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David Andrew Seaman Order of the British
Empire|MBE (born September 19, 1963) is an
England|English football (soccer)|football
goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most
notably Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal and most recently
with Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City.  He
retired from the game on January 13, 2004,
following a recurring shoulder injury.  He was
awarded the Order of the British Empire|MBE in
1997 for services to the sport.

He is generally regarded as one of the best
goalkeepers of his generation, and his peak was
during his period as Arsenal and England national
football team|England goalkeeper.  During his time
at Arsenal he won many medals including three
league championships (1991, 1998, 2002), several
FA Cups (1993, 1998, 2002, 2003), one League Cup
(1993) and the Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup
Winners Cup (1994).  During this time he also
played in the Football World Cup 1998|1998 and
Football World Cup 2002|2002 World Cups, and 1996
European Football Championship|Euro 96 and 2000
European Football Championship|Euro 2000.

He is also well known for a few high profile
blunders, such as letting in a goal from an arcing
40 yard free kick by Ronaldinho during the 2002
Football World Cup 2002|World Cup, Nayim's
astonishing lob from the right-hand touchline,
some 45 yards, in the final minutes of the 1995
Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup Winners Cup final,
letting in a goal directly from a corner kick
during his last appearance for the England
national football team|England national team, a
2-2 draw with Republic of Macedonia national
football team|Macedonia in a 2004 European
Football Championship|Euro 2004 qualifier in
October 2002.

He was also in goal when, in 1993, England
conceded the fastest goal in World Cup qualifiers
history (to David Gualtieri, of San Marino
national football team|San Marino) – 8
seconds, after an errant backpass by Stuart
Pearce. England went on to win 7-1; ultimately the
goal had no standing on England's failure to
qualify for the Wc|1994.

Seaman is not generally known for amazingly
athletic saves: his great skill was the usage of
angles to deny opposing strikers any part of the
goal to shoot at, making spectacular diving saves
unnecessary.  However, near the end of his career,
in Arsenal's 2003 FA Cup semifinal against
Sheffield United, in his 1,000th professional
match, Seaman pulled off what many regard as the
greatest save of recent times, and some even call
it the greatest ever.  Arsenal were defending a
1-0 lead, when with less than ten minutes to go,
Paul Peschisolido had a header towards an
apparently open goal from six yards out with
Seaman seemingly stranded at the near post. 
However, Peschisolido headed the ball slightly too
close to Seaman and the goalkeeper leaped sideways
and backwards, somehow managing to stretch his
right arm behind him and scooping the ball back
and away from both his goal and the opposing
players ready to pounce on a rebound.

Seaman was also noted for his ability to save
penalty kick (football)|penalty kicks - for
example, saving Attilio Lombardo's shot in a
penalty shootout (football)|penalty shootout
against U.C. Sampdoria|Sampdoria to take Arsenal
to the final of the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup. For
England, during Euro 96, Seaman first saved a
penalty in normal play from Scotland national
football team|Scotland's Gary McAllister in a
group match, while England were 1-0 up (Paul
Gascoigne scored soon after to make it 2-0). Then,
after England's quarter-final against Spain
national football team|Spain ended scoreless,
Seaman saved Miguel Nadal's kick in the shootout
to knock Spain out of the tournament.

In 2004, following his retirement from
professional football, he became one of the
celebrities to take part in Strictly Ice Dancing,
a one-off ice dance version of Strictly Come
Dancing, replacing Paul Gascoigne.

*Teams
**Leeds United F.C. (1981-1982)
**Peterborough United F.C. (1982-1984) 
**Birmingham City F.C. (1984 - August 1986)
**Queens Park Rangers F.C. (August 1986 - June
1990)
**Arsenal F.C. (June 1990 - June 2003)
**Manchester City F.C. (June 2003 - January 2004)

*England national football team|England (November
1988 - October 2002)
**Debut against Saudi Arabia national football
team|Saudi Arabia
**Final appearance against Republic of Macedonia
national football team|Macedonia

*Honours
**FIFA Football World Cup|World Cup
***Appearances: Football World Cup 1998|1998
Football World Cup 2002|2002
**FA Premier league|League Championship: 3
***1991 (old Division 1) 1998 2002
**FA Cups: 4
***1993 1998 2002 2003
**League Cup: 1993
**Cup Winners' Cup: 1994