Born: 18 April 1979, Hartismere, Suffolk
Former clubs: Luton Town, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest (loan), Crystal Palace (loan), Reading (loan), Birmingham City

A composed centre-back who is strong in the air and comfortable in possession, Matthew Upson has become a central figure for both West Ham United and England in recent seasons.

Upson joined the Hammers in January 2007 and has shaken off early injury concerns to become a consistent and commanding figure, traits rewarded with the captaincy in the summer of 2009.

At international level, the former Under-18 and U21 player has passed 20 caps for his country, scoring in the 2010 FIFA World Cup second-round defeat by Germany in Bloemfontein, becoming the first West Ham player to score at the tournament since Geoff Hurst in 1966.

2009/10

Named club captain…Totalled 33 Premier League appearances, all of them starts...Scored three Premier League goals...Netted headers at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Stoke City and Portsmouth…Made one League Cup and one FA Cup appearance.

2008/09

Made 37 Premier League appearances, all of them starts…Made two League Cup and two FA Cup appearances...Missed just one of West Ham United's 42 first-team matches…Retired his No6 shirt in honour of Bobby Moore at half-time in the Bobby Moore Cup meeting with Villarreal CF on 9 August 2008.

2007/08

Made 29 Premier League appearances, all of them starts...Scored his first West Ham United goal by heading the winner in the 2-1 home Premier League victory over Manchester United on 29 December 2007…Made two FA Cup and two League Cup starts…Totalled 33 appearances and one goal in all competitions.

2006/07

Joined West Ham United for £6m on 31 January 2007...Suffered a calf injury 30 minutes into his debut in 1-0 Premier League defeat at Aston Villa on 3 February 2007…Returned in 4-3 home Premier League defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on 4 March 2007, only to suffer a recurrence of his calf injury after eleven minutes…Totalled two Premier League appearances for West Ham United.

International career

Capped by England at U18, U21 and senior levels…Capped 12 times at U21 level, scoring two goals…Was an unused substitute on his first call-up to the senior squad for the 3-1 home friendly defeat by Australia at the Boleyn Ground on 13 February 2003…Earned his first senior cap as a half-time substitute in the 2-1 friendly win over South Africa in Durban on 22 May 2003…Made his first senior start in the 2-1 home friendly win over Serbia & Montenegro in Leicester on 3 June 2003…Was on standby for the 2004 UEFA European Championship finals…Started Fabio Capello's first match as England manager as England defeated Switzerland 2-1 at Wembley on 6 February 2008…Featured in five of England's 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, starting four times…Scored his first senior international goal in England's 2-1 friendly victory over Germany in Berlin on 19 November 2008…Named in England's 2010 FIFA World Cup squad…Started the 2010 FIFA World Cup group-stage 1-0 victory over Slovenia in Port Elizabeth on 23 June 2010…Started and scored in England's 4-1 2010 FIFA World Cup second-round defeat by Germany in Bloemfontein on 27 June 2010.

Before West Ham United

Joined Luton Town as a trainee on 24 April 1996…Made two appearances for Luton Town before joining Arsenal for £2m on 10 May 1997...Suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in 1999, ruling him out of the game for a year…Joined Nottingham Forest on loan in December 2000, making one appearance…Made seven appearances for Nottingham Forest between March and May 2001…Suffered a broken leg at Everton on 10 February 2002…Spent three months on loan at Reading during 2002/03 season, making 15 appearances and scoring once…Joined Birmingham City for £1m on 22 January 2003…Made 128 appearances and scored five goals during four years at St Andrew's.

Any other business

Attended Diss High School.