Introduction
Dickson Paul Etuhu (born 8 June 1982 in Kano) is a Nigerian professional footballer who is a free agent. His younger brother Kelvin is also a footballer. He grew up in Peckham, south London, but then, the family moved to Manchester for Dickson to pursue his professional ambitions with City. Dickson played international football for the Nigerian national football team.
Club career
Early career
Etuhu signed for Preston North End from Manchester City in 2002 for £300,000. He had started just 11 league games for City. He was very much a bit-part player during Preston's successful season of 2004–2005, when the Whites reached the play-off final. Despite his side losing to West Ham United, he attracted the attention of Premiership clubs Everton and West Brom.
Norwich City
Norwich City signed him during the January transfer window for £450,000 after a loan deal initially brought him to the club. His form began to improve towards the end of the season and in the early stages of the 2006–07 campaign.
Etuhu scored his first goal for Norwich in a 2–0 win against Torquay United in a League Cup match on 23 August 2006, and got his first league goal for the club in a 3–3 draw at Southend United on 12 September 2006. On 21 October 2006 he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Cardiff at Carrow Road to help his new manager Peter Grant win his first home game after replacing Nigel Worthington.
It was incorrectly reported during September 2006 that following the 3–1 defeat at Plymouth Argyle, Etuhu and teammate Youssef Safri traded punches on the team bus on their return journey to East Anglia.
Sunderland
Etuhu signed for newly promoted Sunderland in a deal worth £1.5 million in the summer of 2007. On 9 February 2008, Etuhu scored his first goal for Sunderland in their home match against Wigan. It came from a free kick floated in by Dean Whitehead, opening the scoring in the 2–0 defeat of the Latics.
Fulham
On 29 August 2008, Etuhu announced that he was having a medical with Premier League side Fulham, before joining for a fee of around £1.5 million on a three-year contract at Craven Cottage. Etuhu scored his first goal for Fulham on Easter Sunday 2009 in a game against his former club Manchester City in the 59th minute to put Fulham up 2–1 after a goal from American Clint Dempsey in the 50th minute.
He scored his first goal in European Competition, and his first goal at Craven Cottage, the week after his first son was born with a header to put Fulham 1–0 up against Lithuanian team FK Vetra. On 28 August 2010, Etuhu rescued his team in a match vs. Blackpool, by scoring in the 87th minute in a 2–2 draw at Bloomfield Road. On 18 September 2010, Etuhu played against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in a 1–1 draw. In September 2010, Etuhu, signed a three-year contract extension, which will see him contracted to Craven Cottage until summer 2014. He made his 50th Premier League appearance for them against Newcastle United, in a 0–0 draw on 13 November, when he replaced Zoltan Gera, in the 69th minute in the game at St James' Park. Etuhu scored his fifth goal in Fulham colours when he netted the second in a 6–2 victory over Peterborough United on 8 January 2011 in the FA Cup 3rd round. On 5 March he started and completed the full 90 minutes in a 3–2 win over Blackburn. On 3 April, he scored on 72 minutes thanks to an assist from defender Brede Hangeland in the defeat 3–0 of Blackpool at Craven Cottage. On 9 April, he started in the 2–0 loss against Manchester United at Old Trafford before being replaced on 67 minutes by Zoltán Gera.
On 3 August 2012, Fulham announced that Etuhu had left the club to join Danny Murphy at Blackburn Rovers.
Blackburn Rovers
On 3 August 2012, Etuhu joined Blackburn Rovers on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee. He scored his first goal for Blackburn on 29 September 2012 against Charlton Athletic.
On 1 July 2014, Etuhu had his contract with Rovers terminated by mutual consent following an injury-plagued time with Rovers in which he only appeared in 23 games for the club.
AIK
On 23 December 2014 it was announced that he was acquired by the Swedish AIK of Allsvenskan as a free agent on a two-year deal. His first three starts came in the domestic cup 2014–15 Svenska Cupen, where he managed to get a yellow card in every game. He missed the start of the regular season with an injury.
International career
It was announced in late September 2007 that Etuhu had been called up to play for his country on 14 October. He first played in two friendlies for his country and he then made his competitive international debut in the African Cup of Nations in January 2008. Etuhu was part of the Nigeria squad for the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa. He turned down a callup in August 2011 as a replacement player and stated he would not play for Nigeria coach Samson Siasia, temporarily ending his international career. He was however recalled in November 2011 for a pair of friendlies under new coach Stephen Keshi.
Honours
Club
- UEFA Europa League: Runner-up 2009–10
Career statistics
Club
| Season | Club | Division | League | Cup | League Cup | Play-Offs | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| 2001–02 | Manchester City | Division One | 12 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| 2001–02 | Preston North End | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 16 | 3 | ||||
| 2002–03 | 39 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 44 | 6 | ||||
| 2003–04 | 31 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 4 | ||||
| 2004–05 | Championship | 35 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 42 | 3 | ||
| 2005–06 | 13 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 2 | |||||
| Preston North End total | 134 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 149 | 19 | |||
| 2005–06 | Norwich City (loan) | Championship | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Norwich City | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | |||||
| 2006–07 | 43 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 50 | 7 | ||||
| Norwich City total | 62 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 70 | 7 | ||||
| 2007–08 | Sunderland | Premier League | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 1 | ||
| Sunderland total | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 1 | ||||
| 2008–09 | Fulham | Premier League | 21 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 1 | ||
| 2009–10 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 2 | 37 | 2 | |||
| 2010–11 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 3 | ||||
| 2011–12 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |||
| Fulham total | 91 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 25 | 2 | 126 | 6 | |||
| 2012–13 | Blackburn Rovers | Championship | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 1 | ||
| 2013–14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Blackburn Rovers total | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 1 | ||||
| 2015 | AIK | Allsvenskan | 21 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 30 | 2 | ||
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| AIK total | 23 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 32 | 2 | ||||
| Career total | 330 | 30 | 20 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 402 | 35 | ||
2011–12 appearances includes match in Uefa Cup, away to Dnipro on 25 August 2011, which is currently not included on Soccerbase website. 2015 appearances includes three matches in 2014–15 Svenska Cupen, also not included on Soccerbase.