Paul Atkinson (footballer, born 1966)

{{short description|English footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Paul Atkinson

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Paul Atkinson

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|01|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Chester-le-Street, England

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}{{cite book|last1=Dykes|first1=Garth|last2=Lamming|first2=Doug|title=All the Lads: A Complete Who's Who of Sunderland AFC|date=2000|location=Great Britain|isbn=9781899538157|page=27}}

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = 1981–1983| youthclubs1 = Sunderland

| years1 = 1983–1988| clubs1 = Sunderland| caps1 = 60| goals1 = 5

| years2 = 1988–1991| clubs2 = Port Vale| caps2 = 4| goals2 = 3

| years3 = 1989| clubs3 = → Stafford Rangers (loan)| caps3 = 0| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1990| clubs4 = → Hartlepool United (loan)| caps4 = 11| goals4 = 1

| years5 = | clubs5 = Gateshead| caps5 = 0| goals5 = 0

| totalcaps = 75| totalgoals = 9

| nationalyears1 = 1983 | nationalteam1 = England U17 | nationalcaps1 = 4| nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 1982–1985 | nationalteam2 = England Youth | nationalcaps2 = 18| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 1985 | nationalteam3 = England U19 | nationalcaps3 = 4 | nationalgoals3 = 0

}}

Paul Atkinson (born 19 January 1966) is an English former footballer who played on the left-side of midfield. He appeared three times for England Youth in a tournament in 1983, and played another five games the following year.{{cite book|last=Kent|first=Jeff|title=Port Vale Promotion Chronicle 1988-1989: Back to Where We Once Belonged!|publisher=Witan Books|year=1989|page=13|isbn=0-9508981-3-9}} He began his career at Sunderland, and helped the "Black Cats" to the Third Division title in 1987–88. He joined Port Vale for a £20,000 fee in June 1988, but soon became blighted by injury. He was loaned out to Stafford Rangers and Hartlepool United to help to regain his fitness, but was

forced to retire from professional football on medical advice in January 1991.