Michael Dawson is an English professional football defender, who was born on November 18, 1983, in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. He was brought up in Leyburn and attended the Wensleydale School. His brothers, Andy Dawson and Kevin Dawson, are also professional football players. Michael Dawson is known for good distribution of the ball and his aerial ability, his height working to his advantage.
Michael Dawson was selected for the England Under-21 national team in 2003, and he played 13 matches for it. He has made two appearances for the England B team and was a part of the 2006 World Cup squad.
Michael Dawson kick-started his football career at his local club, Northallerton Junior Football club, which was followed by a brief stint with Richmond. He then joined the English football club, Nottingham Forest, as a junior professional player in 1997. He progressed to the senior side of the club in November 2000 and made his debut for it in a match against Walsall on April 1, 2002. Michael Dawson along with his teammate, Des Walker, was instrumental in the club’s sixth-place finish in the First Division the following season. In all, he appeared in 91 matches for the club, scoring seven goals.
Michael Dawson switched to Tottenham Hotspur on January 31, 2005 for an undisclosed fee. He represented the club for the first time against Liverpool in April that year. Due to his impressive performance in the 2005-06 season, the club extended his deal until 2011 in March 2006. His contribution for the club in the absence of his injury-hit teammate, Ledley King, made him the star defender for the Spurs and a favorite among the fans. Michael Dawson notched his maiden competitive goal for the club in its victory against Chelsea at White Hart Lane in November 2006. He was made captain of the team in the quarter-final match of the 2006-07 Football Association (FA) Cup versus Chelsea, as both the regular and stand-in captains couldn’t take the field due to injury. Michael Dawson was a part of the team that clinched the Carling Cup in 2008. He has represented the club in 103 games contributing two goals as of February 2008. In July 2008 he signed a new five-year deal with the Spurs that would last until 2013.
