PLAYER PROFILE

Michael Dawson

Position: Defence

Height: 6'3

Weight: 12st 6lbs

Date of Birth: 1983-11-18 Northallerton, England

Michael Dawson

Nottingham Forest defender Michael Dawson signed for Tottenham Hotspur on transfer deadline day January 2005 as part of the €8m deal that also took Andy Reid to White Hart Lane.

Tottenham's sporting director Frank Arnesen explained why he wanted to sign the talented young defender: "Michael Dawson is a great prospect, has captained England Under-21s and outside his obvious playing talents, has a leadership quality in his personality."

He played only 5 games for his new team at the tail-end of the 04/05 season but made his mark in the 05/06 campaign, playing thirty-three games and being called up to the England World Cup squad as a stand-by.

Such fine form continued into the 2006/07 and 07/08 seasons and he is now regarded a crucial member of the Spurs squad.