Paul Gerrard

Infobox Football biography
playername = Paul Gerrard


fullname = Paul William Gerrard
height = 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1973|1|22
cityofbirth = Rochdale
countryofbirth = England
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1991–1996
1996–2004
1998–1999
2002
2003
2004
2004–2006
2006–2008
2008
clubs = Oldham Athletic
Everton
→ Oxford United (loan)
→ Ipswich Town (loan)
→ Sheffield United (loan)
→ Nottingham Forest (loan)
Nottingham Forest
Sheffield United
→ Blackpool (loan)
caps(goals) = 119 (0)
090 (0)
016 (0)
005 (0)
016 (0)
008 (0)
064 (0)
002 (0)
000 (0)
nationalyears = 1993–1996
nationalteam = England U21
nationalcaps(goals) = 018 (0)
pcupdate = 16:13, 24 January 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 2006-09-28

Paul William Gerrard (born 22 January, 1973 in Heywood, near Rochdale, Lancashire), is an English football goalkeeper who is currently a free agent after being released by Sheffield United. He is also a former England Under 21 international.

Biography

Oldham

Gerrard started his career as a goalkeeping apprentice at Oldham Athletic. He made his Premiership debut at the age of 19 on 5 December 1992 in a 3-2 defeat at Queens Park Rangers. In all, he made 118 League appearances for The Latics

Everton

Nearly 2 years after Joe Royle had left Oldham for Everton, he returned to buy Gerrard for £1 million in July 1996, He made his debut for Everton as a half-time substitute for Neville Southall in a 7-1 win at home to Southampton on November 16 1996.

When Royle left Everton, Neville Southall returned as first choice goalkeeper for Everton and Gerrard decided to go on loan to Oxford United in 1997 for regular first team action. However, soon afterwards Howard Kendall took over for his second spell as team manager at Goodison Park and recalled Gerrard from Oxford. Despite this, he only played a small number of games.

Royle, now at Ipswich, swooped to sign Gerrard on loan, although he returned to Everton after an injury to first choice goalkeeper Thomas Myhre in the 2002-03 season. In 2003-04, he was signed on loan by Sheffield United. He played a total of 16 games for the Blades, before joining Nottingham Forest on loan in March 2004 for the final two months of the season.

Nottingham Forest

In the summer of 2004, Gerrard signed permanently for Nottingham Forest despite Ipswich Town and Leeds being interested.Fact|date=May 2007 His first season was a disaster with the club being relegated to League One.

Despite ending the 2004-05 season as first-choice goalkeeper and Player of the Year at Forest, Gerrard found himself as second choice goalkeeper behind new signing Rune Pedersen. Although he handed in a transfer request, Gerrard returned to first team action at the end of August in a 3-1 win against Gillingham. Gerrard was again dropped from the first team when manager Gary Megson signed Russell Hoult on loan from West Bromwich Albion. However, Hoult was recalled by West Brom in October and Gerrard returned as number one.

By February 2006, Forest were a few points adrift of the play-offs, but on February 15 Gerrard limped off in a 3-0 defeat against former club Oldham Athletic, and a day later Megson resigned as manager of Nottingham Forest. He played only one game under Ian McParland and Frank Barlow due to a knee injury. Gerrard was released from Forest at the end of the 2005-06 season to free up some money on the wage bill.

heffield United

On 27 September 2006, he signed a four-month contract with the Blades to add depth to the goalkeeping department. The 33-year-old, who had a loan spell at Bramall Lane in 2003 was signed to provide cover for Paddy Kenny and Ian Bennett. On January 1 2007, Gerrard made his Premiership debut for Sheffield United against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium. He made two further appearances for the Blades, but was released at the end of the 2006-07 season.

On 6 August 2007, he was re-signed on a 12-month deal by new Sheffield United manager Bryan Robson for the upcoming Championship campaign. [cite news | url=http://www.sufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10418~1085999,00.html| title=United re-sign Gerrard] On 24 January 2008, he signed on loan for Blackpool until the end of the 2007-08 season.cite news
title = Transfer latest
publisher = Blackpool F.C.
date = 2008-01-24
url = http://www.blackpoolfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10432~1223678,00.html
accessdate = 2008-01-24 ] On 3 March it was revealed that Gerrard had undergone a knee operation which ended his season prematurely.cite news
title = Fitness test for Dickov
publisher = Blackpool Gazette
date = 2008-03-03
url = http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sports-news/Fitness-test-for-Dickov.3836443.jp
accessdate = 2008-03-04 ] He was subsequently released by the Blades when his contract expired at the end of the season.cite news
title = Just two seniors released
publisher = sufc.co.uk
date = 2008-05-09
url = http://www.sufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10418~1309055,00.html
accessdate = 2008-05-09 ] Since leaving Bramall Lane, he has joined Football League One side Huddersfield Town on trial.

References

External links

*soccerbase|2827|Paul Gerrard

Persondata
NAME= Gerrard, Paul William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Gerrard, Paul
SHORT DESCRIPTION= footballer
DATE OF BIRTH= January 221973
PLACE OF BIRTH= Heywood, Rochdale, England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=