Danny O'Shea

Daniel O'Shea (born 26 March 1963) is an English former professional footballer who made 461 appearances in the Football League in a career that lasted more than 15 years.

Career O'Shea, born in Newington, London, came through the Arsenal youth system to make his league debut on 30 October 1982 in a goalless draw at home to Birmingham City, and played 9 times in all competitions for the Highbury outfit between 1982 and 1983. He also had a loan spell with Charlton Athletic before making a permanent move to Exeter City where he established himself as a regular first teamer and made 45 league appearances, scoring twice. Released at the end of the 1988–89 season on a free transfer, he signed for Cambridge United together with Southend teammate Martin Robinson. While Robinson only spent a season at the Abbey Stadium, O'Shea stayed until 1995, playing a major role in the success the club enjoyed in nearly reaching the Premier League under manager John Beck. O'Shea captained the United side as they played a FA Cup quarter-final tie at his old club Arsenal in 1991, though he ended on the losing side that day.

After playing more than 250 games for the club and having a spell as player-coach when Gary Johnson took charge, O'Shea left the club in 1995. Following this, he joined Northampton Town as player-assistant manager to former Cambridge United manager Ian Atkins. During the Summer of 1995 O'Shea made an appearance on loan in Wimbledon's ill-fated Intertoto Cup campaign, though did not do enough to earn a full-time contract with the Premier League club. He played a further 80 league games for Northampton before moving into non-League football in 1997 first with Rushden & Diamonds, then Aylesbury United before finishing his playing career with Canvey Island.