Club career Paul Ince

1 club career

1.1 west ham united
1.2 manchester united
1.3 internazionale
1.4 liverpool
1.5 middlesbrough
1.6 wolverhampton wanderers

club career
west ham united

ince grew west ham united supporter. spotted playing, aged 12, west ham manager john lyall around time club in second division , achieved surprise fa cup final triumph on arsenal.

he signed hammers trainee, aged 14. lyall helped ince through troubled school times signing him yts trainee, on leaving school, in 1984. product of west ham youth team , made debut in english football on 30 november 1986 against newcastle united in first division. became regular player in 1987–88, proving himself have all-round qualities of pace, stamina, uncompromising tackling , passing ability. packed powerful shot, , awarded england under-21 honours go youth caps acquired apprentice. firmly established himself successor in west ham s midfield veteran billy bonds, retired @ end of 1987–88 season. unfortunately ince, west ham not enjoying 1 of best spells when broke team. despite having won fa cup in 1980 , finished third in league in 1986, had failed sustain challenge major honours , finished 15th in 1987 , 16th in 1988, , worse follow.

in august 1988, eventful season ince began. in struggling west ham side, shot national recognition 2 stunning goals in shock 4–1 win on defending league champions liverpool in league cup, , continued score goals hammers reached semi-finals while having real trouble finding form in league. west ham lost luton town in semi-finals and, despite frequent displays of individual brilliance ince, relegated @ end of season, disappointment cost manager john lyall job after 15 years @ helm. west ham s relegation sparked inevitable speculation ince sold first division club, manchester united being among clubs being linked ince s signature.

manchester united

paul ince in march 1991.

ince played once in second division following season before completing highly controversial transfer manchester united £1 million. ince had been photographed in manchester united kit long before transfer complete, appeared in daily express. ince received abuse west ham united fans many years afterwards. initial move postponed after failed medical, completed on 14 september 1989 after later received all-clear.

in article in 4 four 2 magazine, explained:

spoke alex ferguson , deal close being done. went on holiday, , agent @ time, ambrose mendy, said wasn t worth me coming picture in united shirt when deal completed, should 1 before left, , released when deal announced. lawrence luster of daily star took picture , put in library. after, sister paper, daily express, looking picture of me playing west ham, , found 1 of me in united shirt in pile. published , hell broke loose. came holiday discover west ham fans going mad. wasn t fault. kid, did agent told me do, took crap it.

ince made manchester united debut in 5–1 win on millwall, although next game united came in 5–1 manchester derby defeat manchester city. ince became strong presence in united midfield alongside bryan robson , neil webb, although first season of midfield partnership saw robson , in particular webb miss many games due injury. ince found himself partnering webb in centre of united midfield of 1990–91 season, robson absent close season until before christmas due injury, mike phelan appearing during robson s absence.

united won fa cup in first season, defeating crystal palace 1–0 in replay @ wembley after drawing 3–3. in both of these games, ince selected @ right-back in favour of viv anderson, favoured central midfield position being occupied mike phelan. ince man of match replay.

over next 4 seasons, robson s united career gradually wound down until left manage middlesbrough in 1994. during time, ince found himself playing alongside several other different central midfielders, including mike phelan, neil webb , darren ferguson. arrival of striker eric cantona in november 1992 saw brian mcclair become ince s regular central midfield partner until arrival of roy keane following season.

meanwhile, ince became united s key midfielder, snapping tackles, raking passes , tremendously hit shots, though not prolific goalscorer. 1 of best games came in january 1994, when scored in 2–2 away draw former club west ham in premier league.

he won second winners medal when united defeated barcelona in final of european cup winners cup in rotterdam in 1991 , received third year later when united beat nottingham forest in 1992 league cup final.

the next year, manchester united competing in inaugural premier league season ince , best friend @ time, ryan giggs @ fore , part of legendary team included mark hughes, eric cantona, peter schmeichel, andrei kanchelskis, steve bruce , denis irwin. seeking first league title 26 years, united won , ince completed domestic medal set 4 years after joining club.

manchester united continued dominate domestic game in 1993–94, enjoying unbroken lead of premier league throughout season, , ince midfield general in side won double of league , fa cup in 1994. year later , ince suffered more of familiar chants of judas when , manchester united went west ham on last day of season, needing win retain premier league crown. sadly them, draw game , blackburn rovers took title. went bad worse ince s next game saw them lose fa cup final everton, leaving united without major trophy first time in 6 seasons. during season, central midfield partner roy keane had missed 17 of united s 42 league games due injury, meaning ince found himself partnered brian mcclair , – particularly towards end of season – 20-year-old nicky butt.

in june 1995, ferguson sold ince internazionale £7.5 million – @ time 1 of biggest fees involving english club. ferguson had long sustained tempestuous relationship ince, labelling him bottler , big-time charlie , many fans saw prime reason ince being sold, rather on footballing or economic grounds. ince s sale caused unrest among united supporters, , discontent deepened when united turned younger nicky butt successor rather buying more experienced player. similar uproar followed subsequent sale of ince s teammates mark hughes , andrei kanchelskis, although younger players filled places in team contributed united s double double success in 1995–96 season triumphs of subsequent seasons.

while @ united, ince had collected 2 premier league title medals 2 fa cup winner s medals , 1 winner s medal each in european cup winners cup , football league cup. had collected runners-up medals in league cup twice , fa cup once.

internazionale

in 1995–96 season, internazionale failed challenge 14th scudetto, finishing seventh in serie a. ince, though, had successful first season, playing in 4 of inter s league matches , performing after slow start had started speculation on way premier league november transfer window - arsenal , newcastle united both reported interested. however, remain in milan 2 seasons.

the next year, ince had successful season nerazzurri, scoring 6 times in 24 matches in championship – in inter finished third – , playing part in inter s run through uefa cup final. ince scored in third round second-leg match away boavista inter swept before them before meeting schalke 04 in final. ince didn t play in away first-leg inter lost 1–0 returned line-up home match italians won 1–0 goal iván zamorano. penalties again heart breaker ince though, schalke won 4–1 in resulting penalty shoot-out.

despite being offered new, improved contract club president massimo moratti, ince decided after 2 years away time return england , left inter.

liverpool

after 2 seasons in italy, ince returned england in summer of 1997 son, thomas, approaching fifth birthday, attend english school. joined liverpool more £4 million – move surprised many because of long history of rivalry between manchester united , liverpool, , few players had ever appeared both of these clubs during careers.

according graeme le saux s autobiography, ince s homophobic taunting , le saux s reaction during 1997 match between liverpool , chelsea has resulted in long-running coolness between 2 players, despite fact le saux not gay.

ince won no honours in first season liverpool new club in midst of transitional period cast men and, rather derogatorily, spice boys – term coined describe likes of teammates , friends of ince s steve mcmanaman, robbie fowler, jason mcateer , jamie redknapp underachieving playboys in game; term derived name of contemporary pop-group, spice girls.

ince s second season liverpool again trophyless (seventh place in league meant not competing in uefa cup following season) achieved personal high point when scored late equaliser against manchester united @ anfield , celebrated ferocity in front of kop, though wasn t enough deprive united of premier league title formed part of treble success.

middlesbrough

in summer of 1999, however, liverpool coach gérard houllier put ince on transfer list , 31-year-old signed middlesbrough £1 million. linked former teammate bryan robson, had been manager of boro 5 years.

as club captain, ince played 3 seasons making 106 appearances 9 goals @ middlesbrough before given free transfer in 2002 @ end of contract robson s successor, steve mcclaren.

wolverhampton wanderers

ince joined wolverhampton wanderers , playing outside national top division first time since 1 brief appearance there west ham in 1989, prior move manchester united. said, ince in wolves team won promotion premier league division 1 playoff winners in first season. relegated after 1 season in top flight (their first since 1983–84), ince helped them beat old club manchester united 1–0 in mid january , chose stay wolves despite relegation.

ince expected retire @ end of 2004–05 season, changed mind halfway through season following appointment of glenn hoddle manager of wolves side struggling @ wrong end of league. wolves climbed ninth in final table, proving hard beat under hoddle s management, although drew many games able make late run playoff places. in june 2005, signed new one-year contract wolves. in april 2006, announced wanted continue playing wolves further season after speaking close friend teddy sheringham. however, following ince s failure manager s job @ wolves in july 2006 on hoddle s resignation, newly appointed manager, mick mccarthy, decided not offer ince new contract. upon leaving, ince declared intention return, @ point in future, manager of wolves.