Sir Gareth Southgate (born 3 September 1970) is an English professional football manager and former player, who played as a defender and midfielder.

Southgate began his career with Crystal Palace, making his debut in 1990, and was appointed club captain in 1993, winning the First Division championship that season (1993–94).

[11] He subsequently joined Crystal Palace, making his professional debut as a substitute in a Football League Cup tie against Southend United in October 1990.

Southgate's nickname at Palace was "Nord", given to him because his precise way of speaking reminded coach Wally Downes of Denis Norden's vocal delivery.

On 29 February 2004, he became the first Boro skipper in their 128-year history to lift a trophy, as they defeated Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup final at the Millennium Stadium.

[17] Southgate rejected media rumours that he was set to move to Manchester United following Rio Ferdinand's ban for missing a drug test in January 2004.

[17] Southgate made his debut for England as a substitute against Portugal in December 1995 under the management of Terry Venables, heading the ball against the crossbar with his first international touch.

[20][21] Southgate managed to make light of his blunder later that year by appearing in an advert for Pizza Hut, also featuring Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle, who had missed crucial penalties at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

[19] On 11 June 2003, he played the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 Euro 2004 qualifying win over Slovakia at his club ground of the Riverside Stadium, competing against Middlesbrough's striker Szilárd Németh.

[26] Although Martin O'Neill was initially the favourite for the new vacancy,[27] Southgate was chosen by chairman Steve Gibson to succeed McClaren, committing to a five-year contract.

[34] He brought in four defensive additions to the squad, with Julio Arca arriving from local rivals Sunderland,[35] Robert Huth from Chelsea and Jason Euell from Charlton Athletic on permanent deals,[36][37] whereas Jonathan Woodgate joined on a season-long loan from Real Madrid.

[36] After playing eleven games in their pre-season campaign, Southgate's managerial reign kicked off on 19 August 2006, the first day of the Premier League season, where his side lost 3–2 away at Reading.

[48] Southgate had faced some criticism earlier on that season, after his side suffered a spell in the relegation zone, but Middlesbrough managed to pull clear of the bottom three.

[51] Furthermore, key players such as George Boateng and Lee Cattermole also left the club, once again leaving Southgate with a rebuilding challenge to change Middlesbrough's fortunes.

[52][53] Despite the negative events during pre-season, Middlesbrough secured two victories out of a possible three, resulting in Southgate being named the Premier League Manager of the Month for August.

[55] After an away defeat against Stoke City, some of the travelling supporters were calling for his dismissal, having only achieved a single win in eighteen games and survival from relegation looking highly unlikely.

[58] Following their relegation, Southgate expressed his determination to achieve instant promotion back up to the Premier League, praising the supporters and showing his sorrow for them in the process.

His dismissal was controversial as he had taken Middlesbrough to within one point of the top position,[60][61] though chairman Gibson stated that he had made the decision weeks previously in the best interests of the club.

[66][67] His first game in charge saw the Young Lions defeat Moldova 1–0 in a UEFA European Championship qualification match, thanks to a goal from striker Saido Berahino.

[68] Southgate went on to lead his team to qualify for the finals of the 2015 European Championship; their good fortune could not continue, however, as they finished bottom of their narrow-pointed group, therefore being knocked out of the competition.

[75] Southgate's spell as caretaker manager ended on 15 November,[76] with him appointed on a permanent basis when he penned a four-year contract two weeks later.

[89] Southgate was also lauded for personal qualities shown in the World Cup, including consoling Colombia's Mateus Uribe, whose missed penalty had seen England win.

[97] In the quarter-final tie, Southgate's England team beat Ukraine 4–0 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome to reach the semi-finals of a major competition for the fifth time.

[100] In the final at Wembley Stadium, an early goal from defender Luke Shaw saw England lead 1–0, before Italy's Leonardo Bonucci levelled the match in the 67th minute.

This book describes an enduring friendship forged in the Crystal Palace youth team that has survived Southgate and Woodman's wildly differing fortunes in the professional game.

[136] Southgate's style of management whilst in charge of England has been described as embodying principles of "empowering coaching" and elements of "transformational leadership".

Beginning with the 2018 World Cup, England supporters adapted the chorus of the 2001 hit single "Whole Again" by English pop girl group Atomic Kitten as a chant for Southgate.

[159] Looking back on when we first met I cannot escape and I cannot forget Southgate, you're the one – you still turn me on "Football's coming home again" During the World Cup before England's quarter-final against Sweden, Atomic Kitten member Natasha Hamilton shared a video of herself on Twitter singing the alternate lyrics.

[160] On 3 July 2021, Hamilton and fellow member Liz McClarnon then returned to perform the song with reworked lyrics including the existing alternate ones before chanting England fans at a watch party at Boxpark Croydon for the Euro 2020 quarter-final against Ukraine.

[161][162] On 6 July 2021, the day before England's semi-final against Denmark, the group released an official full-length version of the adapted song called "Southgate You're The One (Football's Coming Home Again)" via Columbia Records UK.