Burned-out Nigel hoping for final Highbury flourish

BODY willing, a badly bruised thigh in particular, former Gunner Nigel Winterburn will be making his final Highbury appearance tomorrow when West Ham play Arsenal.

“If fit and selected, this will be my last match at Highbury,” Winterburn confirmed. “I said a couple of weeks ago that I would push myself to the limit and see where it went and I’ve done that. I’m at my limit and I have decided that, to even contemplate another year in the Premiership is asking too much.

“I’ve always said I would be the first to know. You get a feeling about things and I know now that I can’t work any harder, can’t give any more. Hopefully, most of the time my performance is good enough but sometimes it isn’t and that’s when the frustration sets in, when you know you’re not doing well and there’s nothing you can do about it.