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.”

8th October – Karl Darlow

Karl Darlow was signed by Newcastle United in the summer along with Jamaal Lascelles but both players were immediately loaned back out to Nottingham Forest to help the club gain promotion and get some more valuable match experience.

The 24 year old goalkeeper knows that his best years are still ahead of him but being a number one at one of the favourites for promotion must give him a confidence boost and if he can help them reach the Premier League, he will be confident of pushing Tim Krul for the number one shirt at Newcastle. However, if the current trend continues it could be Forest playing in the Premier League and Newcastle in the Championship which will be disappointing for the two youngsters.

Darlow started his career at Aston Villa but after being released he was recommended to Nottingham Forest by Eric Steele and he joined their academy in 2006. He quickly rose through the youth ranks and after some impressive displays for the reserves he was the second choice keeper during the 2010-11 season. He eventually made his debut on the final day of the season in a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace after coming on as a substitute for Lee Camp, this result secured their place in the playoffs.

He had to then go out on loan to get some game time and in March 2012 he joined Conference side Newport County for a month and made his debut in a 1-0 win over Gateshead. He put in some good performances and finished his time there with eight appearances. After the summer he once again was sent out on loan, this time to Walsall on the 21st September 2012. Although he initially only joined for a month this was later extended, however injuries at his parent club meant he had to be recalled and in two separate loan spells he played nine League One games.

During his time out on loan he signed a new contract with Forest and then was somewhat surprisingly made their first choice keeper after Lee Camp was released in January 2013. On the 12th January 2013 Darlow made his full debut in a 2-1 win over Peterborough United and ended the campaign with 20 appearances for the club.

It was expected that they would sign a more experienced number one in the summer and after Billy Davies brought in Dorus De Vries, many thought Darlow would once again have to settle for a place on the bench or out loan. But this was not the case as the young goalkeeper played in 43 of the 46 Championship games and was one of the highest rated keepers in the division.

On the 23rd August 2013 he signed a new four year deal but this did not stop Newcastle United signing him just a year later on the 9th August 2014. For the 2014-15 season he has remained at Forest and has helped them to a fantastic start, with the club unbeaten in the first 11 league games.

The final word can go to former Nottingham Forest manager Sean O’Driscoll. “He is a goalkeeper who has been impressing for a long time. He’s got a bright future. He’s doing really well on loan at Walsall and I’m pleased that he’s signed a new deal with us.”

6th May – Craig Dawson

With a record of six goals in 15 games for the England under 21s you would expect this player to be a striker or at least an attacking midfielder but in fact he is a central defender.

Craig Dawson, 24 today, has came a long way since playing for Radcliffe Borough as he lined up in an unfamiliar position of right back against Arsenal for West Brom. The Northern Premier League side Radcliffe played the defender 95 times and he scored 15 league goals which shows that he has always had an eye for goal. His impressive performances meant that he was being watched by Football League clubs and it was Rochdale that signed him.

On his debut for the reserves he scored a header against Manchester City but unfortunately an injury stopped him progressing to the first team quicker.

At the start of the 2009-10 season he made his debut on the 8th August against Port Vale and was a consistent player throughout earning him a place in the PFA League Two Team of the Year. He also scored 9 goals in 42 league games which once again meant teams in higher division were looking at him.

On 31st August 2010 West Brom signed Dawson on a three year deal for an undisclosed fee but as part of the transfer agreement he was loaned back to Rochdale for the remainder of the season. Once again he proved how dangerous he can be in the oppositions box by getting into double figures and scoring 10 times.

On his return to West Brom he made his debut in a League Cup win over Bournemouth which was watched by England under 21 manager Stuart Pearce and he earned a call up to his next squad. In July 2011 he was rewarded by the club with a new and improved contract and made his first Premier League start on the 17th September against Swansea City, however it was a disappointing performance from the whole team as they lost 3-0.

Due to him not getting many first team opportunities he was once again going out on loan in January 2013 and it was Bolton Wanderers who won the race to sign him. It did not take him long to open his goalscoring account with two goals in a 4-1 win over Hull City on the 23rd February. Three days later he scored the only goal against Peterborough United and then made it three games in a row by scoring the winning goal against Barnsley in a 3-2 win.

The only surprising thing about his career so far is that he has played 15 Premier League games and he hasn’t managed to get on the scoresheet. The final word can go to West Brom Sporting Director Dan Ashworth. “He is an exciting young prospect who we have thoroughly scouted and he is an imposing lad with bags of potential.”