Luke Rodgers

Football player infobox
playername = Luke Rodgers


fullname = Luke John Rodgers
height = convert|5|ft|8|in|m|2|abbr=on
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1982|1|1
cityofbirth = Birmingham
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Port Vale
clubnumber = 10
position = Striker
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1999–2005
2005–2007
2007–
clubs = Shrewsbury Town
Crewe Alexandra
Port Vale
caps(goals) = 176 (65)
037 0(9)
051 (13)
nationalyears = 2003
nationalteam = England C
nationalcaps(goals) = 001 0(0)
pcupdate = 02:40, 23 September 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 14:01, 18 September 2008 (UTC)

Luke John Rodgers (born 1 January 1982 in Birmingham, West Midlands) is an English professional footballer currently playing for Port Vale as a striker in Football League One.

Career

Rodgers initially played for Shrewsbury Town, rising through the ranks to break into the first team as a youth player. He became a firm fan favourite at Gay Meadow as he scored 73 goals in just under 200 appearances for the Shropshire side in all competitions, including 20+ in each of two consecutive seasons (2001–02, 2002–03) and four club hat-tricks. After helping Shrewsbury back into the Football League in 2003–04 with 14 goals his last season at the club wasn't quite as good with Rodgers suffering a few injuries and netting just 7 goals. Rodgers turned down Shrewsbury's offer of a one-year contract, and moved to Crewe Alexandra for a tribunal-decided fee during the 2005 summer. Shrewsbury received £100,000 from the tribunal with two add-ons of £20,000 based on appearances; however, due to his brief spell at Crewe, Shrewsbury only received the first of these. Despite a good goals-starts ratio at Crewe in their 2005–06 relegation season, he was never a favourite of Dario Gradi and was third choice behind free-scoring Luke Varney and Nicky Maynard at the start of the 2006–07 season. This resulted in him asking for a transfer after reportedly falling out with Gradi and in January 2007 after just 39 appearances and 9 goals, he moved to local rivals Port Vale for £30,000. After just three appearances he got injured and only played a total of 10 games before the end of the season however in that time he still scored 3 goals. Ironically his first came against Crewe in a 3–0 win for at Vale Park. He almost became the first Port Vale player for many years to score in all the pre season friendly matches. Before the 2007–08 season in the 6 friendlies he played he scored in 5 of the games but was denied in the sixth by former club Shrewsbury as Port Vale lost 1–0, with Rodgers falling over the ball, when clean through on goal, prompting much derision from his previous fans.

Honours

Promotions

*2003–04: Conference National Playoff winners (promotion to League Two) - Shrewsbury Town

External links

*soccerbase|id=17230 |name=Luke Rodgers