Liam Lawrence

Liam Lawrence in the jersey of Stoke City (2009)

Liam Lawrence ( born December 14, 1981 in Retford ( Nottinghamshire ), England ) is an Irish footballer who is currently active in Barnsley FC.

Club career

Liam Lawrence played for his boyhood club Mansfield Town between 1999 and 2004 in over 100 league games in the third and fourth English league. For the season 2004 /05 he moved to the then second division club Sunderland AFC. With the Black Cats he made right after his first season, the resurgence of the club in the Premier League. However, after a disappointing 20th place with only 15 points the following season Sunderland got off again. Lawrence was while still among the better players and was elected after Dean Whitehead as the second best player of the year on the team. In the 2006/07 season, the midfielder was initially awarded to Stoke City, who committed him firmly into the winter break this season. Quick took over Lawrence an important role in the team and was instrumental in the end of season 2007/ 08 on the first ascent of Stoke City in the Premier League involved. In addition, he was selected in the squad player of the year.

On 11 September 2010 he joined on loan to FC Portsmouth. On 1 January 2011 he moved to a fixed contract basis to Portsmouth and signed for 3 1/2 years.

Between 2012 and 2014 he played for the Greek first division club PAOK Salonika. In the 2012/13 season, he reached the second place in the table with his team.

On January 16, 2014 Lawrence signed a contract until the end of the season in the English second division side FC Barnsley.

National

Liam Lawrence was appointed for the first time in the Irish national football team on 16 February 2006. However, in a friendly against Sweden, he did not play. Only three years later he completed his international debut in another friendly against Nigeria. The 1-1 draw on 29 May 2009 he played with up to 81 minutes and was then replaced by Stephen Hunt.