6th November – Kevin Pressman

Kevin Pressman is a Sheffield Wednesday legend who had the notable record of being given the quickest ever red card.

Just 13 seconds into a game against Wolves, he came out of his box and handled the ball leading the referee to brandish the red card. This was a very unfortunate moment but the referee was given no choice. Maybe this is what he is remembered for but it shouldn’t be as he was an outstanding keeper and produced when it matter most. One of the best goalkeeping performances ever was his in a Steel City Derby against Sheffield United.

The keeper started his career at Sheffield Wednesday, where he would stay for 19 seasons, but it was nearly over before it even started, with Pressman suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury and kept him out for nine months. He made his debut against Southampton in 1985 and had to wait a number of years to become the club’s first choice. He was a regular in cup competitions and was very unfortunate not to play in the 1991 League Cup final with the manager going for Chris Turner despite the fact that Pressman had played in every round.

A loan spell in 1992 at Stoke City gave him a bit more experience and he finally became The Owls’ number one during the 1993-94 season and would keep hold of the shirt for the majority of games right up until the 2003-04 season. Unfortunately during this period he was one of the few consistent performers as the club were relegated from the Premier League and then never really got close to promotion from Division One. Things did get worse as they were relegated from Division One in his penultimate season.

His last and 478^th game for the club came on the final day of the 2003-04 season against QPR before being released. He was quickly signed up by Leicester City and despite being considered a backup he went on to make 13 Championship appearances throughout the season. He only spent one year there before joining Leeds United, where he never played a game and then on to Mansfield, managed by former teammate Carlton Palmer.

He played 41 times in League Two and was a popular player but decided it was time to hang up the gloves. However, he had one final stint as a player at Northern Irish side Portadown, where he had an incredible time, helping the team climb the table and was also named their Player of the Year.

Something worth checking out is not only his penalty saves but also his penalty taking ability. His effort against Watford in the FA Cup is definitely worth checking out as well as a couple of others.

The final word can go to an artice in the Sheffield Star who named Pressman as the club’s fourth best player of the century. “One of the best goalkeepers Wednesday ever had- dependable and more agile than you would expect from looking at him.”

2nd June – Leigh Bromby

Leigh Bromby is one of the few players that has featured both for Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United and was well liked by both fans.

The central defender seemed to be Yorkshire through and through as he also turned out for Leeds United and is currently a coach at Huddersfield Town. Bromby came through the youth academy at Hillsborough but made his professional debut whilst on loan at Mansfield Town on the 12^th December 1999 in a 0-0 draw with Barnet. During the loan spell he would also go on to score his first career goal in a 3-1 win over Southend United.

In the following season, Bromby made his debut for Wednesday as a substitute and would go on to make 20 appearances in the second half of the season. Over the next three seasons he became a regular for the team but he did also spend a five game spell on loan at Norwich City during the 2002-03 campaign.

At the end of the 2003-04 season with Wednesday in Division Two, he made the surprising move to neighbours Sheffield United. He was an instant success at Bramall Lane, playing in every single league game and contributing five goals. In the following season he helped the team gain promotion to the top flight and would feature in 17 Premier League games but unfortunately he could not help them secure their place in the league.

Injuries then caught up with the defender and he could not get a good run in the side and this led to him leaving for Watford on the 31^st January 2008. United manager at the time Bryan Robson did not want to sell Bromby but the player wanted regular football and reluctantly allowed him to leave. After just one year at Watford, he returned to Sheffield United, initially on loan and then permanently.

This move didn’t last long as just a few weeks after signing permanently, and not making an appearance in the new season under manager Kevin Blackwell, he signed for boyhood club Leeds United. In his first season he played a key role in their promotion back to the Championship but he will have been disappointed that he was suspended for their historic FA Cup win over Manchester United. This turned out to be his last season as first choice and became a bit part player and a ruptured patella knee tendon effectively ended his career on the 3^rd May 2012. He retired after playign 380 games.

Since retiring, Bromby has took his coaching badges and was part of Leeds United’s academy until he was made redundant by controversial owner Massimo Cellino. Since August 2014, he has been a part of Huddersfield Town’s coaching setup.

The final word can go to Norwich City manager, Nigel Worthington who signed him on loan. “Leigh has made a very promising start to his career at Wednesday. This move is about him having a chance to get some games under his belt. He’s a very good defender.”

23rd May – Stephen Glass

Stephen Glass is one of those players that if it wasn’t for injuries could have become one of the most exciting wingers in the early 2000s.

The Scottish international showed a lot of talent in his early years, starting his career at Aberdeen and was regarded as one of Scotland’s hottest prospects. He was an instant success in a difficult season for Aberdeen during the 1994-95 campaign, scoring important goals in their final league fixture and also in both legs of their relegation playoff which helped secure their place in the top flight. He was also influential in the League Cup final against Dundee setting up both goals in a 2-0 win and earning himself the Man of the Match award.

In 1998, for a fee of £650,000, Glass signed for Newcastle United and despite making 29 appearances in his first season his injuries started to hamper his progress. His second season was blighted with injuries and new manager Bobby Robson saw him as a solid squad player. In the following two campaigns he only made six starts but his best moment came in December 2000 when he scored an equaliser against Manchester United.

After his contract expired, he joined Watford and was seen to be a key player in Gianluca Vialli’s side. Unfortunately, the club had financial issues and, despite the club being keen to keep the midfielder, he was released after just two seasons.

He returned to Scotland and joined Hibernian on a three year deal. After a promising start, once again, injuries took their toll and during the first campaign he missed the final of the 2004 League Cup. During the 2004-05 season Glass would only miss two league games and this would be one of his most successful as he helped the club finish third and qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

The 2006-07 season was a difficult one as he found himself playing out of position and after Tony Mowbray left the club, he was further down the pecking order under new manager John Collins. After just two starts in the following season, Glass joined Dunfermline in January on loan until the end of the season and in the summer he was given a permanent deal.

He showed his influence on the younger players in the squad and would go on to be named club captain but injuries struck and after an early knee injury he was released at the end of the 2009-10 season. After an unsuccessful trial at St Mirren, North American Soccer League side Carolina Seahawks offered him a deal but a hip injury limited him to just seven appearances and would soon announce his retirement.

The final word can go to former Newcastle great, Bob Moncur. “What I really like about him is that he goes either side to take on his full-back. And he doesn’t drift across the park. He goes straight at his man. He gets the ball in early too, which is going to benefit Alan Shearer so much.”

17th February – Marvin Sordell

If Burnley want to stay in the Premier League they really need someone else other than Danny Ings to step up and score some goals, Marvin Sordell could well be that man.

He hasn’t been given that many opportunities this season with the form of Ings and also Ashley Barnes putting in a good shift for the team but the striker has proved in the past that he can find the back of the net. Confidence could be playing a big part and if the 24 year old can get his first goal for the club then he may just go on a run and be the difference between them getting relegated and staying in the top flight.

Sordell started his career at Watford but got his first taste of professional football on loan at Isthmian League club Wealdstone, hitting the back of the net twice in five games. In the following season he made his debut for his parent club after coming on as a substitute against Sheffield United on the 15^th August and 10 days later he scored his first goal for the club in the League Cup defeat to Leeds United. However, after few chances in the team he was loaned out again, this time to Tranmere Rovers where he played eight times, scoring once. Before the end of the season he would score his first league goal for Watford in a 4-0 win over Coventry City.

At the start of the 2010-11 season he started eight of the first nine games and scored five times. He ended the season with 15 goals despite having to battle with Danny Graham and Troy Deeney for a starting spot. The goals kept coming for Sordell and he was linked with moves to the Premier League after getting to double figures again. On the 31^st January he joined Bolton Wanderers and made his debut on the 4^th February as a substitute. Unfortunately he didn’t get much game time and only made a further two substitute appearances before the end of the season.

With Bolton now in the Championship he was expected to lead their attack and scored his first goal for the club on the 24^th August 2012 in a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest. But he failed to establish himself in the first team and despite goals in the FA Cup he didn’t get much chance in the league. At the start of the 2012-13 season he joined Charlton Athletic on a season long loan and would score eight time while at the club, including a hatrick against Sheffield Wednesday.

Sean Dyche has always liked Sordell and signed him for newly promoted Premier League side Burnley but he so far hasn’t managed to score his first Premier League goal. He hasn’t been given that many minutes on the pitch to show the fans he deserves a place in the side but did manage to grab a goal in the FA Cup defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.

The final word can go to Chris Powell. “Marvin’s goalscoring record is good. He can score all types of goals with both feet and he’s a lad who has got pace, and has got a real eye for goal. He’s definitely one who will sniff chances out and come alive in the box.”

15th February – Heurelho Gomes

Heurelho Gomes might have been ridiculed for his time at Tottenham Hotspur after some high profile mistakes ruined his reputation but he is slowly starting to rebuild that now at Watford.

At the age of 34 it could be argued that his best years are in front of him and he will be doing his best to keep Watford in the promotion race and hopefully get promoted back to the Premier League. At the weekend he was involved in one of the best games in England with his side defeating Bolton Wanderers 4-3. Despite conceding three times he pulled off some fantastic saves and is quickly becoming a fan favourite at the club.

Gomes started his career in Brazil with Cruzeiro where he played 59 times between 2001 and 2004 before being scouted by teams in Europe and in July 2004 he joined Dutch side PSV. At first there were people who doubted his abilities but after a difficult debut in which he conceded twice against RBC he became one of the most consistent goalkeepers in Europe. In his first season PSV overachieved and reached the semi finals of the Champions League and they were very unlucky not to reach the final that year. Previously PSV hadn’t even qualified for the Second Round of the competition.

He was definitely a fan favourite and was well known for his acrobatic saves and long throws which set off a lot of attacks for his side. He spent four seasons at the club and played 129 league games but on the 27^th June 2008 he left for Tottenham Hotspur. Gomes’ early form was very patchy and he conceded very soft goals against Aston Villa and Fulham leaving Tottenham in the relegation zone. But he did improve and made some important saves in the win over West Ham and the 0-0 draw with Manchester United.

In the following campaign he was more solid and played a key role in helping Tottenham finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history. But the competition wasn’t a happy one for Gomes as he was sent off in 10 minutes in the game against Inter Milan. Later in the competition he also made a mistake against Real Madrid which effectively ended their chances to progress.

With more errors to follow, it seemed like the managers had lost patience with the goalkeeper and firstly they signed Brad Friedel which meant Gomes had to spend long periods on the bench. Then he slipped even further down the pecking order after Hugo Lloris was signed so in January 2013 he signed for Hoffenheim on loan. On his debut against Freiburg he made some crucial saves and helped his side to a 2-1 win. His season was ended prematurely by injury and he had to undergo hand surgery.For a full season he sat in Spurs’ reserves until his contract expired and he joined Watford on the 24^th May 2014.

The final word can go to Harry Redknapp. “He is a great character, a lovely man, a fantastic fella and a top goalkeeper. He has been fine in training. Gomes is top class, when he is on his game he is a great goalkeeper.”

10th November – Wilfried Zaha

Wilfried Zaha was considered one of the best talents in England but since joining Manchester United his career has stalled and he has to get it back on track quickly or he may never reach his full potential.

Already with two England caps to his name the winger still has a lot of time left to really make his mark both in the Premier League and on the international stage and will be hoping that his loan spell at Crystal Palace can convince Louis Van Gaal he is good enough for Manchester United. There is no doubting that he is talented but he has to work on his decision making and maybe this is why he hasn’t really had a chance at Old Trafford.

The 22 year old started his career at Selhurst Park and after joining Crystal Palace at the age of 12 he would go on to make his debut as a substitute on the 27th March 2010 against Cardiff City. Soon afterwards he was given his first professional contract by manager Paul Hart. After an impressive pre-season in the following campaign he quickly became an important member of the team and would score his first goal in a 3-2 win over Leicester City on the 7th August. He would not have as much luck against the same opposition later in the season as he was sent off, however it was later rescinded. Zaha ended his first season as a regular with 44 games, one goal and two assists.

During the 2011-12 season he would go onto grab mainstream attention with his performances after impressing in a 2-1 win over Manchester United in the League Cup on the 30th November and would later be voted the The Football League’s Young Player of the Year. Towards the end of the season he was used as more of a striker by manager Dougie Freedman and this led to him creating more chances and scoring more goals. Zaha was then voted Crystal Palace’s Young Player of the Year for a second time after nine goals and five assists in 48 games.

Once again he started the 2012-13 season brightly and he was being linked with moves away from the club and on the 25th January 2013 Zaha signed for Manchester United but was immediately loaned back to Palace to help them gain promotion. He would then go on to play a crucial part in the playoffs as he scored twice in the semi finals against Brighton and then won the penalty in the final against Watford which Kevin Phillips converted.

In the summer Zaha linked up with his Manchester United teammates unfortunately he did not get given much of an opportunity and was not in David Moyes’ plans. After just four appearances in all competitions he was loaned out to Cardiff on the 31st January 2014. The winger played 11 times for Cardiff but could not help them stay in the Premier League and returned to his parent club at the end of the season.

On the 28th August he rejoined Crystal Palace on a season long loan and two days later he would score a dramatic equaliser in a 3-3 draw with Newcastle United and his performances have been encouraging and it looks like he could get back to top form soon and prove his worth in the Premier League.

The final word can go to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. “Wilf is a young player and it is the first time he is in the Premier League. He is just a boy who wants to play football and prove himself. He has talent and he will become a good player. He will have a very good career wherever he plays.”

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.”

13th October – Gabriel Agbonlahor

Gabriel Agbonlahor has made a good start to the new season and will be hoping to recapture the goalscoring form he had in his first few years after breaking through.

The 28 year old has played as both a striker and a winger during his time at Villa Park but this has not stopped him becoming the club’s all time leading Premier League goalscorer and has the record of scoring in 10 consecutive seasons. He has three England caps and some would argue that he should have been given more opportunities.

Agbonlahor came through the ranks at Aston Villa but went out on loan to gain first team experience in 2005 playing for Watford and Sheffield Wednesday before returning to his parent club and making his debut as a 19 year old on the 18th March 2006 against Everton. Villa went on to lose the match 4-1 but Agbonlahor did get his team’s only goal.

Under new manager Martin O’Neill the striker found himself playing on the wing but played every minute of the campaign until the 10th February 2007. He ended the season with nine Premier League goals. In the following season he started superbly scoring six goals in the first 13 games and became a hero after scoring the winning goal against Birmingham City in the 86th minute. In December 2007 he was named the Player of the Month but he could not keep his goalscoring run going, and finished the season with eleven goals.

On the 15th August 2008 he signed a new four year deal with the club and two days later scored a perfect hatrick against Manchester City. During the season he formed a good partnership with John Carew. But after hitting his 10th goal of the season against Blackburn Rovers, he hit a barren spell where he scored only once in 12 games. At the end of the season he was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

The 2009-10 season was his best in terms of goalscoring as he hit 16 goals. He scored yet another winner against Birmingham on the opening day of the season and also against Manchester United which gave Villa their first win at Old Trafford since 1983. After the resignation of O’Neill, Agbonlahor had to play in different roles and help the team in other ways. His level of performances didn’t drop but his opportunities to score did.

After a fantastic start to the 2011-12 season, where he scored three goals in three games and was named the Player of the Month for August, his form tailed off. Some say it was the pressure of being made the club captain after Stiliyan Petrov had been diagnosed with acute leukaemia but he still wore the armband with pride and it was a tough for everyone at the club and it mustn’t have been easy for him to take on the role in them circumstances.

When Paul Lambert took over he did not make Agbonlahor permanent captain and the striker had a slow start under the new manager. After 29 games without a goal he finally broke his duck with a strike against Sunderland on the 3rd November 2012. Against the same opposition he scored his record breaking 61st Premier League goal for the club to make him their highest ever goalscorer. Last season though he once again struggled to find the back of the net but he has two goals so far this season and will be hoping he can make it to double figures.

The final word can go to Paul Lambert. “When you have that speed and power then anything is possible, and he is a strong lad, he really is a powerful boy. If he gets a run then you need to bring him down because I don’t think he can be caught.”

22nd August – Heidar Helguson

Heidar Helguson was not one of the tallest strikers to play in England but he certainly scored a lot of headers during his career and was always a threat from crosses.

The striker made a career of out jumping much taller defenders and powering home headers but he was also very good when the ball was on the floor and could bring his teammates into play. A lot of people would argue that he never got a fair chance in the top flight with various different clubs but he always a threat and had a very good goalscoring record throughout his career.

Helguson started his career at hometown club UMFS Dalvik in Iceland and was given his first team debut at the age of just 15. He hit the ground running with five goals in 11 games and this earned him a move to Prottur in 1994. He stayed at the club for three seasons and after scoring 31 goals in 54 league appearances he was being linked with moves to several European clubs. He eventually moved to Norwegian side Lillestrom in the autumn of 1998 and strangely wore the number one shirt. In his first full season he was one of the surprises of the season as he hit 16 league goals and had his own fan club named after him, ‘The Helgusonsons’.

Midway through the 1999-2000 season Helguson transferred to the Premier League and joined Watford for £1.5 million. Despite scoring six goals, he could not prevent Watford getting relegated and was then part of the team that went 15 games undefeated at the start of the next season. However, both he and the club went into decline and with Helguson being played out of position by new manager Gianluca Vialli, he struggled to make a positive impact.

After Ray Lewington took charge Helguson rediscovered his form and ended the 2002-03 season as the club’s top goalscorer with 13 goals, however an injury kept him out of the first half of the next season but still managed eight goals in 22 league games. His final season at the club was injury free and he ended it with 20 goals in all competitions and was linked with moves to the Premier League.

Fulham signed the striker on the 27th June 2005 but he had to wait to become a starter and was largely used as a substitute to begin with. When he did eventually break into the first team he showed his quality and scored some memorable goals and finished with 10 in all competitions. The next season was more frustrating as he only managed three goals and joined Bolton Wanderers in the following summer. He stayed at the club for two seasons but only played eight times because of injuries and left the club for QPR.

Initially he joined on loan and after scoring five times in his first 10 game he joined the club permanently. However, after failing to add to his goal tally and falling out of favour he rejoined Watford on loan. He spent most of the season there scoring 11 times in 29 games. Afterwards he regained his place in the QPR starting 11 and helped get them promoted to the Premier League by scoring 13 goals and while in the top flight he was their top scorer in their successful relegation battle. Despite missing the second half he still managed to score eight goals in 16 games.

On the 2nd August 2012 Helguson signed for Cardiff City. Although he scored eight goals and helped them get promoted to the Premier League, he left the club when his contract expired at the end of the season.

The final word can go to his Cardiff manager Malky Mackay. “He’s the man that really stepped up to the plate and was that battering ram for us. He’s absolutely the type of guy I’d fill a club with. I’ve got great admiration for him and what he’s done in his career.”

14th July – James Vaughan

James Vaughan is finally fulfilling his potential after several injuries at Huddersfield Town but he still holds the record of being the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history.

Now 26, the striker is starting to deliver on his early promise and will be an important part of Huddersfield’s promotion push that they will be aiming for in the upcoming season. His career started quickly and while he was playing for Everton’s under 16s he was voted by his teammates as the player of the year and in the 2004-05 season he scored a number of goals for the reserves and went on to make his debut in the first team.

On the 10th April 2005 he came on as a substitute against Crystal Palace in the 73rd minute and went on to score and become the youngest Premier League score at the age of 16 years and 271 days. In the summer he signed his first professional contract, however his first serious injury came shortly after while playing for the England under 18s and it forced him to miss the rest of the campaign. His next Premier League goal came in the 93rd minute against West Ham United.

More injuries followed and he ended up playing only 49 times for Everton, with eight of these being as a starter but he did manage to score nine goals in his limited appearances. During his time at Everton, he joined a few teams on loan, firstly Derby County where he only played two league games in a three month spell. His next move was to Leicester City which was slightly more successful as he managed to score against Watford. In 2010 he joined Crystal Palace and scored nine league goals in 30 appearances.

In 2011 he eventually left Everton permanently for newly promoted Norwich City and made his debut against West Brom. However, he once again suffered injuries and he was limited to just five league games and at the start of the next season he joined Huddersfield on loan for the whole of the season. He made his debut in a 2-0 win over Burnley and scored his first goal for the club in a 2-2 draw away to Ipswich Town, unfortunately later in the game he missed the chance to win the game from the penalty spot.

After scoring another 13 goals he joined Huddersfield permanently on a three year deal for an undisclosed fee. He started off the next season in fantastic form and scored nine goals in the first 12 league games, including a hatrick against Bournemouth in a 5-1 win. Unfortunately he picked up a few more injuries and he could not keep up his early season form and ended the season with 12 goals in 26 games in all competitions. Vaughan also captained the side on several occasions which shows his importance to the side and will be hoping to lead them onto better things next season.

The final word can go to his former teammate David Weir. “He has certainly got all the attributes – strength, honesty, work-rate and commitment. He has still got a few rough edges and has a lot to learn. As long as he does that it could be a big future for him. He’d only been on for five minutes and the ref was having a little word, telling him to calm down a bit, so he’s got a great chance.”