Harry Forrester (footballer)

For the American basketball and baseball coach, see Harry Forrester (coach).
Harry Forrester
Personal information
Full nameHarry Lee Forrester
Date of birth2 January 1991
Place of birthMilton Keynes, England
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing positionAttacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
Doncaster Rovers
Number10
Youth career
2000–2007Watford
2007–2010Aston Villa
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2010–2011Aston Villa0(0)
2010–2011→ Kilmarnock (loan)7(0)
2011–2013Brentford55(8)
2013–Doncaster Rovers31(4)
National team
2006–2007England U165(0)
2007–2008England U174(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:36, 12 February 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Harry Lee Forrester (born 2 January 1991) is an English footballer who plays for Doncaster Rovers in Football League One. He came through the youth teams of Watford and Aston Villa and has been capped at youth level for England.

Club career

Watford FC

In 2000 Forrester joined Watford from Northampton Town. Because Forrester was only 10, Watford paid Northampton £13,000 in compensation.

Aston Villa

In summer 2007, Aston Villa signed Forrester from Watford, despite reported interest from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United for the highly rated teen. He was only 16 years old at the time, yet Villa paid out £250,000 (that could potentially rise to £1 million) for him. After joining, he immediately helped Villa's under-18 team to FA Premier Academy League glory in the 2007–08 season. He has also started for Villa's reserve team who in the 2009–10 season, won the Reserve League South title for a third consecutive time. However, he was an unused sub as Villa went on to lose the Play-off Final against Manchester United, champions of the Reserve League North. He was released by Villa in May 2011 after his contract expired.[1]

Kilmarnock (loan)

In August 2010, Forrester signed on loan with Scottish Premier League club Kilmarnock.[2] He made his Scottish Premier League début in the 2–1 win against St. Mirren on 11 September. Forrester claimed his first assist in a 2–1 loss to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 23 October, crossing to Rui Miguel who scored with a header. He played a total of eight games in all competitions for Kilmarnock, before returning to Aston Villa in January 2011.

Brentford

Despite being released by Aston Villa, there was still much speculation surrounding Forrester's future, with reported interest from Championship side Barnsley and Dutch champions Ajax.[3][4] Forrester later joined up with the latter on trial, playing with their reserve side Jong Ajax, and received praise from manager Frank de Boer.[5] He scored a hat-trick for Jong Ajax in a 5–2 pre-season victory over VV GOES on 27 July 2011.[6]

Forrester then decided to turn down a move to Ajax to join League One club Brentford on 4 August 2011 on a two-year contract.[7] He made his Bees debut as an injury time substitute in the 2–1 win at Exeter City on 16 August 2011.[8] On 30 August, he started his first game for Brentford in a 3–3 draw against Milton Keynes Dons in the first round of the Football League Trophy before being replaced by Sam Wood after 78 minutes.[9] On 27 January 2013, Forrester earned his side a 2–2 draw and a replay against Chelsea in the fourth round of the FA Cup by converting a penalty won by Tom Adeyemi in the 73rd minute.[10]

Doncaster Rovers

On 30 June 2013, Forrester left Brentford after his contract expired, opting instead to sign for newly promoted Championship club Doncaster Rovers.[11] On 4 January 2014, Forrester scored his first goal for Doncaster Rovers in an FA Cup third round defeat at home to Stevenage. A series of injuries restricted Forrester to just nine appearances (seven in the League) during the 2013–14 season, of which just three were starts.

Honours

Aston Villa

Career statistics

Statistics accurate as of match played 9 August 2014.[12]

Club performance League Cup League Cup Other Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
England League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
2010–11Aston VillaPremier League0000000000
2011–12BrentfordLeague One190000010200
2012–13BrentfordLeague One3687310504911
2013–14Doncaster RoversChampionship7011100091
2014–15Doncaster RoversLeague One1100110022
Scotland League Scottish Cup League Cup Other Total
2010–11Kilmarnock (loan)Scottish Premier League7000100080
Total England 6398420607913
Total Scotland 7000100080
Career total 7098430608713

References

  1. ↑ "Farewell to Reo-Coker and Carew as released list announced". Aston Villa F.C. 27 May 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  2. ↑ "Kilmarnock capture Aston Villa striker on loan". BBC Sport. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  3. ↑ Sky Sports http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12874_6899349,00.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ↑ Sky Sports http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12876_6941894,00.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ↑ Sky Sports http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11677_7057882,00.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ http://www.vvgoes.nl/goes-wint-in-tweede-helft-jong-ajax
  7. ↑ "Bees Sign Forrester". Brentford F.C. official website. brentfordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  8. ↑ "Exeter 1–2 Brentford". BBC Sport. 16 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
  9. ↑ "MK Dons 3–3 Brentford" BBC Sport. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Brentford 2–2 Chelsea" BBC Sport. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  11. ↑ "Doncaster Rovers: Harry Forrester moves to Keepmoat". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  12. ↑ Harry Forrester career statistics at Soccerbase

External links