23rd October – Colin Cameron

Colin Cameron was part of the most famous Raith Rovers side in the 1990s and enjoyed a decent career in both Scotland and England.

Not many fans will know that Raith qualified for Europe after winning the 1994-95 League Cup and played against German giants Bayern Munich. Cameron first joined Raith Rovers as a youngster but had to make his way in the professional game on loan at Sligo Rovers. This was a successful spell as he scored 4 times.

On his return he became a regular in the Rovers side and helped the team defeat Celtic in the League Cup final which set up the tie with Bayern Munich.. There weren’t many more ups in his time at the club as the team were relegated twice and after 152 league appearances and 32 goals he left for Hearts.

Once again his biggest achievement at the club was winning the Scottish Cup. This time he scored in the 1998 final against Rangers which Hearts won. In his five years at the club he played over 150 games and gained a good reputation.

In 2001, Wolves signed him for £1.75 million and became a favourite due to his hardworking displays. He wasn’t a regular goalscorer but some of his goals were important, including the goal that gave them their first ever win in the top flight. He was also loved by the fans because every time he scored his side avoided defeat. Cameron was first choice for the club until Glenn Hoddle took charge and was loaned out to Millwall much to the fans dismay.

Upon not getting a new contract he signed with Coventry City. An injury ruined his season and only played two games after Christmas. He was not given a new contract and was signed by former teammate Paul Ince at MK Dons. His experience and knowledge helped the club win the League Two title and The Football League trophy.

But after just one season he was looking for a new club returning to Scotland, signing for Dundee, joining up with another former teammate in Alex Rae. His time at the club was a disaster as more injuries flared up and despite a loan spell at Arbroath to regain his fitness he could never get back to his best.

Cowdenbeath gave him a chance to start his coaching career as well as continuing his playing career. After just one season he was promoted from assistant manager to manager and led the team to the Second Division title. But after managing over 100 games he left the club by mutual consent in November 2013. Six months later he became the player manager of Berwick Rangers, despite having a similar winning percentage he could not get the same success and left in October 2015.

The final word can go to former Wolves manager Dave Jones, “I’ve been watching Colin for some time. He has a big reputation and with his armoury the club has signed one hell of a player.”

30th August – Kris Commons

Kris Commons played over 500 games and scored over 100 goals during his professional career and proudced some magic moments.

Commons started his career at Stoke City, making his debut in a 3-2 defeat against Blackpool. Shortly afterwards he picked up an injury and was out of action for year before making his comeback in a 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday and his first goal came 16 days later against Norwich City. After a promising start he was offered a new contract, however he rejected it and signed for Nottingham Forest.

Although his first season ended in relegation from the Championship, Commons stayed with the club to try and get them promoted. He had to wait until his final season to finally achieve this aim and following a 3-2 win over Yeovil Town they gained promotion with the midfielder being named in the PFA League One Team of the Year. At this point he had played 159 times for Forest but with his contract up he made the unthinkable move to Derby County.

He started his time at Derby on the wing under Paul Jewell but he didn’t really show his potential until he was moved into the centre and he would go on to score the only goal of the game in a victory over Manchester United in the League Cup. Later on in the season he would also score the winning goal against Forest in an FA Cup game.

Injuries caught up with him in the next season and he didn’t have much of an impact, however the 2010-11 season was probably his best in England as he went on a run of seven goals in nine games. This form caught the attention of Celtic who signed him on the 28^th January 2011 and on the following day he scored against Aberdeen and would end the season winning the Scottish Cup. Celtic won the title in the following campaign but it was a difficult one for Commons as he only scored one goal.

But he did manage to bounce back and show his quality. During the 2013-14 season he finished as the top scorer, hitting the back of the net 32 times in all competitions. However, this wasn’t enough to convince new manager Ronny Deila to give him a starting place. He did manage to turn this round again but things got worse when Brendan Rodgers took charge as he told him he would not be part of the squad.

Commons would stay at the club until the end of his contract and after a back injury he decided it was time to retire. His last games in football came during a loan spell at Hibernian where he played five times, scoring twice.

The final word can go to Neil Lennon. “He’s intelligent, grounded and hungry. What he will do is improve us and influence the team and squad on and off the field. He will provide a goal threat from the wider areas or deeper lying areas.”

28th August – Kevin McNaughton

Kevin McNaughton has played over 500 games in his professional career and despite retiring once he came back to play more and be as consistent as he always was.

The defender did initially retire in 2017 but has had to play further games due to an injury crisis at Scottish club Forfar Athletic where he had been a first team coach.

McNaughton started his career in Scotland with Aberdeen and made his debut at 18 in a 2-1 defeat to St Mirren and would eventually become a regular during the 2000-01 season. He was showing a lot of promise and was even named PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year at the end of the 2001-02 season. However, an injury in the following season slowed down his development and at times he struggled to regain his previous form.

He did eventually show his qualities once more and this led to him being linked with moves to Scottish giants Celtic and other clubs in England. After 201 appearances for Aberdeen he did leave the club on a free transfer on the 26^th May 2006 joining Cardiff City. Initially McNaughton was used a sa left back by Dave Jones in the Championship but in the following campaign he was moved to the more familiar right back position. During this season he played an important role in helping the club reach the final of the FA Cup and even scored his first goal for the club in the Fourth Round victory over Hereford United.

The 2009-10 season was much more difficult for the defender as he struggled with injuries however he bounced back by playing every game in the following season and his consistent performances earned him the Player of the Season vote. Over the next few seasons his popularity continued to grow among the Cardiff fans and he helped them reach the League Cup final which they unfortunately lost on penalties against Liverpool.

On the 21^st August 2012, McNaughton played his 400^th career game for Cardiff in a 0-0 draw with Brighton and played a role in helping the club gain promotion to the Premier League. He was given a new one year deal but unfortunately only played five times in the top flight and during the season he joined Bolton on loan and would play 22 times for the club over two spells.

After he was released by Cardiff he joined Wigan Athletic but only played twice for the club before joining Scottish side Inverness. However, an injury put an end to his season and he announced his retirement but in December 2017 he reversed this decision and is now a registered player for Forfar.

The final word can go to Malky Mackay. “Kevin has been a terrific servant. Good, experienced professionals like Kevin are essential for a squad’s success and I know this news will please City supporters, as much as it does my staff and I, who know and appreciate what a hard working and dedicated player Kevin is.”

16th August – Jonatan Johansson

Jonatan Johansson earned over 100 caps for his country Finland and will be well remembered in England and Scotland.

The striker played for many clubs in both countries and will be hoping to have a successful coaching career as well.

Johansson was born in Sweden but moved to Finland at a young age and started his career at his hometown club Pargas. After impressing for them he made the move to Finnish top flight team TPS Turku. In his first season he scored six times and was starting to become known as one of the top young prospects in the country.

In 1997 he made the surprising move to FC Flora in Estonia, becoming the first player from Finland to play there. He did not stay for long and after nine goals in nine games he moved onto Scottish giants Rangers. To begin with he struggled for game time until Walter Smith was replaced by Dick Advocaat. He repaid the Dutchman’s faith in the 1998-99 season by scoring 18 goals in all competitions. In terms of goals to minutes ratio he continued to impress but starts were sometimes hard to come by, in total he scored 24 goals in just 37 starts but he did also make 38 substitute appearances.

Before leaving in the summer of 2000 he had won the domestic treble and double in his final two seasons at the club and this convinced Charlton Athletic to sign the striker for £3.25 million. He was an instant success scoring 14 times in his first campaign and helped the club avoid relegation. He stayed for another five seasons and although the goals did not come as often as he would have hoped he was still an important member of the side until he fell out of favour during the 2005-06 season.

He ended the season on loan at Norwich City, scoring three times in 12 games. On his return to Charlton he was released after 168 games and 33 goals and subsequently signed for Malmo. Once again he was an instant success, scoring 11 goals in his first 14 matches but his time in Sweden didn’t last too long as he returned to Scotland, signing for Hibernian in January 2009, making his debut against rivals Hearts.

Johansson didn’t score for Hibs and in the summer he signed for St Johnstone and only managed one goal for them which turned out to be a winning goal against Hearts. After his short term deal expired he returned to TPS and scored 10 goals in 19 games including two against Inter Turku in their big derby of the season, helping the club win the 2010 Finnish Cup before announcing his retirement.

The striker is also second in the all time appearance list for Finland and their third highest scorer.

The final word can go to former Hibs manager Mixu Paatelainen. “The Hibernian supporters will quickly appreciate that we have obtained an experienced international striker who has scored goals wherever he has played.”

24th July – Martin Keown

Martin Keown might be known more as a commentator to younger football fans but he was an imposing centre back that was very solid and dependable.

The defender now works for the BBC and has commentated on some of the biggest games in world football and the main reason for this is because he has played in huge games throughout his playing career.

Keown started his career at Arsenal, but made his first team debut on loan at Brighton in 1984 and played 23 times for the club. After returning to his parent club he made his Arsenal debut on the 23^rd November 1985 against West Brom. He would go on to play 22 games through the season but when new manager George Graham came in he was not seen as part of the future and left for Aston Villa on the 9^th June 1986.

His first season was a little bit of a disaster as Villa finished bottom of Division One and were relegated but when Graham Taylor came in as manager there was an upturn in form for both club and player. Keown missed just two league games as they gained promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt and then helped them stay in the top flight in the following campaign.

On the 7^th August 1989, the centre back signed for Everton and after an incredible start which saw Everton top of the table they faded in the second half of the season and Keown’s form dipped slightly. He recaptured his great form during the 1991-92 season and after 96 league games for the club he returned to first club Arsenal.

In his first four seasons back at Arsenal he barely missed a game and was part of the double winning side of the 1997-98 campaign and would also be an integral part of the 2001-02 double winning side. He remained a key player until the end of the 2002-03 season, lifting the FA Cup at the end of it.

The following season Keown played a small role in the Invincible season, playing 10 games, just enough to earn a third Premier League winners medal. But this would be his final season as he was released at the end of his contract and he signed for Leicester City. He only stayed at the club for less than six months, playing 17 league games before joining Reading.

His time at Reading was even shorter and after five games he announced his retirement. He did briefly come back to play for Wembley FC with a number of other ex professionals but this only lasted three FA Cup qualifying games.

Keown won 43 England caps and scored twice for his country before retiring in 2002.

The final word can go to former Leicester City manager Micky Adams. “In Martin Keown we’ve signed a born leader, not just on the field but off the field as well. I believe we’re two people who can learn things from each other.”

21st July – Andriy Voronin

Andriy Voronin might have scored over 100 goals in his career and been a regular for Ukraine but he did not have a great time at Liverpool.

He will be remembered most by fans in England for his time at Liverpool but unfortunately the striker could not settle and he criticised the way the people spoke, the health services and the policing in the city.

Voronin started his career at Borussia Monchengladbach and made his debut against Bayern Munich in 1997. He only managed seven appearances and one goal before making the move to Mainz in 2000. His career took off at Mainz and he was their main attacking threat for a couple of seasons before reaching full potential in his third season by becoming the top scorer in the German Second Division.

The club failed to gain promotion and Voronin was one of the most sought after strikers in Germany and signed for Koln. He stayed at the club for one season, scoring six times but he was labelled as the only bright spot at the club and Bayer Leverkusen decided to sign him.

He was an instant success at his new club, scoring 17 times in the first season but he struggled in his second campaign only hitting the back of the net eight times. However, he bounced back to score 12 goals during the 2006-07 season. This was enough to convince Liverpool to sign him on a free transfer after his contract expired.

On the 11^th August 2007 Voronin made his debut for the club after coming on as a substitute in a 2-1 win over Aston Villa. He didn’t have to wait long for his first goal as a few days later he scored in a 1-0 win over Toulouse and later in the month would score his first Premier League goal against Sunderland. He continued his good form by scoring against Derby County and another a few weeks later in a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. An ankle injury ruined his season and effectively ended his career at Liverpool.

Six goals in his first season was not seen as good enough and joined Hertha BSC for the 2008-09 season. Despite two goals against Bayern Munich and a hatrick against Energie Cottbus he could not get a permanent move and returned to Liverpool. He played another 12 games for them, without scoring, before joining Dynamo Moscow in January 2010.

During his time at Moscow he scored 24 goals in 87 games but his time there was broken up by a season long loan spell at Fortuna Dusseldorf, where he played 11 times and failed to score. In 2014 after 400 games and 115 goals he decided it was time to retire in 2014.

The final word can go to Rafael Benitez. “He is clever, has great game awareness and gives us so many more options in attack. He can play behind a main striker, lead the line himself, or come into the attack from the flanks.”

19th July – Luke Young

Luke Young was one of the most consistent right backs during the early to mid 2000s and many believe he should have won more England caps.

The right back did play seven times for England and had it not been for Gary Neville and the fact that he played for teams that weren’t challenging for the title then he would have surely gained more. He broke through at a time when a lot of players were overlooked not because of their quality but the team they played for.

Young started his career at Tottenham Hotspur and made his debut on the 28^th November 1998 against West Ham at centre back. He featured a lot in the cup competitions that season, helping his side win the League Cup and reach the semi final of the FA Cup. He featured fairly regularly in his three years at the club, playing 76 games in all competitions but it was time to move on.

Charlton Athletic signed Young on the 25^th July 2001 for £3million and made his debut on the opening day in a 2-1 defeat to Everton. In his first season at the club, funnily he played alongside Mark Fish, Jonathan Fortune and Jorge Costa meaning it came up on the starting lineups as Young Fish Costa Fortune. He stayed as first choice through his time at the club and helped them defy expectations and stay in the Premier League for five years until relegation at the end of the 2006-07 season.

While at Charlton, Young scored his first professional goal in August 2004 in a 3-0 win over Aston Villa and followed it up soon after with another against Birmingham City. At the end of this campaign he was named their Player of the Year. But after relegation he moved on to Middlesbrough. His spell at the club only lasted one season but he did manage one goal against Tottenham Hotspur.

On the 7^th August 2008 Young transferred to Aston Villa. He quickly became a favourite at Villa Park due to his solid performances, playing at both right and left back. Despite this he found himself out of favour under Martin O’Neill and it looked as though he would be leaving for Liverpool as the two clubs agreed a fee, however Young turned them down as he didn’t want to be a backup.

He stayed at Villa until 2011 when he joined QPR and was first choice in his first season but was frozen out of the squad by manager Mark Hughes. Then he suffered injuries and wasn’t even included in their 25 man squad. The last appearance of his career would be his only one outside the top flight as he played against Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.

The final word can go to former Charlton chairman Richard Money. “He is an international and his performances over the last few seasons, including last term when he was club captain, have been excellent. Luke is a key member of our squad.”

6th July – Georgi Kinkladze

Georgi Kinkladze is regarded as one of the greatest Georgians to have ever played football and is also fondly remembered by Manchester City fans.

Despite all the millions and star names that have played for Man City over the last few years there is a still a contingent of their fans that think Kinkladze is the best player to have worn a City shirt..

Kinkladze began his career at Mretebi Tbilisi aged just 16 and quickly became a first team regular and was an important player as they gained promotion in 1991. This helped convince Dinamo Tbilisi to sign the midfielder and in his first season he won the league and cup double. However, due to civil war in his country he had to leave and joined FC Saarbrucken in Germany. He never really settled there and only played 11 league games.

After trials at Atletico Madrid and Boca Juniors, Manchester City decided to take a chance on him in 1995. After a slightly difficult start to life in England, he became the star player of a struggling side and would go on to score some wonderful goals, including one against Southampton in which he beat five players and then chipped the keeper.

Despite his performances the club were relegated to Division One and it looked as though Kinkladze would get a move, however he decided to stay and even though he won the Player of the Year award for a second season he could not guide them to promotion. Things got even worse as manager Joe Royle dropped him a lot and they were relegated to Division Two.

This meant after 119 appearances and 22 goals it was time for him to move on. He signed for Ajax but this move didn’t work out well as he only played 12 league games in his first season and was told to find a new club. He returned to England and signed for Derby County. Once again he proved a divisive figure, sometimes showing amazing quality, whereas other times looking a little lost. At the end of the 2001-02 season he endured the third relegation of his career.

With Derby struggling financially they tried to get rid of Kinkladze but he stayed and put in some good performances and was named the Supporters Player of the Year. At the end of his contract he was offered a new deal but declined it and joined Cypriot side Anorthosis and somewhat remarkably they won the title with Kinkladze scoring two goals.

Ater just one season he signed for Rubin Kazan. He began brilliantly scoring twice and setting up a further seven in his first nine games. However, an injury at the start of the following campaign meant he never played a professional game again.

The final word can go to John Gregory. “He’s an inspirational player. The rest of the team are probably his biggest fan, they appreciate he not only has great quality but he rolls his sleeves up and works hard.”

21st June – Peter Thorne

Peter Thorne was a striker that was feared in the lower leagues of English football for many years and scored just short of 200 goals in his career.

The forward was successful almost everywhere he went but his career began slowly at Blackburn Rovers, where he is only first team appearance came in the 1994 Charity Shield against Manchester United. To get some playing time Thorne went out on loan to Wigan Athletic during the season but unfortunately couldn’t score in his 11 games. Swindon Town then took a chance on him and despite his impressive 11 goals in 23 games he could not stop them from getting relegated from Division One. Thorne stayed at the club and helped them gain promotion with another 11 goals.

In his final season he scored 10 goals before moving to Stoke City in July 1997. Once again he was successful with 16 goals but his team were disappointing and another relegation followed. The next few years were heartbreaking for the club and the fans as they failed to gain promotion and were unfortunately defeated in several playoff attempts. But Thorne did score 30 goals in the 1999-00 season and also became a club hero by scoring the winning goal in the 2000 Football League Trophy final.

After 80 goals for Stoke, Cardiff City signed the striker for a club record £1.7 million in September 2001. The first season wasn’t ideal as he struggled with injuries but the following campaign he combined brilliantly with striker partner Robert Earnshaw and the pair scored a total of 52 goals. Over the next two seasons injuries haunted him however he still scored a decent amount of goals.

With Cardiff struggling financially this meant Thorne was allowed to leave for Norwich City. In his two seasons at the club he only managed two goals and the striker did contemplate retirement. Bradford City convinced Thorne to sign for them on a one year deal and he would become a popular player.

A hip injury stopped him from starting the league season but he quickly got up to the pace of League Two and would score regularly, including a hatrick in a 3-0 win over Notts County. Due to his form he was given a contract extension and once again rewarded his manager straight away by scoring two goals in each of the first two games and then adding a fifth of the season in the third game. By the start of November he already had 11 goals, however a shoulder injury slowed his progress and he ended the season with 17 goals. These would be his last career goals.

The final word can go to former Bradford manager Stuart McCall. “We know we’ve got a good goalscorer. Obviously with the little niggles that Thorney has had there is no guarantee he will play ‘X’ amount of games but if he does get 30 to 35 games, there is a good chance he will end with 15 to 20 goals.”

19th June – Kleberson

Kleberson might not have been a success at Manchester United but he played a big part in Brazil winning the World Cup in 2002.

The midfielder should also be someone that players in their World Cup squads should look up to as he was not a starter at the beginning of the tournament but by the end became an integral part of the team. After starting the quarter final against England he would go on to set up one of Ronaldo’s goals in the final against Germany.

It was his performances at first club Atletico Paranaense, where he played 100 league games and was a part of their title winning side in 2001. After the World Cup it was becoming harder for the Brazilian side to keep hold of him with many big European clubs interested in signing him. On the 12^th August 2003, it was Manchester United who signed him for £6.5 million. Unfortunately he didn’t get off to a great start and picked up an injury in just his second appearance.

His time at Old Trafford only lasted two seasons and 30 appearances in all competitions but he did manage two goals in home wins against Blackburn Rovers and Everton. He then moved on to Besiktas in 2005 and it started off well with the midfielder playing 46 times in his first season but then his contract was terminated as he claimed that he was not getting his wages on time.

Flamengo signed Kleberson on a free transfer but he was unable to play for the club until February 2008 due to issues with his previous club. There were even more problems between the player and Besiktas and it ended with his new club having to pay a fee and Besiktas having to compensate the player. When he finally did get back to playing without any complications, he quickly rediscovered his form and became an influential player for the team and even earned a recall to the national side.

While on international duty he picked up an injury in a friendly against Estonia, which was meant to keep him out for a long time, however he came back early and played in the 2-1 win over Gremio which secured his second Brazilian Serie A title.

After one more season at the club, he returned to first club Atletico but it ended terribly as they were relegated to Serie B and therefore Kleberson signed for Bahia. He scored his first goal for his new club against former side Flamengo but other than that it was largely unspectacular. He then moved on to America, playing for Philadelphia Union, Indy Eleven and Fort Lauderdale Strikers before retiring in 2016.

The final word can go to former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. “He is an athletic midfield player who can play in a number of positions. One of the reasons we sold Seba Veron was because we knew we were getting Kleberson – that shows how highly we regard his talent.”