Luke Murphy

Luke Murphy

Murphy playing for Leeds United in 2013.
Personal information
Full nameLuke John Murphy[1]
Date of birth21 October 1989[1]
Place of birthMacclesfield, Cheshire; England
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1]
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Leeds United
Number7
Youth career
–2008Crewe Alexandra
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2008–2013Crewe Alexandra161(21)
2013–Leeds United60(6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:12, 21 March 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Luke John Murphy (born 21 October 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays for Leeds United as a midfielder. He is a product of Crewe Alexandra's academy, for whom he served as club captain.

Career

Crewe Alexandra

Born in Macclesfield, Cheshire,[1] Murphy made his debut for Crewe Alexandra on 13 December 2008 in a 1–0 home win against Swindon Town.[2] He scored his first goal for Crewe in a 4–1 away win against Hartlepool United on 28 December 2008.[3] His second goal for the club came in a 3–2 FA Cup replay loss to Millwall on 13 January 2009.[4] He finished his breakthrough season with 11 appearances as Crewe were relegated from League One. He scored his first goal of the 2009–10 season in a 5–3 away loss to Accrington Stanley[5] and scored his second and final goal of the season in a 3–2 away win against Chesterfield on 2 December.[6]

Murphy scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season on 11 September 2010 in a 3–0 win against Bury.[7] He scored again the following game in a 1–1 draw against Burton Albion.[8] His third goal of the season came in a 5–5 draw away to eventual League Two winners Chesterfield.[9] Murphy extended his contract with Crewe in November 2010.

Murphy missed the final month of the 2010–11 season after having a hernia operation. During the 2011–12 pre-season Murphy who had been playing as a right winger was moved into his favoured more central position alongside Ashley Westwood.[10] His 10th league goal for Crewe came in the 2011–12 season, during a 3–2 against Plymouth Argyle, where he scored two goals.[11] He scored his fifth goal of the 2011–12 season in a 2–0 home win to Accrington.[12] He ended the season with 8 goals and helped Crewe secure promotion after beating Cheltenham Town in the 2012 League Two play-off Final at Wembley Stadium, to win promotion back to League One.[13]

After the departure of Ashley Westwood to Aston Villa, Murphy was appointed as the new Crewe Alexandra Captain in August 2012.[14] In September 2012, Murphy signed a new 2-year deal at Crewe.[15] On 7 April 2013, Murphy scored the first goal in the Football League Trophy final against Southend United, which Crewe went on to win 2–0.[16] In the final match of the 2012/13 season, Murphy led out a Crewe Alexandra side against Walsall in a 2–0 win in which Murphy scored the opening goal for Crewe. The game made history being the first English fixture a side had fielded a team entirely made out of their academy players.[17][18][19]

Murphy who was the captain of Crewe Alexandra collected the club's Player Of The Year award for the 2012/13 season, a season in which he scored 9 goals, gained 12 assists and captained Crewe to victory for the Football League Trophy. Murphy also finished 4th in the voting for the League One player-of-the-season for 2012/13.[20] Murphy was also named in in the 2012/13 PFA Team of the Year for League One.[21] After the season Murphy proclaimed that he was ready to step up to play at a higher level.[22] Murphy was heavily linked with a move to Premier League side Aston Villa to join up with ex-teammate Ashley Westwood.[23] On 25 June, Crewe assistant manager Neil Baker revealed he expected Murphy to leave the club for a higher level and that he would go with the club's blessing.[24]

Leeds United

2013/14 Season

In June 2013, Crewe accepted bids believed to be over £1 million from both Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers for Murphy.[25][26] Despite this on 1 July, Leeds United confirmed the signing of Murphy on a three-year deal.[27][28][29] Crewe manager, Steve Davis revealed the transfer fee for Murphy was above £1 million.[30] The signing of Murphy was the first time that Leeds had spent over £1 million on a transfer fee since signing Richard Cresswell in 2005.[31]

Murphy made his debut against Brighton & Hove Albion on 3 August in the first game of the season, he scored a dramatic 94th minute winner in the game to give Leeds a 2–1 victory.[32][33] On 12 April 2014, Murphy scored both goals in Leeds' 2-0 victory against Blackpool.[34] On 15 April, Leeds owner Massimo Cellino revealed after the game that he advised the then Leeds manager Brian McDermott to play Murphy in a more attacking midfield role.[35]

2014/15 Season

On 1 August 2014, Murphy was assigned the Leeds number seven shirt for the 2014–15 season.[36] On 27 August 2014, Murphy was sent off in the first half against Bradford City to condemn Leeds to a shock 2-1 League Cup defeat against the League One opposition.[36] Head coach, Dave Hockaday was sacked the following day after the defeat to Bradford.[37]

AFter a long spell out of favour under new head coach Neil Redfearn, on 4 January 2015, Murphy returned to Leeds' starting lineup in the FA Cup 1-0 defeat against Sunderland.[38] Murphy's started for Leeds in following league game in the 1-1 draw against Bolton Wanderers on 10 January.[39] He scored in consecutive games for Leeds, firstly Murphy helped earn Leeds a point with an equaliser in Leeds 1-1 draw against Birmingham City on 17 January.[40] He then scored a long range strike against Bournemouth on 20 January to help Leeds record a 1-0 victory.[41] As a result of his rise in form over this period, Murphy was subsequently nominated for the January 2015 Championship Player of the Month award.[42] Murphy followed this up with a long range strike in a 2-0 victory against Reading on 10 February.[43]

Career statistics

As of match played 8th March 2015.[44]
England
Season Club Division League FA Cup League Cup FL Trophy Play-offs Total Discipline
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals A yellow card A red card
2014–15 Leeds United Championship 20 3 1 0 1 0 – – – – 22 3 5 1
2013–14 Championship 37 3 1 0 2 0 – – – – 40 3 7 0
Leeds United Total 57 6 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 62 6 12 1
2012–13 Crewe Alexandra League One 39 6 2 1 2 0 5 2 – – 48 9 6 0
2011–12 League Two 42 8 1 0 1 0 3 0 2 0 49 8 4 0
2010–11 League Two 39 3 1 0 2 0 2 0 – – 44 3 1 0
2009–10 League Two 32 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 – – 34 3 1 0
2008–09 League One 9 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 – – 11 2 0 0
Crewe Alexandra Total 161 22 7 2 6 0 10 2 2 0 186 26 12 0
Career Total 218 28 9 2 9 0 10 2 2 0 248 31 23 1

Honours

with Crewe Alexandra

Individual

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Mainstream Publishing. p. 301. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  2. ↑ "Crewe 1–0 Swindon" Crewe Alexandra F.C. 13 December 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  3. ↑ "Hartlepool 1–4 Crewe" BBC Sport. 28 December 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  4. ↑ "Crewe 2–3 Millwall" BBC Sport. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  5. ↑ "Accrington 5–3 Crewe" BBC Sport. 25 September 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  6. ↑ "Chesterfield 2–3 Crewe" BBC Sport. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  7. ↑ "Crewe 3–0 Bury" BBC Sport. 11 September 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  8. ↑ "Burton 1–1 Crewe" BBC Sport. 18 September 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  9. ↑ "Chesterfield 5–5 Crewe" BBC Sport. 2 October 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  10. ↑ "Crewe's Luke Murphy 'fully fit' after hernia operation". BBC Sport. 25 July 2011.
  11. ↑ "Crewe 3–2 Plymouth" BBC Sport. 7 January 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  12. ↑ "Crewe 2–0 Accrington" BBC Sport. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  13. ↑ Begley, Emlyn (27 May 2012). "Cheltenham 0–2 Crewe". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  14. ↑ "Murph Signs For Leeds". Crewe Alexandra Official Website. 1 July 2013.
  15. ↑ "Luke Murphy signs new two-year deal with Crewe Alexandra". BBC Sport. 27 September 2012.
  16. ↑ "Luke Murphy and Max Clayton hand Alexandra Johnstone’s Paint Trophy". The Times: Football. 8 April 2013.
  17. ↑ "Crewe 2 – Walsall 0". BBC Sport. 27 April 2013.
  18. ↑ "Crewe to make history by fielding academy XI in final match of season". Daily Mail. 24 April 2013.
  19. ↑ "Crewe Alexandra: Dario Gradi's academy dream set to come true". BBC Sport. 24 April 2013.
  20. ↑ "Crewe Alexandra: Murphy named player-of-the-season". This Is Staffordshire. 14 April 2013.
  21. ↑ "League One Team of the Year". Sky Sports. 28 April 2013.
  22. ↑ "Luke Murphy: Crewe Alexandra captain 'ready for higher level'". BBC Sport. 15 April 2013.
  23. ↑ "Crewe Alex: Luke Murphy staying put for now amid Aston Villa rumours". Crewe Chronicle. 12 June 2013.
  24. ↑ "Crewe expect Murphy departure". ITV Sport. 25 June 2013.
  25. ↑ "Luke Murphy: Wolves expected to sign Crewe Alexandra captain". BBC Sport. 25 June 2013.
  26. ↑ "Luke Murphy: Blackburn offer for Crewe captain accepted". BBC Sport. 28 June 2013.
  27. ↑ "SOUGHT AFTER MIDFIELDER SIGNS UP". Leeds United Official Site. 1 July 2013.
  28. ↑ "IT'S ALL WHITE FOR NEW RECRUIT LUKE". Leeds United Official Site. 1 July 2013.
  29. ↑ Wobschall, Leon (1 July 2013). "Leeds coup as Murphy deal imminent". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  30. ↑ "Leeds United: Luke Murphy signs from Crewe Alexandra". BBC Sport. 1 July 2013.
  31. ↑ "Cresswell eyes Premiership spot". BBC Sport. 24 August 2005. Retrieved 24 August 2005.
  32. ↑ "Leeds 2 Brighton 1". Leeds United Official Site. 3 August 2013.
  33. ↑ "Leeds 2 Brighton 1: Murphy's late stunner grabs the spoils at a packed Elland Road". Daily Mail. 3 August 2013.
  34. ↑ "Leeds 2 Blackpool 0". Sky Sports. 12 April 2014.
  35. ↑ "Cellino: 'What I told McDermott'". Football Italia. 15 April 2014.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 "SQUAD NUMBERS RELEASED". Leeds United. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  37. ↑ "CLUB STATEMENT: DAVID HOCKADAY". Leeds United. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  38. ↑ "Sunderland 1 Leeds 0". Sky Sports. 4 January 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  39. ↑ "Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Leeds United". www.bbc.co.uk/. BBC Sport. 10 January 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  40. ↑ "Leeds United v Birmingham City: Redfearn hails character of Murphy". Yorkshire Evening Post. 17 January 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  41. ↑ "Leeds 1-0 Bournemouth: Luke Murphy's first-half stunner halts Cherries progress at the top of the Championship". Daily Mail. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  42. ↑ http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article/iyhcgkoiprvk1b2rhr5kbtlv8/title/murphy-nominated-for-january-award?. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  43. ↑ "Reading 0 Leeds 2". BBC Sport. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  44. ↑ "Statistics". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 October 2008.

External links