Matthew Etherington

Matthew Etherington (born 14 August 1981) is an English professional football manager and former footballer who is Under-21 assistant at Southampton. As a player, Etherington played as a winger, most notably in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Stoke City. Born in Truro, Cornwall, Etherington began his footballing career at Peterborough United and was a stand-out performer for the Posh, which attracted the attention of Premier League clubs. He joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2000, along with Simon Davies. He struggled at Tottenham and left for West Ham United in 2003. At the East London club, Etherington showed his true form and became a vital player for the Hammers. However, he had personal problems related to an addiction to gambling and in 2009 was sold by manager Gianfranco Zola to fellow Premier League side Stoke City. At Stoke, Etherington became a vital member of the side under manager Tony Pulis, winning the player of the year award for the 2009–10 season and also played in the 2011 FA Cup final. Etherington remained a regular under Pulis in 2011–12 and 2012–13 before he was released by Mark Hughes at the end of the 2013–14 season.