Brian Atkinson

Brian Atkinson (born 19 January 1971) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder during his 13-year career. He began his career with Sunderland and played in the 1992 FA Cup Final. After losing his first team place in 1996, Atkinson was loaned to Carlisle United and later joined Darlington, where he remained until his retirement in 2002. He made 141 appearances for Sunderland and earned 6 caps for the England under-21 team. Atkinson also played a key role in the England under-21 team's victory in the 1991 Toulon Tournament. Following his retirement, he worked briefly for Darlington's Centre of Excellence and served as assistant manager for Newton Aycliffe.