Troy Deeney

Troy Deeney

Deeney training with Watford in October 2014
Personal information
Full nameTroy Matthew Deeney[1]
Date of birth29 June 1988[2]
Place of birthBirmingham, England
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[3]
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current team
Watford
Number9
Youth career
 –2004Aston Villa
2004–2006Chelmsley Town
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2006–2010Walsall123(27)
2006–2007→ Halesowen Town (loan)10(8)
2010–Watford205(77)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13:50, 02 May 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Troy Matthew Deeney (born 29 June 1988) is an English footballer who plays for Watford. He plays primarily as a striker. After being part of Aston Villa's youth system, Deeney started his professional career at Walsall. He transferred to Football League Championship side Watford in 2010.

Career

Walsall

Born in Birmingham, West Midlands,[2] Deeney started his career in Aston Villa's youth scheme but was released at the age of 15. He joined Chelmsley Town a little while after whilst also studying to become a builder, at Carilion Construction Training, in Erdington. Whilst at Chelmsley he was talent spotted by Walsall. After signing for them on 18 December 2006, Deeney was instantly sent out to Halesowen Town on loan for the rest of the 2006–07 season.[4]

He scored his first professional competitive goal for the Saddlers against Millwall, in September 2007 assisting Walsall to a 2–1 win.[5] This turned out to be his only goal of the 2007–08 season, and the 2008–09 season started similarly for him, only managing two goals in the first half of the season. However, the introduction of Chris Hutchings as manager coincided with Deeney finding a goalscoring touch. Helped by the fact his new manager started playing him in his favoured striking position, instead of on the right-wing as previous manager Jimmy Mullen had, Deeney scored nine goals in Hutchings' first 12 games in charge.[4][5] On 9 September 2009, it was announced that Deeney had signed a new two-year deal until 2011.[6] Deeney was voted Walsall's Player of the Year for the 2009–10 season at an awards ceremony on 9 May 2010. Deeney scored 14 goals during the season.

Watford

On 4 August 2010, Deeney handed in a written transfer request amid interest from several Championship clubs. He signed for Watford two days later for an initial fee of £250,000 rising up to £500,000 on a two-year contract.[7] On the same day Deeney signed for Watford, he played a part in their 3–2 win against Norwich City on the opening day of the season coming on for Marvin Sordell in the second half.[8] Deeney scored his first Watford goal against Notts County in the first round of the League Cup on 24 August. Deeney went on to make 36 appearances for Watford in his first season scoring two goals from 17 starts although he was mainly deployed on the wing by Malky Mackay.

Deeney (left) alongside former Watford teammate Don Cowie in 2012

In his second season at Watford, Deeney made over 40 appearances under the management of Sean Dyche in his preferred position as striker.[5] Deeney finished the season as Watford's top goalscorer with 11 goals and also won the Goal of the Season Award for his goal against Ipswich Town in March 2012.[9]

Deeney made his first appearance for Watford, after his release from prison, against Bristol City at Vicarage Road on 22 September 2012. The game finished 2–2 with Deeney coming on in the second half and hitting the post. He started the next game against Huddersfield Town on 29 September, and scored the winner from the spot in the 3–2 away win. He scored a memorable double against his boyhood club, Birmingham City, as Watford ran out 4–0 winners on 16 February 2013.

In March 2013 Deeney signed a new contract with Watford keeping him at the club until 2016.

Deeney netted another brace in a 4–0 win over Blackburn Rovers on 20 April 2013, taking his tally to eighteen for the season. He scored his 19th goal of the season in the next match against Leicester on 26 April 2013, scoring the first goal in an important 2–1 win for Watford.

On 12 May 2013, Watford faced Leicester City in the play-off semi-final second leg at Vicarage Road. In one of the most dramatic ends to a play-off match in history, Deeney scored a goal deep into injury time to qualify for the Championship Playoff final at Wembley. After Manuel Almunia saved a penalty taken by Anthony Knockaert and a rebound, Watford charged down to the other end, and Deeney lashed in the winning goal in the seventh minute of added time.[10]

After scoring 20 goals in the 2012–13 season, Deeney scored the only goal as Watford beat Birmingham City 1–0 in the opening game of the 2013–14 season. A week later on 10 August, Deeney scored a hat-trick as Watford thrashed Bournemouth 6–1 at Vicarage Road. In doing so he became the first Hornets player to score a hat-trick in a match since Michael Chopra in 2003, and the first one to do so at Vicarage Road since David Connolly on 7 December 1996. It was also Deeney's first career hat-trick.[11]

Having netted a brace in a 4–1 win away against Sheffield Wednesday on 29 March 2014, Deeney took his 2013–14 season tally to 20 goals. In the process he became the first Watford player to score 20+ goals in consecutive seasons in all competitions since Luther Blissett managed the feat in 1983.[12]

Deeney scored again, this time against Burnley on 5 April 2014, to become the first Watford player to score 20 league goals in consecutive seasons since Cliff Holton managed the feat in 1961.[13] The striker won both the Watford Player of the Season award for 2013–14 and also won the Players' Player of the Year at the end of season awards on 2 May 2014.[14]

Following the departure of Manuel Almunia, Deeney was named the Watford captain by manager Beppe Sannino prior to the 2014–15 season.[15]

Personal life

Deeney's brother, Ellis, is a semi-professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder. He started his career at Aston Villa, before moving on to Kettering Town, Hinckley United and is now captain of Worcester City.

On 25 June 2012, Deeney was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment for affray for kicking a man in the head in a brawl.[16][17] He was released after serving almost three months of the sentence, after showing his remorse, and since he was a first time offender.

Deeney is a supporter of Birmingham City, and has the club's crest tattooed on his leg.[18]

Career statistics

As of 02 May 2015
Club statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Walsall
2006–07[19]
 League Two 1000000010
2007–08[20]
 League One 35140001[lower-alpha 1]0401
2008–09[21]
 League One 451210102[lower-alpha 1]04912
2009–10[22] League One 421420101[lower-alpha 1]04614
Total 1232770204013627
Halesowen Town (loan)
2006–07[23]
 NPL Premier Division 10800—00108
Watford 2010–11[24] Championship 3622021—403
2011–12[25] Championship 43112110—4612
2012–13[26] Championship 401910002[lower-alpha 2]14320
2013–14[27] Championship 44243110—4825
2014–15[28] Championship 42211000—4321
Total 2057792412122081
Career Total 3371121626161365116
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  2. ↑ Appearances in the Championship play-offs

References

  1. ↑ "Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. 18 May 2013. p. 25. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Mainstream Publishing. p. 112. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  3. ↑ "Player Profile". Watford F.C. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Player profiles: Troy Deeney". Walsall Football Club. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Troy Deeney". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
  6. ↑ "Deeney pens new Saddlers contract". BBC Sport. 9 September 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  7. ↑ "Watford sign striker Troy Deeney from Walsall". BBC Sport. 6 August 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  8. ↑ "Norwich 2–3 Watford". BBC Sport. 6 August 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  9. ↑ "2011/12 Awards: Goal Of The Season". Watford Football Club. 5 May 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  10. ↑ Prentki, Tom (12 May 2013). "Watford 3 Leicester City 1 (agg 3–2): match report". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  11. ↑ "Watford 6 – Bournemouth 1". BBC. 10 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Deeney landmark as four-goal Watford finally win away (From Watford Observer)". watfordobserver.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  13. ↑ "Hornets held by promotion-chasing Clarets (From Watford Observer)". watfordobserver.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  14. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWPgJkOdUZU
  15. ↑ http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/11360687.Watford_name_Deeney_captain/?ref=mr
  16. ↑ "Deeney sentenced to ten months in prison" Watford Observer. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  17. ↑ "Watford striker Troy Deeney jailed for ten months for kicking man in head". Metro. 26 June 2012.
  18. ↑ http://m.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/10291392.Deeney___I___m_only_human__I_made_a_mistake_and_I_paid_for_that_mistake_/
  19. ↑ "Walsall 2006/2007 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  20. ↑ "Walsall 2007/2008 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  21. ↑ "Walsall 2008/2009 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  22. ↑ "Walsall 2009/2010 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  23. ↑ "Halesowen 2006/2007 player appearances". Soccer Facts UK. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  24. ↑ "Watford 2010/2011 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  25. ↑ "Watford 2011/2012 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  26. ↑ "Watford 2012/2013 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  27. ↑ "Watford 2013/2014 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  28. ↑ "Watford 2014/2015 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

External links