The son of Roy Dixon, Manchester City reserve goalkeeper of the 1950s, Lee Dixon was just getting into his stride in the professional game when a combination of a new manager and a disastrous start to a new season cut short his Turf Moor career.

Although he was devastated to be shown the door by John Bond in 1984 and was spurred on to prove the decision wrong, he could never have dreamt of the success that was in store for him in the years to come.

After joining Burnley as an apprentice in the summer of 1980, Lee Dixon was signed as a professional two years later with the club still celebrating the Third Division Championship success of 1981/82. Brian Laws was well established in the number two shirt but, in May 1983, Dixon was promoted to the League side for the last three matches of the season with Frank Casper in temporary charge of a team on its way back down from Division Two.

That summer, exit Frank Casper, enter John Bond, and after appearing in the opening League match of the new campaign, a 4-1 disaster at Hull, Lee Dixon never played for the first team again. Bond had already made up his mind about Brian Laws' limitations as a defender and, after Laws left for Huddersfield, Dixon followed him out of Turf Moor, joining Chester in February 1984.

He immediately made his Seals' debut in a 1-0 victory over Rochdale, as did another ex-Claret Andy Wharton. He was a regular in the City side during his stay at Sealand Road, but was unable to inspire the team to great heights, a rock bottom finish in Division Four in 1984 being followed by a modest improvement to 16th in 1985.

Martin Dobson had been Lee Dixon's club captain at Burnley and it was Dobson, by now player/manager at Third Division Bury, who signed him for £3,000 in July 1985. After just a season at Gigg Lane, Stoke City moved in and paid £40,000 for his services in 1986. The big clubs were starting to notice Dixon's rise to prominence by now, and it was only a matter of time before he was sought out by one of the very top names. Sure enough, in January 1988, George Graham paid Stoke £380,000 and Lee Dixon was on his way to the marble halls of Highbury.

He was seen as the long-term replacement at right-back for Viv Anderson and, at the end of his first full season at Arsenal, 1988/89, collected the first honour of his senior career, a League championship medal. The Gunners' triumph was witnessed by millions of television viewers, as goals from Alan Smith and then Michael Thomas at Anfield, saw the Londoners overhaul Liverpool to clinch the title with just seconds of the season remaining.

At the end of another successful season at Highbury, playing in every League match as Arsenal finished in fourth position, Lee Dixon was rewarded for his sheer consistency with recognition by England manager Bobby Robson. He made his full international debut against Czechoslovakia at Wembley in April 1990 in a 4-2 victory as the build-up began for the World Cup in Italy.

It was Dixon's only match for his country under Robson and, although England's dramatic World Cup campaign passed him by, he became a regular in the International team under Robson's successor Graham Taylor.

He won another League championship medal in 1990/91 and, with his England career still flourishing, won an FA Cup Winners medal in 1993 as Arsenal beat Sheffield Wednesday in the final after a replay. Arsenal also won the League Cup, again beating Sheffield Wednesday in the final but Lee Dixon missed that particular triumph because of suspension.

The success continued in 1993/94, with Dixon picking up his first European medal as Arsenal overcame Parma in the Cup Winners Cup Final in Copenhagen in May 1994. The following year, the Gunners looked set to retain the trophy until that quite incredible last minute goal from 40 yards by Real Zaragoza's Nayim in the final in Paris.

Lee Dixon is still a regular first-teamer at Highbury after more than seven years and over 250 League games in the top flight. With England caps, domestic and European medals in the trophy cabinet, Dixon has certainly proved a few people very wrong during a hugely successful career at the very highest level.