minute with his side 4-0 up.
He finally made his Arsenal debut on 21 November 1992 as a substitute (the first ever Arsenal goalkeeper to come on as a sub) and made another seven appearances over the next two seasons. He won FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and League Cup
League Cup
In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish...
winners' medals in 1992-93
1992-93 in English football
The 1992–1993 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season saw the birth of the FA Premier League. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions....
and a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
medal in 1993-94
1993-94 in English football
The 1993-1994 season was the 114th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:From the start of this season, the FA Premier League would be sponsored by Carling Breweries - an association which would last for eight years...
, as an unused sub each time.
In the summer of 1994, Miller moved to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
for £500,000, winning a First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
winners' medal in his first season. While the official reason given was that he wanted first-team football and could not achieve that behind David Seaman
David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...
, Perry Groves
Perry Groves
Perry Groves is a former English footballer, known chiefly for his time at Arsenal. He was a fast-paced player who usually played as winger, and occasionally as a striker...
revealed the real cause of the transfer in his autobiography, We All Live In A Perry Groves World (ISBN 1-84454-319-6). By now, the jokes had become an obsession for Miller, so much so that he feigned injury so as to miss training, formulating his plans instead.
In 1997 he signed for West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in a £400,000 deal, before moving on to Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
in 2000. He played only two games during his time at Ewood Park, and spent time on loan at Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
and Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
during 2000-01. In October 2001 he was loaned out again, this time to St Johnstone. Miller retired in 2003 after failing to overcome a back injury.