Jermaine Easter

Football player infobox
playername = Jermaine Easter


fullname = Jermaine Maurice Easter
height = height|meters=1.75
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1982|1|15
cityofbirth = Cardiff
countryofbirth = Wales
currentclub = Millwall
(on loan from Plymouth Argyle)
clubnumber = 28
position = Striker
youthyears = 1999–2001
youthclubs = Wolverhampton Wanderers
years = 2001–2004
2004
2004–2005
2005
2005–2006
2006–2008
2007
2008–
2008–
clubs = Hartlepool United
→ Cambridge United (loan)
Cambridge United
Boston United
Stockport County
Wycombe Wanderers
→ Plymouth Argyle (loan)
Plymouth Argyle
→ Millwall (loan)
caps(goals) = 27 0(2)
15 0(2)
24 0(6)
09 0(3)
19 0(8)
59 (21)
14 0(2)
22 0(4)
01 0(1)
nationalyears = 2007–
nationalteam = Wales
nationalcaps(goals) = 07 0(0)
pcupdate = 22:20, 23 August 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 22:20, 23 August 2008 (UTC)

Jermaine Maurice Easter (born January 15 1982 in Cardiff) is a Welsh professional footballer currently playing as a striker for Millwall on loan from Championship club Plymouth Argyle.

Early career

Easter started his career as a trainee at Wolverhampton Wanderers, before being released, and joining Hartlepool in March 2001.

In May 2003, Easter, still yet to start a first-team game for Hartlepool, signed a new two-year contract. [cite news
title = Easter deal boosts Newell| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hartlepool_united/3021079.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 2003-05-12| accessdate = 2008-04-01]

In February 2004, Easter joined Cambridge United on loan, following a short trial, for 2 months. This was later extended to a third and final month. On his return to Hartlepool, Easter had the final year of his contract cancelled by mutual consent, and promptly rejoined Cambridge, on a one-year contract. [cite news
title = Cambridge seal Easter deal| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cambridge_utd/3724723.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 2004-05-25| accessdate = 2008-04-01]

In March 2005, Easter was allowed to leave Cambridge early, and join Boston United on a free transfer. He signed a short contract, running until the end of the season. [cite news
title = Striker Easter agrees Boston deal| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/boston_united/4351169.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 2005-03-15| accessdate = 2008-04-01]

Easter chose not to extend his stay with Boston, instead signing for Stockport County, where he joined up with his former manager at Hartlepool; Chris Turner.

Wycombe Wanderers

Easter joined Wycombe on January 31, 2006, from Stockport, signing a two-and-a-half year deal. Earlier in the month, Easter had turned down moves to Oxford United and failed to reach an agreement of terms with manager Gary Johnson when meeting with Bristol City. [cite news
title = Stockport striker Jermaine Easter has joined the Chairboys for an undisclosed fee| url = http://www.fansfc.com/wycombefootballclub/news.asp?newsid=149357| publisher = fansfc.com| date = 2006-01-31| accessdate = 2008-04-01]

Easter made 10 starting appearances and one substitute appearance for Wycombe in the remainder of the 2005-06 season. He managed only two goals, possibly being overshadowed by star striker Tommy Mooney.

The striker claimed his first league hat-trick in the 2006-07 season against Bury, on 19 August. It is the fastest league hat-trick scored by a Wycombe player, timed at 22 minutes, beating Nathan Tyson's 25 minute hat-trick against Lincoln City in 2004. As of 16 September 2006, Easter was the top scorer in the English Football League, with seven league goals.

He scored the only goal of the game for Wycombe Wanderers in their win over Charlton Athletic in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup. He also scored to help Wycombe to a 1st leg draw in the Carling Cup semi-finals in a momentus match for Wycombe against Chelsea. This meant that he had scored in every round so far and had ended Chelsea's run of clean sheets in the competition.

On January 22, 2007, Easter was subject of transfer speculation regarding a possible move to Premier League sides Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers [ [http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=443126&CPID=8&clid=112&lid=2&title=Prem+interest+in+Easter Prem Interest in Easter] ] , however, he remained at Wycombe, and was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Year for the 2006-07 season.cite news
title = Ronaldo secures PFA awards double
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6582201.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2007-04-22
accessdate = 2007-05-19]

Plymouth Argyle

In October 2007, Easter joined Plymouth Argyle on loan, with a view to a permament move.cite news| title = Striker Easter moves to Plymouth| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/7064676.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 2007-10-26| accessdate = 2007-10-26] He made his debut for the club on 28 October 2007, coming on as a substitute for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake in a 2-0 defeat to Preston North End. Easter scored his first goal for Plymouth after coming on as a substitute, in the 2-1 loss at home to West Brom, and made his first start three games later, at home to Bristol City.

On 4 January, 2008, Easter joined Plymouth Argyle permanently, for an estimated fee of £210,000.

In August 2008, Easter handed in a transfer request to Plymouth, citing "personal problems" as his reason for wanting to leave. [cite news
date=2008-08-23
url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_4038281,00.html
title=Easter wants Pilgrims exit
publisher=Sky Sports
accessdate=2008-08-23] . He has since asked to be taken off the transfer list again and decided to stay with Argyle

On 25 September 2008, Easter joined Millwall on a one-month loan. [cite news
title = Easter seals Millwall loan move| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/7635740.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 2008-09-25| accessdate = 2008-09-26] He made his debut for the club on 28 September, scoring a goal in a 2-1 win away to Swindon, a match in which he was also sent off. [cite news
title = Swindon 1-2 Millwall| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/7626740.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 2008-09-28| accessdate = 2008-09-28]

Wales

On January 26, 2007, Easter received his first call-up to the Welsh national team from manager John Toshack for the friendly against Northern Ireland, and made his debut as a substitute in the game on 6 February, 2007 [ [http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=446685&plid=10946&clid=508&cpid=219 Easter pleased with Wales bow] ] .On March 28th he made his first start for Wales against San Marino and was unlucky not to score a goal.

Personal

Jermaine has a brother, Jamal, who now plays for Welsh Premier side Carmarthen Town, following his release from Championship side Cardiff City.

References

External links

* [http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10364~12384,00.html Jermaine Easter player profile] at pafc.co.uk
* [http://www.wwfc.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10430~12384,00.html Jermaine Easter player profile] at wwfc.com
* [http://www.stockportcounty.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10419~12384,00.html Jermaine Easter player profile] at stockportcounty.com
* [http://www.cambridge-united.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10423~12384,00.html Jermaine Easter player profile] at cambridge-united.co.uk
* [http://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10326~12384,00.html Jermaine Easter player profile] at hartlepoolunited.co.uk
*soccerbase|id=24357|name=Jermaine Easter
* [http://www.footy-boots.com/jermaine-easter-football-boots/ Jermaine Easter at football boots]
* [http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2001537,00.html Guardian Scouting Report]