Shahdon Winchester

Shahdon Winchester
Personal information
Full nameShahdon Shane Andre Winchester
Date of birth8 January 1992
Place of birthPrinces Town, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Playing positionWinger / Forward
Club information
Current team
FF Jaro
(on loan from W Connection)
Number22
Youth career
2000–2009W Connection
2004–2009Naparima College
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2009–W Connection41(24)
2012→ Sông Lam Nghệ An (loan)0(0)
2013→ FF Jaro (loan)24(8)
2014–→ FF Jaro (loan)31(9)
National team‡
2008–2009Trinidad and Tobago U178(2)
2010–2011Trinidad and Tobago U205(3)
2011–2012Trinidad and Tobago U234(3)
2010–Trinidad and Tobago4(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 October 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2014

Shahdon Shane Andre Winchester (born 8 January 1992)[1] is a Trinidadian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Veikkausliiga club FF Jaro, on loan from Trinidadian club W Connection. He also represents the Trinidad and Tobago national team.

Winchester began his professional football career in 2009, at the age of 17, with W Connection in his native Trinidad and Tobago. During his time with the Savonetta Boys, Winchester won the TT Pro League title in 2011–12. In the middle of his third season with W Connection, in 2012, he was loaned to Vietnamese club Sông Lam Nghệ An, however never made an appearance for the club due to late arrival of his international clearance.[2] He later moved to FF Jaro on loan for the 2013 and 2014 Veikkausliiga seasons.[3]

He is a Trinidad and Tobago international having made his debut in June 2010. Winchester has participated in one major tournament after representing the Soca Warriors in the 2011 Pan American Games.

Early life

Winchester was born in Princes Town, Trinidad and Tobago, to parents Derek and Svetlana.[4] Shahdon attributes his early interest in football to his father as the two attended numerous local matches, which nurtured his love for the sport. At the age of 8, his father enrolled Winchester in local TT Pro League club W Connection's youth program. Two years later, Winchester tragically lost his father in a vehicle accident. However, Shahdon later explained that the event helped him develop a deeper motivation to pursue a professional football career. After her husband's death, Svetlana made it her responsibility to ensure that Shahdon was not denied the opportunity to pursue his football dreams. In fact, she decided to take driving classes and apply for a permit to be able to drive Shahdon to youth practice in Couva.[4]

At the age of 12, Winchester made his debut for Naparima College in San Fernando, Trinidad. In his five years with Naps, Shahdon led the team to the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) South Zone title on four occasions, including the national Intercol Big Five crown in 2007.[5] He was also named among the top five best league players in each of his final two years at Naps, which included a league-leading 16 goals in 2008.[6][7]

Club career

W Connection

After spending several seasons in the club's youth program, Winchester made his professional football debut in 2009, at the age of 17, for W Connection of the TT Pro League. Shahdon went on to score four goals in seven league appearances for the Savonetta Boys. However, the highlight of his first professional season occurred when he appeared for W Connection during the group stage of the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League against Real España.

Shahdon is a fantastic young talent, a real little star[...] If I had to make a comparison, I'd say Shahdon is like Dwight Yorke. He's got a lot of the same attributes. He runs at people, is super-strong, and loves scoring goals.

“
”
—Russell Latapy on Winchester during his two-week trial with Celtic in September 2010.[8]

The following season, his goal-scoring form continued with a further five goals in ten appearances, prompting his debut for the Soca Warriors and trials from several clubs abroad.[9] In particular, during a trial in Scotland with Celtic, 18-year-old Winchester scored two goals in a developmental match against a Motherwell XI on 14 September 2010, which prompted suggestions that he would be signed permanently.[10] However, terms ultimately could not be agreed upon. He had further trials at Braga and FC Sevastopol in 2009 and 2010, respectively, followed by trials at FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer in 2011.[11][12][13]

In January 2012, Winchester went on a two-month loan to Sông Lam Nghệ An of V.League 1.[2] However, his international clearance arrived after the transfer window had closed and was unable to make an appearance for the Vietnamese club.[14] Afterwards, Shahdon returned to Trinidad and Tobago to lead W Connection to the club's fourth Pro League championship finishing the 2011–12 season with three goals. In March 2012, he provided two goals for W Connection en route to finishing runners-up in the 2012 CFU Club Championship and secure qualification for the Savonetta Boys in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League. Following the season, Winchester had an unsuccessful one-week trial in Norway with FK Haugesund of the Tippeligaen.[15]

Shahdon opened the 2012–13 season as a starter for W Connection and made three consecutive appearances during the club's Champions League campaign. He later scored seven goals in as many matches in the Pro League, including his first career hat-trick as a professional on 5 January 2013 against Central FC.[16] A week later, Shahdon flew to Jakobstad for a trial with Finnish club FF Jaro of the Veikkausliiga after agreeing to personal terms.[17]

Loan to FF Jaro

On 25 January 2013, Winchester agreed to join FF Jaro of the Veikkausliiga on a one-year loan following a successful two-week trial.[3][18] One week later, he scored a seventh minute goal in his debut for Jaro during a league cup match against VPS.[19] On 20 February, he provided his second goal in three league cup matches with a penalty kick in a win over RoPS.[20] However, after making seven consecutive appearances in the league cup, Winchester underwent surgery on 13 March for an injury to his Achilles tendon.[21]

On 5 May 2013, Winchester made his league debut for FF Jaro against HJK after coming on for Markus Kronholm in the 62nd minute.[22] After five consecutive league appearances, including three as a substitute, Winchester scored his first league goal in a 2–1 win over FC Lahti on 23 May.[23] He scored two more goals in the next three league matches against TPS on 26 May and a week later against RoPS.[24] Winchester later scored in consecutive matches against MYPA and FC Honka on 27 and 30 June. On 27 July, he recorded a brace in front of Jakobstad's second largest crowd for a football match in a 2–1 derby win over VPS.[25] However, a string of illnesses and injuries kept him sidelined for Jaro's final six matches. Prior to his return to Trinidad and Tobago in October 2013, Winchester agreed to a one-year contract extension with Jaro through the end of the 2014 Veikkausliiga season.[26] In his first season in Finland, Winchester recorded eight goals in the Veikkausliiga and ten goals in all competitions.

Return to W Connection

Following a one-year loan to FF Jaro of the Veikkausliiga during the 2013 season, Winchester returned to parent club, W Connection, for three months before his second loan to the Finnish club.[27] In his short return with the Savonetta Boys, Winchester appeared in nine Pro League matches and scored five goals. On 21 January 2014, he scored a double over rivals San Juan Jabloteh, which was followed four days later with another goal against North East Stars.[28][29] Before departing for Finland, Winchester scored a further brace on 8 March against St. Ann's Rangers to extend W Connection's league lead to eight points en route to the club winning their fifth Pro League title.[30]

Second loan to FF Jaro

On 19 March 2014, Winchester rejoined FF Jaro on another one-year loan for the 2014 Veikkausliiga season.[31] Two weeks later, he made his return league debut for the club having started as a winger in a 1–0 loss to HJK on 6 April.[32] Shahdon scored his first goal of the season in brilliant fashion against KuPS in the 15th minute on 19 April, before receiving a yellow card for diving in the penalty area shortly before half-time.[33] In May 2014, Winchester was named in the Veikkausliiga team of the month after scoring three goals in as many league matches against TPS,[34] SJK,[35] and RoPS,[36] respectively, to lead Jaro to third in the league table.[37] The following month, Shahdon continued his scoring form with goals in consecutive matches against IFK Mariehamn on 15 June and three days later in a draw to MYPA.[38][39] However, he received his fourth yellow card of the season in the 90th minute and was unable to feature for Jaro in the club's match against FC Lahti. Through the first-half of the season, Winchester was the league's joint-leading goalscorer with Petteri Forsell, Macoumba Kandji, Roni Porokara, and Luis Solignac – having scored 6 league goals.

On 20 July 2014, Winchester scored his seventh goal of the season in the 63rd minute during a 5–0 win over FC Honka.[40]

International career

Winchester has represented Trinidad and Tobago on various levels of international competition, having been capped for the under-17,[41] under-20,[42] under-23 Olympic team, and the Trinidad and Tobago national teams.[9]

Youth teams

He began his international career for the under-17 team during the Soca Warriors' runners-up finish in the 2008 CFU Youth Cup.[41] During the competition, Winchester made five appearances and scored a pair of goals against Aruba.[43] In April 2009, Winchester made three starts during the 2009 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, which witnessed the team eliminated without scoring a goal.[44]

In November 2010, Winchester scored three goals in four matches to lead the under-20 team through qualification for the 2011 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.[45][46] However, he made two substitute appearances in another early exit from a continental tournament after a goalless draw to Cuba and a 5–0 loss to Mexico. Although Trinidad and Tobago did not qualify for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup, the Soca Warriors participated in the Pan American Games in October 2011. Winchester scored a goal in his only appearance of the competition for the under-23 team against Uruguay. He scored two more goals over his next three matches during the under-23 team's unsuccessful qualification attempt for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[47]

Senior team

Winchester made his full international debut for the national team on 21 June 2010 against Antigua and Barbuda at the age of 18.[9] He was later called up for three qualification matches for the 2010 Caribbean Cup, but only featured in a 4–0 win over Haiti. Shahdon did not receive a call-up with the national team again until June 2013, when he came on as a substitute in the Soca Warriors' friendly defeat away to Romania 4–0.[48]

In November 2014, Winchester received a call-up with the Soca Warriors during the 2014 Caribbean Cup in Montego Bay, Jamaica. In their final group stage match against Cuba, Winchester made a start as forward to earn his fourth national team cap during a scoreless draw.

Career statistics

Club

As of 25 October 2014[49]
Club Season League Cup League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental[lower-alpha 2] Other[lower-alpha 3] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Trinidad and Tobago W Connection 2009 TT Pro League 7450101000144
2010–11 10510400000155
2011–12 7340640052229
2012–13 87115230111811
2013–14 950000000095
Total 412411116640637834
Vietnam Sông Lam Nghệ An (loan) 2012 V.League 1 000000000000
Total 000000000000
Finland FF Jaro (loan) 2013 Veikkausliiga 248007200003110
2014 31900000000319
Total 5517007200006219
Career total 9641111238406314053
  1. ↑ Includes appearances in the Trinidad and Tobago's Classic, Goal Shield, and Pro Bowl
  2. ↑ Includes appearances in the CONCACAF Champions League
  3. ↑ Includes appearances in the Trinidad and Tobago Charity Shield and CFU Club Championship

International

As of 15 November 2014[50][51]

International appearances

National team Year Friendly Competitive Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
 Trinidad and Tobago 2010101020
2011000000
2012000000
2013100010
2014001010
Total202040

Honours

Club

Trinidad and Tobago W Connection
Finland FF Jaro

Individual

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 FF Jaro Staff (12 June 2014). "2013 Joukkue". FFJaro.fi. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Winchester signs 3-month loan deal with Vietnam's Song Lam Nghe An". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). 5 January 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Winchester signs one year deal with Finnish Premier Club". Shaun Fuentes (Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation). 27 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Shahdon Winchester: Rising above adversity". Kwame Williams (T&T Guardian). 3 December 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  5. ↑ Inshan "Flex" Mohammed (20 January 2014). "Intercol Champions". Soca Warriors Online. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  6. ↑ Kevin Sunich (23 January 2010). "Shade, Vance cop SSFL top awards". T&T Guardian. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  7. ↑ Inshan "Flex" Mohammed (23 April 2009). "SSFL top girls & boys all-star teams". Soca Warriors Online. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  8. ↑ Nationnews Staff (15 September 2010). "Latapy hails new Yorke". Nationnews.com. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Player Profile – Shahdon Winchester". Inshan Mohammad (Soca Warriors Online). 26 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Latapy urged Shahdon Winchester to move to Celtic". Paul Hughes (The Scottish Sun). 26 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  11. ↑ Randy Bando (29 April 2010). "Connection's Winchester, Benjamin Jr. for Dallas trial". TTProLeague.com. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "W Connection trio for MLS trials". Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian). 1 February 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  13. ↑ "Jones gets his VISA...off to Colorado for trial". Shaun Fuentes (TTFF Media). 31 January 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  14. ↑ "Winchester too cold for comfort but keeping focus". Inshan Mohammed (SocaWarriors.net). 4 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  15. ↑ "FKH slo Ranheim". Øystein Eide and Magnus Berning (Haugesunds Avis Sport) (in Norwegian). 10 March 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  16. ↑ "Winchester tricks Central; Connection spoils Fenwick's return". Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com). 5 January 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  17. ↑ "Shahdon off for Finland trials". Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com). 15 January 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  18. ↑ "Winchesterille sopimus – Hugo Miranda testiin". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 26 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  19. ↑ "Talvinen Pohjanmaan Derby päättyi tasapeliin". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 2 February 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  20. ↑ "Pisteputki sai jatkoa". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 21 February 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  21. ↑ "Miranda sivuun pidemmäksi aikaa – Winchester leikkauspöydälle". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 13 March 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  22. ↑ "Tehokas HJK vei pisteet". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 5 May 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  23. ↑ "Jaro nousi vajaalla loistavaan voittoon". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 23 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  24. ↑ "Winchesterin maali toi Jarolle pisteen". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 26 May 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  25. ↑ "Winchester upean derbyn ratkaisijana". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 27 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  26. ↑ "Winchesterin kausi ohi – palaa Jaroon maaliskuussa". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 11 October 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  27. ↑ Randy Bando (3 January 2014). "Connection welcomes back Shahdon Winchester while pressing to preserve excellence". TTProLeague.com. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  28. ↑ Randy Bando (22 January 2014). "Point Fortin’s Marcus Joseph tricks again; Winchester nets double as Connection stretches lead". TTProLeague.com. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  29. ↑ Randy Bando (25 January 2014). "P/Fortin goes second; Central unveils four new signings in goalless draw". TTProLeague.com. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  30. ↑ Lasana Liburd (8 March 2014). "Shahdon shines as Connection hands Rangers 15th League defeat". Wired868.com. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  31. ↑ Randy Bando (17 March 2014). "Shahdon Winchester, Aubrey David teams up for Finland’s FF Jaro". TTProLeague.com. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  32. ↑ "Match Report: HJK 1–0 FF Jaro". Kakkonen Pohjoinen (in Finnish). 6 April 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  33. ↑ "Jarolle upea voitto Kuopiossa". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 19 April 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  34. ↑ "Jarolle vakuuttava voitto TPS:sta". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 17 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  35. ↑ "Jaro nollasi SJK:n". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 24 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  36. ↑ "Jaro taipui RoPSille". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 26 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  37. ↑ "Winchester kuukauden joukkueessa". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 4 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  38. ↑ "IFK nousi toisella puoliajalla rinnalle ja ohi". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 15 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  39. ↑ "Jaro joutui tyytymään tasapeliin". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 18 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  40. ↑ "Jarolle murskavoitto Espoosta". FF Jaro News Staff (in Finnish). 20 July 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 Shaun Fuentes (Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation) (24 July 2008). "Under 16s prepare for youth cup". Soca Warriors Online. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  42. ↑ T&T Newsday Staff (16 November 2010). "Young Warriors off to St Vincent". Soca Warriors Online. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  43. ↑ Shaun Fuentes (Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation) (5 August 2008). "T&T U-17 boys book 1/4 final spot". Soca Warriors Online. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  44. ↑ Ivan Orozco (CONCACAF.com) (27 April 2009). "T&T U-17 sent home goalless". Soca Warriors Online. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  45. ↑ Shaun Fuentes (Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation) (20 November 2010). "Doubles from Winchester, Britto as T&T rip St Vincent apart in CFU U-20 qualifier". Soca Warriors Online. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  46. ↑ Inshan Mohammed (25 November 2010). "U-20's beat St Vincent 4-1 to qualify for final phase". Soca Warriors Online. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  47. ↑ "Late goal lifts Trinidad, sinks Panama". CONCACAF.com. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  48. ↑ "Romania vs. Trinidad and Tobago 4 – 0". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  49. ↑ "Player Profile: Shahdon Winchester". Kakkonen Pohjoinen (in Finnish). 6 April 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  50. ↑ "Trinidad and Tobago – Record International Players". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  51. ↑ "Winchester, Shahdon". National Football Teams. Retrieved 6 November 2010.

External links