Glenn Helder

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Glenn Helder

| image = GlennHelder2019.jpg

| fullname = Glenn Helder

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1968|10|28}}

| birth_place = Leiden, Netherlands

| height = {{height|m=1.74}}

| position = Winger

| youthyears1 =| youthyears2 = | youthyears3 =

| youthclubs1 = Oranje Groen | youthclubs2 = UVS | youthclubs3 =Ajax Amsterdam

| nationalyears1 = 1995

| nationalteam1 = Netherlands

| nationalcaps1= 4 | nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Glenn Helder (born 28 October 1968) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a winger.

He notably played in the Premier League for Arsenal, in the Eredivisie for Sparta Rotterdam, Vitesse Arnhem and NAC Breda. He also played in Portugal for Benfica, in China with Dalian Wanda FC and in Hungary with MTK Hungária FC before finishing his career back in the Netherlands with RBC Roosendaal, TOP Oss and DOTO. He was capped four times by the Netherlands.

Since retirement, he has been a professional Poker player, musician, welder and stand-up comedian.

Playing career

Born in Leiden, Helder played for Sparta Rotterdam and Vitesse Arnhem of the Eredivisie before joining Arsenal on 14 February 1995. He made his debut for Arsenal in a 1–0 home win against Nottingham Forest on 21 February 1995. Helder was the final signing made by Arsenal's then manager George Graham, who left a week after Helder's arrival. Helder made 27 league appearances for Arsenal, plus 12 as a substitute, and scored a solo goal for the club in a 3–2 win over Middlesbrough.{{cite news

|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/helder-holds-court-1323989.html

|title=Helder holds court

|work=The Independent

|date=13 January 1996

|accessdate=10 February 2010

|location=London

|first=Stephen

|last=Benkley

|archive-date=25 September 2015

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925224440/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/helder-holds-court-1323989.html

|url-status=live

}} In late 1996, just after the appointment of Arsène Wenger as manager, Arsenal sent Helder on loan to Benfica where he sustained a serious injury. On his return, Helder found that he had been replaced by Marc Overmars, who signed for Arsenal in the summer of 1997. Helder was unable to break back into the first team.{{cite web|url=http://www.arsenal.com/history/profiles/307/glenn-helder|title=Glenn Helder:Profile|website=Arsenal.com|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128194947/http://www.arsenal.com/history/profiles/307/glenn-helder|archivedate=28 November 2016|df=dmy-all}}

Helder then moved to NAC Breda in his native Netherlands and, after a short spell there, he went to play in China for Dalian Wanda FC.{{cite web|url=http://www.sodasoccer.com/search/player/16/31606/08FEE93C5EE18CAD.shtml|title=英文名: Glenn Helder|website=sodasoccer.com|date=|accessdate=2017-01-10|archive-date=12 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112180131/http://www.sodasoccer.com/search/player/16/31606/08FEE93C5EE18CAD.shtml|url-status=live}} Soon afterwards he returned to Breda for a second spell at the club before moving on to MTK Hungária FC of Hungary. He then returned home to trial with FC Dordrecht, which proved to be unfruitful. Helder eventually signed for RBC Roosendaal in 2000 and two years later moved to TOP Oss. He retired one year later. In July 2006, Helder made a surprise appearance for Arsenal in Dennis Bergkamp's final game, a testimonial against Ajax. Helder appears regularly in Masters footballing tournaments and soccer clinics.{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2016-05-11/wigan-athletic-legends-return-for-charity-match/|title=Wigan Athletic legends return for charity match|website=ITV.com|access-date=11 July 2017|archive-date=12 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712080448/http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2016-05-11/wigan-athletic-legends-return-for-charity-match/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bndestem.nl/nieuws/glenn-helder-bij-voetbalclinic-van-heroes-for-heroes-in-bergen-op-zoom~a7770346/|title=Glenn Helder bij voetbalclinic van Heroes for Heroes in Bergen op Zoom|language=Dutch|website=Bndestem.nl|access-date=11 July 2017|archive-date=11 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211015724/http://www.bndestem.nl/nieuws/glenn-helder-bij-voetbalclinic-van-heroes-for-heroes-in-bergen-op-zoom~a7770346/|url-status=live}}

International career

In his Dutch international footballing career, Helder earned four caps altogether for the Oranje.{{cite web|url=http://www.onsoranje.nl/team-statistieken/teams/speler/11/5579777b-872b4013-227165|title=Glenn Helder:Profile|website=Ons Oranje.nl|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128195224/http://www.onsoranje.nl/team-statistieken/teams/speler/11/5579777b-872b4013-227165|archivedate=28 November 2016|df=dmy-all}}

Personal life

In a 1999 interview, Helder stated that during his stay at NAC he tried to commit suicide because of problems resulting from compulsive gambling.{{cite news| url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,54172,00.html | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Helder gambled with his life | date=30 May 1999 | accessdate=3 May 2010 | first=Simon | last=Kuper}} However, he continues to gamble, and is sometimes seen playing poker on the English Five television station, representing the Netherlands, most notably in the PartyPoker.com Football & Poker Legends Cup.{{Cite web |title=Glenn Helder's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=62411 |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en |archive-date=24 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224011309/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=62411 |url-status=live }}

After his retirement from professional football, Helder took up music, gaining recognition as a percussionist.{{cite web|url=http://www.hardsoul.nl/artist/Glenn-Helder|title=Glenn Helder: Percussionist|publisher=Hard Soul.nl|access-date=28 November 2016|archive-date=18 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218082423/http://www.hardsoul.nl/artist/Glenn-Helder|url-status=live}} He also became a stand up comedian.{{cite web|url=https://www.metronieuws.nl/nieuws/rotterdam/2016/11/oud-voetballer-glenn-helder-vol-humor-en-zelfspot|title=Oud-voetballer Glenn Helder vol humor en zelfspot|language=Dutch|website=Metro Nieuws.nl|access-date=11 July 2017|archive-date=1 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501093806/http://www.metronieuws.nl/nieuws/rotterdam/2016/11/oud-voetballer-glenn-helder-vol-humor-en-zelfspot|url-status=live}}