1st November – Paul Dickov

Paul Dickov might not be the first Manchester City striker that comes to mind but he might just be one of the most important in their history.

Featuring in three different divisions for the club and scoring some important goals for the club means he should be remembered fondly by the fans. Alongside his workrate and determination he was always well liked by his teams fans and not so much by opposition players.

Dickov started his career at Arsenal, but struggled to force his way into the first team regularly, with the likes of Ian Wright in front of him in the pecking order. However, his record wasn’t too bad as he scored six times in just 24 appearances and he was part of the squad that won the Cup Winners Cup in 1994.

In 1996 the striker signed for Manchester City but his first season was a bit of a disaster as the club went through five managers, some of them liking the striker and others leaving him out completely as he contributed just five goals. Again, the following year was poor and despite finishing as the top scorer they were relegated from Divison One.

The 1998-99 season was when Dickov became a City hero, scoring 16 goals in total, including the 95^th minute equaliser in the final of the playoffs against Gillingham which was later voted as City’s Greatest Ever Goal in 2005. The game went to penalties and they would go on to win the game. In the following campaign Man City gained back to back promotions but injuries limited his game time. He did score the fourth goal in a 4-1 win over Blackburn Rovers which clinched promotion.

The Premier League was tough for Dickov as he found himself on the bench a lot and only managed four goals in the league as they were relegated. Lack of first team opportunites led to him leaving for Leicester City in 2002 and at the end of the season he suffered yet another relegation. He and the club would bounce back immediately with the striker hitting a career high 20 goals. Despite 13 goals Leicester were relegated again and he left the club for Blackburn.

He stayed at Blackburn for two seasons, scoring 17 times before returning to Man City. His second spell was less spectacular than his first as he failed to find the back of the net and ended up being loaned to Crystal Palace and Blackpool. While there he was named Player of the Month and scored six times in 11 games in total.

At the end of his contract he resigned for Leicester, helping them to win League One in the process. After promotion he did not play much and was loaned out to Derby County and was released soon after. Leeds United signed him but he only managed one start for the club.

His final playing days were at Oldham were he was player manager.

The final word can go to the man himself, speaking about that Wembley goal, which if he didn’t score who knows where City would be. “I was a lucky little boy to score that goal.”

5th June – Stephen McPhee

Stephen Mcphee is one of the few British players to have tried to have a successful career abroad which a lot of pundits believe would improve football in the UK.

The forward started his youth career in Holland with Vitesse Arnhem which is probably part of the reason why he didn’t fear going abroad and trying out different cultures and playing styles. He never played for the Dutch side and in 1998 he joined Premier League club Coventry City.

In 2001, he joined Scottish side St Mirren on loan and was an instant success, winning the SPL Young Player of the Month. During his spell he played seven times but he did not convince parent club Coventry that he deserved a place in their team and on the 31^st July 2001 signed for Port Vale.

His first season was good as he began it with a goal on his debut against Notts County and ended it as the club’s top scorer with 14 goals. This led to him being linked with moves away and Wigan Athletic had a £300,000 bid accepted, however, he could not agree personal terms. It seemed to be a poor decision as he struggled in the following campaign as he went 21 games without a goal until he scored against Oldham Athletic. He hoped this would kick start his season but only two goals followed.

The 2003-04 season saw McPhee bounce back and Vale narrowly miss out on the League One playoffs with the striker scoring 27 times. With the club failing to gain promotion, it meant once again that other clubs were looking at him and Leeds United had a bid rejected. As he was out of contract he could join any foreign club for free.

Portuguese club Beira-Mar, managed by Mick Wadsworth, decided to take a chance on the Scotsman. Unfortunately the manager was sacked after just four games and many thought the striker would struggle for games. However, he proved to be a bright spot and despite relegation his consistent performances meant he was singled out for praise.

On the 19^th May 2005 he returned to England, signing for Hull City. After just four games he suffered an injury and missed the rest of the season. He never fully recovered from his injuries while at the club and in his three seasons he only played 40 times. In January 2008, he signed for Blackpool, and scored three times in 19 games before the end of the season. He played his final game on the 4^th April 2009 and for the next 18 months he could not get fit and announced his retirement less than a week after his club had been promoted to the top flight.

The final word can go to his agent David Manasseh. “Stephen thoroughly enjoyed his time at Vale, however, clubs playing at a higher level have come in for him. Stephen is an ambitious, young footballer and is keen for the chance to play at a higher level.”

31st October – Denis Irwin

Denis Irwin may not spring to mind when thinking of Manchester United greats but there is no denying that he is one of the club’s most dependable and consistent full backs ever.

The 49 year old had a very good career and has been called Alex Ferguson’s pound for pound greatest ever signing which is a huge honour and just shows how important he was to the side during the 1990s. Irwin also got the honour of being named in the first Premier League Overall Team of the Decade and represented his country, Republic of Ireland, 56 times and was part of the World Cup 1994 squad.

Irwin started his career at Leeds United in 1983 and went on to make 72 appearances in the Second Division for the club, including 41 games in the 1984-85 season. But in 1986 he moved to Oldham Athletic on a free transfer and barely missed a league match over the next four seasons, featuring in 167 games and scoring four goals.

In his final season at the club he helped the club reach the semi final of the FA Cup and the final of the League Cup before moving to Manchester United in 1990 for a fee of £625,000. He would spend the next 12 years at Old Trafford and would win seven Premier League title along the way, which is an incredible achievement. He can also add three FA Cup, a League Cup, a Cup Winners’ Cup and a Champions League winners medal to his collection before he left the club.

During his time at the club he also became a reliable goalscorer from the penalty spot and also was a real asset from free kicks, delivering great balls into the box. He would score 22 goals in the league all together for the club with his first coming on the 7th September 1991 in a 3-0 home win over Norwich City. Irwin’s best goalscoring season came in the 1992-93 season, as the team went on to lift the first ever Premier League trophy, hitting the back of the net five times.

He continued to be Manchester United’s first choice until his mid thirties and was rewarded with a testimonial against Manchester City on the 16th August 2000 but this was the beginning of the end of his time at the club as he was no longer an automatic first choice. Irwin made his last appearance for the club in a 0-0 draw against Charlton Athletic on the 12th May 2002 and was given the captain’s armband by Alex Ferguson on his 529th appearance for the club.

After the 2001-02 season the Irishman joined Wolves and was a crucial part of their promotion to the Premier League, playing in 43 of the 46 league games and scoring goals against Burnley and Grimsby. Wolves then struggled in the top flight but on Irwin’s return to Old Trafford he received a warm reception but this was a personal high point in a poor season as the club were relegated. Irwin announced his retirement from the game at the end of the season.

The final word can go to the former Manchester United captain Bryan Robson. “We called him the quiet assassin. He was a left back and he was taking penalties in a team full of Man United players. He’d take all of the free kicks – it just shows what a class player he was. He was tough and quick.”

23rd October – Keiren Westwood

Keiren Westwood has arguably been the best signing of the season in the Championship as he has performed brilliantly for Sheffield Wednesday and has won them some valuable points in an encouraging start to the season.

The signing of Westwood was an interesting one as Wednesday already had Chris Kirkland, who in his own right is one of the best keepers in the Championship but it seems that Stuart Gray made a fantastic decision signing the goalkeeper. Now that he is once again first choice player he will be hoping that his form can convince the Republic of Ireland management that he deserves to be his country’s number one.

The 30 year old started his career at Manchester City but never played a first team game as he was understudy to David James and Nicky Weaver. In his final season at City he joined Oldham Athletic on loan, however he also didn’t play a game for them as he broke his hand and at the end of the season he was released by his parent club. In 2004 he had trials at Bradford City and Accrington Stanley but after being unsuccessful he contemplated retiring from the game and becoming a police officer.

But in 2004 he was given another chance at Conference club Carlisle United and was largely an understudy to Matt Glennon, finally making his debut in March 2005 after an injury to Glennon. In total he played four games in his first season. The following campaign Glennon left and the club brought in Anthony Williams who was expected to be the first choice. However, Westwood finally got his chance to be the club’s number one and proved his ability. He played 35 League Two games, helping the club win the title and continued to be an important member of the team.

Over the next two seasons he remained first choice and at the end of the 2007-08 season he was named in the League One PFA Team of the Year and also won the club’s Player of the Year, this form led to interest from other clubs. On the 18th June 2008 Westwood joined Coventry City for an undisclosed fee and proved straightway that he could make the step up to the Championship as he was named in the Championship PFA Team of the Year. In the 2009-10 season he then went on to win the club’s Player of the Year.

After 138 appearances he left the club on a free transfer and joined Sunderland on the 1st July 2011. His time at the club was less successful as he was never given a real run in the side as Simon Mignolet was usually in good form. But after the Belgian’s departure to Liverpool, it seemed as though Westwood would become first choice and at the start of the 2013-14 season he was given the opportunity to show his quality in the Premier League, however he would only play 10 Premier League games and because of the club’s poor results he was dropped for Vito Mannone.

Now at Wednesday he will be hoping that he can help the club challenge for the playoffs, although this may be out of reach this season, they have made a decent start and this has been down to some impressive performances from the goalkeeper, with the club only conceding 11 goals in the first 11 league games.

The final word can go to Wednesday midfielder Chris Maguire. “He’s kept us in five or six games, making valuable saves at the right time. He’s up there with the best I’ve worked with, but Chris Kirkland is a great keeper as well, so it’s great for competition and it’s a hard one for the manager.”

19th October – Clint Hill

QPR were very unlucky in their 3-2 defeat against Liverpool but one thing that was evident was that they need to improve defensively and Clint Hill may become a key player once again.

The 36 year old will have to battle with experienced players like Rio Ferdinand and Richard Dunne as well as Steven Caulker for a place in the starting lineup. But with the club experimenting with three centre backs there may be more opportunities to get in the side. If QPR continue to struggle then Hill is certainly a player that you want in your team as he will never shy away from a challenge.

Hill started his career at Tranmere Rovers where he made his debut against Nottingham Forest in a 2-2 draw during the 1997-98 season and quickly became a regular in the side in the next season. Hill played a key part in helping the club reach the final of the League in 2000, however he was sent off and his side lost 2-1 against Leicester City. He spent five years at the club and played 171 times for the club, scoring 20 times.

In 2002 he joined Oldham Athletic for £250,000 but he suffered a broken leg in December 2002 in a League Cup tie against Crystal Palace and would not play another game for the club. He only scored one goal for the club, coming against his former club Tranmere before he moved onto Stoke City.

His first season at the club was disrupted by injuries and he only made 12 appearances but he recovered from this slow start and impressed during his second season and won the club’s Player of the Year award at the end of the 2004-05 campaign. Towards the end of the season, unfortunately he damaged his anterior cruciate ligament and could not play again until late in the 2005-06 season. When he returned he rediscovered his form and formed a strong partnership with Michael Duberry.

More injuries followed in the next campaign and when he was fit he found it hard to get into the side and over the next season and a half he was seen as the second choice left back. Hill then joined Crystal Palace on loan in October 2007 and after impressing he moved to the club permanently in January. In his first half season he helped the club reach the playoffs but unfortunately they missed out on promotion and then the next two years were tough for the club as their finances worsened and despite a 10 point deduction, Hill helped the club avoid relegation during the 2009-10 season.

On the 1st July 2010 Hill was reunited with former Palace boss Neil Warnock at QPR and made his debut in a 4-0 win over Barnsley. Hill played in 44 Championship games that season and helped them win the title meaning that he would be playing Premier League football for the first time. However, he got off to a terrible start being sent off on the opening day in a 4-0 loss against Bolton Wanderers and it seemed like his time at the club was over when he joined Nottingham Forest on loan on the 20th September 2011. But after just five games he was recalled and after Mark Hughes became manager, he became a regular in the team and played a key role in keeping them in the Premier League, securing the fans and players Player of the Year awards.

After signing a new one year contract he was in and out of the side at the start of the next season but after Harry Redknapp took over he once again returned to the team. They would not avoid relegation this time around and last season Hill captained the team back to the Premier League after winning the playoff final 1-0 against Derby County.

The final word can go to Harry Redknapp. “Clint is a great character, a good lad and a fantastic professional. He leads by example and you know what you’re going to get from Clint. He puts his body on the line and that’s what we need.”

14th October – Clarke Carlisle

Clarke Carlisle is known as the smartest footballer in Britain and he has lived up to this reputation by appearing on Question Time and Countdown but has also shown another side when working as a commentator on ITV.

Although the 35 year old has added knowledge to the matches he commentates on, he has occasionally made mistakes, including one that was picked up at the World Cup when he didn’t understand why Colombian striker Jackson Martinez couldn’t get into the Ecuador team. It was an honest mistake but it was still funny especially considering the reputation he has.

Focusing on his playing career, he started at Blackpool and made his debut in a 4-3 win over Wrexham on the 2nd September 1997. In the following match he scored his first goal to give his side a 2-1 win over Carlisle United. In his 93rd and final appearance for the club he scored in a 1-1 draw with Oldham Athletic and despite not being able to keep them in Division Two, his performances had attracted the attention of other clubs.

On the 25th May 2000 Carlisle signed for QPR. He made 32 appearances for the club but his season was cut short on the 31st January 2001. After missing the entire 2001-02 season he returned on the 7th September 2002 in a 4-0 win over Mansfield Town. He returned to good form and helped the team reach the playoffs but they lost in the final. His career once again took a turn for the worse as he developed an alcohol addiction and missed a month of the season to have treatment. He returned to action in October 2003 and was in fantastic form winning the Division Two Player of the Month in November. Carlisle scored one goal in 39 games as QPR were promoted to the Championship. But after rejecting a new contract he joined Leeds United.

During the early months of the season he was a regular starter but an injury on the 29th November 2004 kept him out of action and he found it difficult to break back into the first team. After just one season and 38 games he left for Watford. He was a key player in Watford’s promotion, but missed the playoffs and the injury forced him to miss eight months of the Premier League season. To gain fitness he joined Luton Town on loan on the 2nd March 2007 and played five games for the club.

He finally made his Premier League debut on the 9th April in a 4-2 victory over Portsmouth but could not stop them getting relegated. In the summer he joined Burnley and had a solid season but ended it with two red cards in the final four games. In the 2008-09 campaign he had a lot more success and in the Playoff final win over Sheffield United he picked up the Man of the Match award. Unfortunately they, like Watford, only spent one season in the top flight.

He was regular in the side during the 2010-11 season but when Eddie Howe was appointed he decided to send him out on loan to Preston for the entire 2011-12 season. He played 27 times for the club before the deal was terminated by mutual consent and on the same day he signed for Northampton Town on loan. He was appointed captain and played 18 times for the club.

When his contract at Burnley expired he joined York City on a short term deal, playing 14 times before rejoining Northampton Town. He helped the club reach the League Two playoffs but they were beaten 3-0 by Bradford City and on the 23rd May 2013 Carlisle announced his retirement.

The final word can go to Aidy Boothroyd. “I’ve known Clarke a long time. He’s a leader in every sense. I’m hoping he will be someone to lay down a lot of foundations off the pitch as regards to culture.”

3rd October – Danny Coid

Blackpool have finally recorded the first win of the season against Cardiff City on the birthday of one of their former players who helped them go from the old Division Three to the Premier League and that man is Danny Coid.

Although the 33 year old didn’t play a major part in their promotion campaign in the Championship and didn’t even kick a ball in the Premier League he will still be remembered by the Blackpool fans as someone that gave absolutely everything for the club and he will surely have enjoyed tonight just as much as the fans. With three promotions to his name and two Football League Trophies to his name he is definitely one of the most successful players in Blackpool’s recent history.

Coid came through the youth team at Blackpool and signed his first professional contract in 1998, going on to make his debut on the 9th October 1999 away to Chesterfield and although it was a disappointing season for the club it was a positive one for him personally as he went on to play 21 times in the league. In the following campaign he was first choice and didn’t miss a league game as the club won promotion from the Third Division after winning the playoff final.

The next season was also a successful one as the club won the Football League Trophy after beating Cambridge United 4-1 at the Millennium Stadium and Coid was being linked to Premier League clubs because of his consistent performances but decided to sign a new contract with Blackpool on the 24th March 2003.

During the 2003-04 season Coid surprisingly became a goal scoring threat and got some important goals for the club and even scored three times in three games in the space of one week, against Wycombe Wanderers, Halifax Town and then Oldham Athletic. He also went on to score in the final of the Football League Trophy which secured Blackpool’s second success in the competition in three years.

His career unfortunately after this point started to be ruined by long term injuries as he suffered a broken ankle against Tranmere Rovers and then soon after recovering he suffered a knee injury that would keep him out for several months. He returned fully on the 27th February 2007 and helped the club win promotion from League One after beating Yeovil Town in the playoff final and was once again rewarded with a new contract by the club.

While in the Championship Coid became a utility player and was used to plug gaps in the team when there were injuries and started to struggle to make his mark on the team, however he always put in solid performances and obviously cared a lot for the club. Coid was injured once again just before the start of the 2009-10 season and only went on to play one more game for the club.

After 13 years and 316 appearances he left Blackpool for the first time in his career and joined Rotherham United on the 12th November 2010 on loan and went on to play 10 times for the club. In the following summer he left permanently and joined Accrington Stanley. He would only play 22 times for the club, scoring once against Aldershot in a 3-2 win before leaving after the 2011-12 season.

The final word can go to Ian Holloway. “I am delighted he has signed again for us because I have played and managed against him and I know he’s a good player. The one thing that has been clear whenever I have spoken to him is that he cares for Blackpool and that he wants to be here, and that is good enough for me.”

21st September – Danny Batth

Wolves have made a fantastic start to their Championship campaign and this is largely because of their strong defensive including birthday boy Danny Batth.

The centre back has benefitted from the management of Kenny Jackett and the fact that he had to rely on youth to get them promoted from League One last season. With Batth coming through the youth system at Molineux he will always be a fan favourite and want to do well for the club and if he can help them get promoted this season then it will be a great achievement for him personally and for the club who fell very quickly.

Batth joined the Wolves Academy at the age of 10 and despite having shoulder problems over the next few years he became an important player at every youth level and was one of seven academy players to sign a professional deal at the end of the 2008-09 season. The defender joined Colchester United on loan on the 17th September 2009 to get some first team action and after injuries to regulars Pat Baldwin, Paul Reid and Lee Beevers, he made his professional debut in a 2-0 win over Hartlepool United and earned the man of the match award for his performance.

After impressing in his initial month loan it was extended until the end of the season and he went on to score his first career goal in a 1-0 win over Oldham Athletic on the 20th February 2010 which extended the club’s unbeaten run to five games. At the end of the campaign he had made 18 appearances and on his return to Wolves he was named their Young Professional of the Year.

In the next season he made his debut for his parent club in a League Cup tie against Southend United and then spent the rest of the season in Sheffield. He first joined Sheffield United on loan for a month and only made a single loan appearance but after returning to Wolves he was loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday where he had a lot more success. After joining on the 16th March 2011 he played 10 games before the end of the season and put in some solid performances.

His performances were good enough to convince Wednesday to sign him again on a six month loan which was later extended until the end of the season. Batth was a key player in the club getting promoted, playing 49 times in all competitions and scoring against Preston and Bournemouth as The Owls finished second in League One.

At the beginning of the 2012-13 season he was heavily linked with a permanent move to Wednesday but this never happened after manager Dave Jones ruled out a move for the defender. With Wolves struggling in the Championship it was always going to be difficult for a young centre back to make a difference and they were relegated with Batth playing 12 times.

He eventually became a first team regular at Wolves and helped them gain promotion at the first time of asking and in all competitions played 50 times. He was rewarded with a new contract in January 2014.

The final word can go to Wolves Chief Executive Jez Moxey. “Danny’s performances have remained consistently high. It is no surprise that he is very popular among the club’s supporters. He shows the highest level of focus and professionalism both on and off the pitch.”

8th September – Gary Speed

Gary Speed would have been 45 today and is someone that the footballing world has missed because of how likeable he was and how much effort he put in every time he was on the pitch.

The midfielder was a fan favourite at every club he played for and his death shocked everyone as it was so unexpected and he had begun to change Wales’ fortune on the international stage and there were many people that believed he would be the man that took them to a major tournament. The 27th November will be a tough day for all his friends and family but today is one to celebrate his life and his career achievements.

Speed began his career at Leeds United and signed his first professional contract on the 13th June 1988 and was quickly recognised as a player with huge potential by the manager at the time Howard Wilkinson. He made his debut as a 19 year old in the Second Division against Oldham Athletic, this was his only appearance that season but in the following campaign he played 25 times and scored three goals, helping Leeds gain promotion.

He was quickly becoming the first name on the team sheet and played a key role in the 1991-92 season as Leeds won the First Division title. He played alongside Gordon Strachan, Gary McAllister and David Batty in the midfield and they are considered one of the greatest line-ups in the modern game. In the first two years of the newly formed Premier League, Speed hit double figures and was also named in the PFA Team of the Year at the end of the 1992-93 season.

He stayed at Leeds for eight seasons and because of his consistency and the fact he rarely picked up any injuries, he played 312 games before moving to Everton before the 1996-97 season for £3.5 million. He made his debut on the 17th August 1996 and scored against Newcastle United. He finished as the club’s joint top scorer with 11 goals, including a hatrick against Southampton in a 7-1 win. Despite being named the new club captain by Howard Kendall, their relationship turned sour and the midfielder was sold for £5.5 million to Newcastle on the 6th February 1998.

While at Newcastle, he helped them to two FA Cup finals in 1998 and 1999 but unfortunately they lost both. His performances at the club were exceptional and were a main reason why they rose up the table and started being considered as Premier League contenders and regulars in Europe. He stayed at Newcastle until July 2004 and many were surprised that the club were willing to let him go but after 285 appearances and 40 goals he joined Bolton Wanderers.

In December 2006 he became the first player in history to play 500 games in the Premier League after featuring in a 4-0 win over West Ham. He once again barely missed a game for the club and in his first three seasons he played 40 times or more and in the 2006-07 season he even managed to score eight Premier League goals.

Speed ended his playing career at Sheffield United but injuries stopped him being as influential for them as he had been for his previous clubs. So he ended his career having played 841 times and hitting the back of the net 136 times.

The final word can go to his former teammate and friend Craig Bellamy. “Gary Speed was a leader. He was the person I admired most. I looked up to him and I always took it as a great compliment he, in turn, looked out for me and valued me as a player. He was a mentor to me, someone whose advice I sought, someone I listened to. I was a little in awe of him. I adored him and looked up to him.”

22nd June – Kieran Lee

Kieran Lee had a pretty slow start to his career at Sheffield Wednesday but last season proved to be one of their best players and was a very influential player on the pitch.

It is not surprising that he eventually showed his quality at Hillsborough because of how well he had already done in the past at previous clubs. It seemed like injuries were going to be a problem for him but his form improved dramatically after Dave Jones left the club and he started playing in the centre of midfield under Stuart Gray.

Lee did start his career as a central midfielder but at first club Manchester United he was used mostly as a fullback and after impressing for the under 18s and the reserves he was offered a professional contract at the club. During the 2006-07 season he was named the captain of the reserves team and also made his first team debut coming on as a substitute in a third round League Cup game against Crewe Alexandra. The scores were level at full time so the game went to extra time and Lee scored to make it 2-1 with a composed finish that seasoned pros would have been proud of.

He played once more in the League Cup that season and also made his Premier League debut against Chelsea on the 9th May and at the end of the season he was named the Reserve Player of the Year. Although he was named as a substitute in a Champions League game against Roma he never played for the Old Trafford club again and on the 2nd January he joined QPR on loan. He spent four months at the London club and made seven appearances before being released by his parent club.

In the summer of 2008 he joined Oldham Athletic and his career really kicked off and he became one of the most consistent players for the next few seasons. But he had to wait until the 26th December to make his debut in a 3-0 win over Crewe and to make it better he even provided the assist for the final goal. Lee had to wait until the next season to get his first goal and it was an important 95th minute equaliser against Swindon Town and he eventually became a first team regular for the first time in his career.

When Paul Dickov became manager of Oldham his performances went to the next level and he was regarded as one of the best fullbacks in the Football League. At the end of the 2010-11 season he picked up four Player of the Year awards at the club, including Players’ Player of the Year and the Fans’ Player of the Year. Remarkably at the end of the following season he followed this up once more with yet another four awards.

Sheffield Wednesday then signed Lee in 2012 and the 26 year old is now one of their most important players and in the season just gone he played 26 times, scoring once and creating another four goals.

The final word can go to the Oldham chairman Simon Corney. “Sometimes when players leave, you feel let down because you think they owe you something, but this is absolutely not the case with Kieran. He’s a great boy; I can’t speak highly enough of him; I wish we had 11 Kieran Lees”