5th November – Kasper Schmeichel

Kasper Schmeichel has a lot of pressure on his shoulders as he has to be on top form to help keep Leicester City in the Premier League and he also has to deal with the comparisons with his dad.

Peter Schmeichel will go down as one of the greatest goalkeepers ever and Kasper has a long way to go to even be in the same league as him but in his own right he has had a very good career and developed into a brilliant goalkeeper. It can’t be easy for him to stand in the goal while opposition fans behind the goals are shouting at him, you’ll never be as good as your dad.

The 28 year old started his career at Manchester City but got his first opportunity in a loan spell at Darlington in January 2006. He made his professional debut against Peterborough United, helping his side to a 2-1 win and then followed this up with a clean sheet against Grimsby Town. After two more games for the club he returned to his parent club but this only lasted a month as he was loaned out, this time to Bury. He would play 29 league games at Bury over two separate loan spells.

Schmeichel was desperate to play games and did not want to sit on the bench so in January 2007 he joined Scottish side Falkirk. After some impressive performances, including a man of the match against Rangers, he was linked with a permanent move but instead at the start of the 2007-08 season he found himself as first choice at Manchester City. He played the first seven games of the season, conceding just five goals and helped his side to a 1-0 win over rivals Manchester United.

In September 2007 Schmeichel signed a new four year deal with the club but was loaned out to Cardiff City where he played 14 times and despite both the player and the club wanting to extend his stay, Sven Goran Eriksson did not let this happen as he needed a substitute keeper. However, on the 13th March 2008 he joined Coventry City on loan for the rest of the season. Afterwards, both the goalkeeper and his father admitted that they regretted signing the new deal.

Despite being at the club for such a long time, he only played eight league games and on the 14th August 2009 he made the surprising move to League Two side Notts County. It was clear that he was too good for that level and was influential in winning the title for the club, only conceding 29 goals in 43 matches and keeping 24 clean sheets. At the end of the season he had to be released from his contract as his wages were too high. However, Schmeichel was praised as he agreed to forgo all his future wages which if he hadn’t would have put the club in even more financial problems.

On the 1st July 2010 he joined Leeds United on a two year deal but despite putting in some impressive performances for the club and being highly praised he was sold after just 37 league appearances and one season because they felt his goals against ratio was poor. So on the 27th June 2011 Schmeichel joined Leicester City and in his first season he won the Club’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards after 17 clean sheets in 52 games and saving four penalties. In the following season his performances got even better and he was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year.

Last season he helped the club win the Championship and so far has been solid in the Premier League, however after a good start the club are now starting to find it difficult which means the experienced players like Schmeichel need to make sure their heads don’t drop.

The final word can go to his dad, Peter. “He’s played exceptionally well for Leicester over a long, long period of time. He’s been very, very patient. He’s played every week and played to a high level and I think it is great that he gets his opportunity. As a dad I’m really, really proud I have to say.”

10th October – Lee Trundle

Lee Trundle is a legend at Swansea City, enjoying a very successful spell at the club and delighting their fans with his goals and his skills.

Although he was a striker, it was not just his goals that impressed the fans, it was his all round play and the way that he easily got passed players with skill. He is back at Swansea now after being appointed their Club Ambassador and Youth Coach on the 25th June 2013 which shows how important he is to the club and how highly they still think of him.
The 38 year old did not have the easiest starts to his football career and was a late comer to the professional game and had to have spells at non league sides Burscough, Stalybridge Celtic, Southport, Bamber Bridge and Chorley before moving to Welsh side Rhyl.

He only spent six months at the Welsh Premier League side and after scoring 15 goals in just 18 games, he caught the attention of Wrexham manager Brian Flynn. Wrexham signed the striker during the 2000-01 season and was an immediate hit, scoring eight times in just 14 games in the Second Division. His first goal was a crucial one for the club as on the 24th February 2001 he scored a bicycle kick against Walsall to kick start a comeback from 2-0 down and Wrexham eventually went on to win the game 3-2.

Trundle spent just over two years at the club and ended his time there with 30 goals in 78 starts which is a decent record, especially when you consider that they were relegated in his second season. But in the summer of 2003 he moved to another Welsh side in Swansea and teamed up once again with Brian Flynn. On his debut against Bury he became an instant hero by scoring and showed off his extraordinary tricks that began to get him mainstream attention, particularly on the TV show Soccer AM where he was regularly featured.

In four of his five seasons at the club he hit at least 20 goals. He was always linked with moves away from the club but he did stay loyal to Swansea and in October 2005 he became the first player outside of the Premier League to sign an image rights contract which offered a portion of revenues from merchandise featuring his image.

After 78 goals in 146 appearances he eventually left Swansea on the 30th July 2007 and signed for Bristol City. It was believed that City had put in four bids for the striker before they eventually landed their target. Unfortunately he never really hit the heights at the club and only managed seven goals in 53 league games and had to go out on loan to Leeds United and back to Swansea to get some more game time.

When his contract expired at Bristol City he wanted to rejoin Swansea permanently but they only offered him a coaching role which Trundle rejected. In July 2010 he joined Welsh side Neath but his time there only lasted two years as the club struggled with financial problems. After leaving the club, the striker went on trial with Preston and earned a one year contract, however a knee injury meant he didn’t get to play much and his contract was terminated on the 8th February. Short spells at Chester and Marine followed but Trundle retired from professional football at the end of the 2012-13 season.

The final word can go to Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins. “Lee was a great player and ambassador for this football club. I know what the club means to him and how much the fans adore him so we are all delighted to welcome him back in this new role.”

26th August – Colin Kazim-Richards

Colin Kazim-Richards was once dubbed the ‘Coca Cola Kid’ after the company ran a competition for football fans to sign a player for their club.

Kazim-Richards was the player that Brighton signed after a fan of their club won the competition and the £250,000 was given to the club to sign a player. This is an extraordinary start to a career that just kept on getting more incredible as it went on with the striker travelling over Europe to play football and also represent Turkey’s national team despite being brought up in England but qualified for Turkey through his mother.

The striker started his career at Bury and after progressing through their youth team he was already attracting attention from bigger clubs at the age of 15. He broke into the first team in the 2004-05 season and scored three times in 30 appearances but his performances were very impressive for someone so young. It was at the age of 18 he signed for Brighton but as expected he played a lot from the bench in his first season at the club, however his still managed six goals, including their 5000th league goal.

He only stayed at the club for one season and submitted a transfer request which Brighton accepted and then sold him to Sheffield United for £125,000 on the 31st August 2006. He once again only lasted one season at the club and in his 27 league games he only managed one goal in a 2-2 draw with Bolton Wanderers.

On the 15th June 2007 he joined Turkish club Fenerbahce and in his first two seasons at the club he was in and out of the first team but he did manage to score in the Champions League quarter final against Chelsea on the 2nd April 2008. Despite his good performances when he was on the pitch he had a difficult relationship with the fans at times and was loaned out to French club Toulouse in January 2010 and scored on his debut in a 3-1 win over Le Mans.

After 18 appearances and two goals he returned to Fenerbahce but after just another five games he was released on the 3rd January 2011 and joined local rivals Galatasaray and in his first half a season he scored five times including one against former club Fenerbahce. After a total of 35 games and seven goals and a short loan spell at Olympiakos, Kazim-Richards returned to England.

Blackburn Rovers signed the striker on loan but his time at the club was blighted by a court appearance over an alleged homophobic gesture in a match away to former club Brighton. He managed to score five times in his 31 games but his loan was not made permanent and he signed for Bursaspor on the 4th September 2013 on a four year deal but after just one season he has joined Dutch side Feyenoord on loan.

The final word can go to former Blackburn manager Steve Kean. “He could be a real versatile player for us as he can play through the middle or he can play out wide. He’s got great power in his right foot and technically he has improved dramatically having played with some top players out in Turkey.”

25th August – Marlon Harewood

Marlon Harewood has been a consistent goalscorer all through his career and now coming towards the end of it the 35 year old is trying to help Hartlepool United achieve their aims.

Although Hartlepool have had a slightly disappointing start to the season they secured their first win of the campaign away to Wimbledon with Harewood scoring the winning goal. If the team are to be successful then it may come down to how effective Harewood can be and that is not just in scoring goals, it will be his experience helping some of the younger players develop.

Harewood started his career at Nottingham Forest and made his debut in 1998 but to gain further first team experience he joined Finnish side Haka on loan and his three goals in 18 games helped them win the league and the Finnish Cup. In the following year he joined Ipswich Town on loan and scored once against Bury in his six appearances before going to become one of the most lethal goalscorers in the Championship with Forest. His best season for the club was 2002-03 as he scored 21 goals and formed a brilliant partnership with David Johnson which helped the club reach the playoffs. After 51 league goals he left for West Ham in November 2003.

They paid £500,000 for his services and repaid them in his first full season at the club as he was the top scorer as the team got promoted to the Premier League with 23 goals in all competitions. And he also then played a huge part in keeping them in the top flight with 14 goals in the Premier League, including a hatrick against Aston Villa. He was also a big player in their run to the final of the FA Cup that season and scored the winning goal in the semi final against Middlesbrough.

His next season was difficult and it was clear that he would be leaving at the end of the season as he was no longer first choice. On the 17th July 2007 he joined Aston Villa for £4 million. His time at Villa was interesting because he was very influential when he was on the pitch but was largely used as a super sub. Despite only playing 23 times he scored five goals in his first season. But he played even less in the following season and joined Wolves on loan. He played five times for the club and failed to score.

His next loan spell was much more successful at Newcastle United as he scored five times in 15 games and helped them secure their place at the top of the table in the early months of the season. At the end of the season he was released by Villa and signed for newly promoted Blackpool. He scored on his debut in a 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic and had a fantastic record in the Premier League scoring five times in just 11 appearances, and strangely he was loaned out to Barnsley for the second half of the season and scored four goals in 10 games.

On the 8th July 2011 he joined Chinese side Guangzhou R&F and stayed there for half a season, playing 10 games and scoring four goals. The next few seasons were difficult for Harewood as he returned to Nottingham Forest but could not recapture his earlier form and then also to Barnsley where he struggled again and after just one league goal at Bristol City it seemed like his career was coming to an end.

Now at Hartlepool he seems to be enjoying his football again and with him being one of the key members of the squad he will be hoping for a much more successful season than his previous few.

The final word can go to Martin O’Neill. “I couldn’t be more pleased with him. I think he has been really excellent. The crowd have taken to him. Some people come on as a substitute and never get a kick. He has been able to force his way into the game, and make a big impact.”

16th May – Andy Keogh

The summer can be a tough time for footballers that are looking for a new club because they do not know what level they will be playing at in the next season.

Andy Keogh is a player in this position after being released by Millwall and will be hoping that he can continue his career in the Championship. He should have plenty of clubs interested in his services because he is only 28 and has a lot of experience both in the Premier League and on the international stage with the Republic of Ireland.

The striker with two international goals started his career at Leeds United, signing for them when he was 16, but unfortunately could not break into their first team and spent time away from the club on loan. Firstly to Scunthorpe United where he scored twice in 12 appearances before being recalled by Leeds and then to Bury where he scored twice in four games.

His loan at Bury was cut short because Scunthorpe had a bid accepted for the striker and he joined them permanently. He only scored one goal but did help them win promotion to League One. It was the next season that he and strike partner Billy Sharp burst onto the scene and showed everyone their quality by becoming one of the best strike forces in League One. Between them they hit 38 goals with Keogh scoring 15 of them and providing a lot of assists too. Proving this was not just a lucky season, Keogh and Sharp were once again in great form and helped the team win promotion to Championship as winners of League One.

However, Keogh joined Wolves on the 23rd January 2007 for an initial fee of £600,000. In his first half a season he scored five goals and helped them into the playoffs and was described by QPR manager John Gregory as one of the signings of the season. Wolves Chief Executive Jez Moxey agreed with these thoughts. “Andy is a player we’ve been trying to sign for the manager for some time. This is an exciting signing for us, Andy has bags of potential.”

At the start of the next season he was given the number 9 shirt and scored 11 goals in all competitions in a season that ended with the club finishing outside the playoffs on goal difference. However, the next season Wolves would get promoted as Champions with Keogh playing in 42 of the 46 games and he scored two important goals against Derby County towards the end of the season.

Keogh started the next season positively and scored their first goal back in the Premier League in a 1-0 win over Wigan Athletic. But due to injuries and other players being picked ahead of him he only managed to play 13 times. With first team chances looking limited he joined Cardiff City on loan and played 17 times for them and scored two important last minute goals. In the second half of the season he played for Bristol City but an injury cut the loan short after nine games.

His final loan move away from Wolves was back to Leeds and scored his first goal in a 3-3 draw against Brighton. A permanent deal could not be agreed between the clubs and Keogh joined Millwall on a two and half year deal. In his time at the club he scored 17 league goals in 70 league games and was released at the end of this season. Before this though he had a loan spell at Blackpool and scored three goals and helped them narrowly avoid relegation.

The final word can go to his former Wolves manager Mick McCarthy. “He’s a brilliant player, because his all round game is terrific in terms of his pace, his workrate and what he brings to the team.”

12th May – Darren Randolph

Birmingham City stayed in the Championship with a last gasp equaliser against Bolton Wanderers and one of their players might not have expected to be a Championship player the next time his birthday rolled around.

Goalkeeper Darren Randolph turns 27 today and has been one of the few consistent players Birmingham have had this season with him appearing in every single league game. It cannot have been easy for him as the club brought in a lot of loan players and the defenders in front of him kept changing. But Randolph knows what it is like being a young player and having to go out on loan to play first team football so he would have been able to give these players some good advice.

Randolph first played for Ardmore Rovers before joining Charlton Athletic in 2003 and it wasn’t long before he was going out loan as he joined Welling United in 2004 and played four times for the club. At the beginning of the 2004-05 season he was back out on loan again, this time to Accrington Stanley who played him 14 times in the league and at the end of the season he had impressed enough to earn a contract extension at his parent club.

In August 2006 he went out on loan again to Gillingham for a month and on his return he finally made his Charlton debut against Liverpool where he performed well. Manager Alan Pardew said of his performance. “The professionalism Darren shows in training as back up was evident. You can’t put a performance like that in without a lot of hard work that no one ever sees.”

After more loan spells away from the club (Bury and Hereford United) he eventually left permanently and joined Scottish side Motherwell. He proved what a fantastic goalkeeper he was straight away and broke John Ruddy’s club record of 15 clean sheets in a season in his first year and helped them reach the Scottish Cup Final. The next season he also performed well and made some crucial saves, and gained recognition by being named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year. With Rangers unable to compete in European football it meant that Randolph got to taste Champions League football and although it ended in defeat it would still have been a great occasion for him.

Motherwell continued their fine form into the next season and finished in second place behind Celtic and Randolph was once again named in the team of the year which meant that, with his contract expiring in the summer, a lot of clubs would be looking at him. His manager at the time Stuart McCall said: “Darren has been outstanding for us and if I was managing in the Championship now I would go for him straight away.”

Although McCall wouldn’t have wanted him to leave, he knew it would be difficult to keep hold of him and Birmingham City were the team to sign him. The club struggled in the season just finished but he will be hoping for better things next time around.

The final word can go to Stuart McCall. “He is not only an outstanding goalkeeper, he is a really good guy, he is composed, he gets about his job and he never lets us down.”

21st April – Mark Cullen

It has been a good few months for Mark Cullen with him becoming a father and scoring one of the goals of the season to help Luton Town gain promotion back to the Football League.

He is 22 today and it looks like he is going to have a decent career in front of him and he could go from strength to strength now he is back in the Football League. He started out at Hull City where he made his debut against Wigan Athletic in an FA Cup third round match after impressing for their youth team and scoring goals for fun. Later in this season he went on to play his first Premier League game against Sunderland and then on the 3rd May he started his first match and scored in the 2-2 draw with Wigan.

In the January of the next season he signed a new contract with the club but was soon sent out on loan to get himself some more first team experience. Bradford City signed him and manager Peter Taylor knew about his talents and thought he could add something to their squad. He said: “Everyone had the same things to say about Mark. He’s low maintenance, he’s a good young professional and he wants to improve.” After playing four times he returned to Hull.

Over the next two seasons he spent time away from his parent club, this time to Bury who he made 14 league appearances for and scored one goal. It looked like he was starting to play well and he was showing his qualities but a shin injury cut short the loan. He ended up joining Stockport County later in the season and scored four goals in 16 league games.

Unfortunately he did not quite live up to his potential at Hull City but he did get a move to Luton Town and it was John Still who took a chance on him to help the club get back into League 2. He said on the signing. “I’ve been aware of Mark since he’s been at Hull under Peter Taylor and he thought a lot of the boy.”

Although he has not played as much as he would have hoped because of the form of other players in the squad he has contributed with seven goals including a last minute equaliser against Cambridge United to keep the club clear at the top of the table.

The final word can go to the Luton Town boss. “Mark’s got good ability, he can score, his movements clever and I think he’s going to develop into a really good player.”

9th April – James Hayter

Imagine scoring the quickest hatrick in English Football League history and then finding out your parents had left the stadium and missed all three goals.

This is exactly what happened to birthday boy James Hayter in 2004. After coming on in the 84th minute against Wrexham for Bournemouth he went on to score three goals in less than 140 seconds and expected to be celebrating in front of his parents and brother. However they had left moments before he made his substitute appearance. Hayter said. “My parents, Mary and Richard, still shake their heads about it. They came to the game, but because I was sub and hadn’t got on they left early, I came on just after they left and they were listening in the car as the goals went in.”

This is a remarkable story and it just adds to the wonderful time he at Bournemouth where he was seen as a fans favourite. He came through their youth team and made his debut in the 1996-97 season. He did not become a first team regular until after a successful loan spell at Salisbury City which was cut short by manager Mel Machin who felt he could offer something to the squad and he repaid his confidence by scoring on his return against Stoke City. Soon after he was trying to break records and came close as he equalled the club record for goals scored in a match when he scored four against Bury. For the next few years he was seen as one of the best strikers outside of the Premier League.

He helped them win the Divison Three playoff final in 2003 and continued scoring goals in higher divisions. The striker finished as top scorer with 22 goals in the 2005-06 season which was vital in helping them avoid relegation.

His time was coming to an end at the club and he joined Doncaster Rovers for a club record fee of £200,000 and scored the goal in the playoff final against Leeds United that won them promotion from League 1. Hayter found it tougher in the Championship to score goals but this was largely down to the fact he had to modify his game to allow Billy Sharp to get more chances in front of goal. But in most seasons he did get close to double figures with most of them being headers and they were usually vital.

When his contract expired he joined Yeovil Town and for the third time in his career he helped his team win the playoffs. He ended the season with 16 goals in 54 games as the club were promoted to the Championship for the first time in their history. Although this season has been a bit of a struggle for the club he is currently on five goals and putting up a good fight to avoid relegation.

The last word can go to his former manager Sean O’Driscoll who commented on his attitude and determination which a lot of footballers are missing and how when times get tough they struggle and go into their shell. He said after Hayter missed a penalty in a game but went on to score later on: “That’s typical of James. There was no danger of him hiding after missing the penalty.”