Paul Wilkinson (footballer)
Paul Wilkinson in August 2010.
Paul Wilkinson ( born October 30, 1964 in Louth ) is a former English footballer. The athletic and aerially strong striker won in 1987 with Everton, the English championship but had only at clubs such as Watford FC and Middlesbrough FC its enduring success as a striker.
Sports career
Grimsby Town (1982-1985)
His first experience in organized football club made Wilkinson in the central eastern English port of Grimsby, about 25 kilometers from his birthplace in County Louth Lincolnshire. While still a student he coached from February 1980 at the junior level of Grimsby Town and after receiving a training contract in July 1981, he was promoted to the 1982/83 season in the professional squad. On January 25, 1983, he was against the domestic Blundell Park his league debut and the young striker scored in the 1-1 draw directly against Charlton Athletic scored his first goal for the second division. Wilkinson is captured at the side of his strike partner Kevin Drinkell in the following season 1983/84 as a starting place and also Drinkell he was in the then following 1984/85 season with 14 championship hit top scorer of his team; to four goals were succeeded him in the cup competitions. These gates Cup and the surprising 1-0 winning goal in the League Cup against first division side FC Everton had scored, which was ultimately mitausschlaggebend that Everton lured him in late March 1985 following Merseyside.
Everton, Nottingham & Watford (1985-1991)
The transfer fee of £ 250,000 could be coach Howard Kendall cost for the new data from Grimsby and five days after his debut for the English U- 21 team, he came off the bench on March 30, 1985 against FC Southampton for the first time for the " Toffees ". In the remaining games of the championship season in 1984/85, however, Wilkinson received only probation rare opportunities and a total of five league appearances were too little for the official receipt of the same coin. On his " destiny " also changed in the subsequent year as it really was the storm preferred Graeme Sharp and Gary Lineker as not to crowd into the situation. As Lineker then left the club for season 1986/87 in the direction of FC Barcelona, he was offered the hoped-for opportunity, but the yield of just three goals in 22 league games were not sufficient, and so he spent 200,000 pounds to league rivals Nottingham Forest. In the remaining matches Everton again won the English league title and also Wilkinson had now "qualified" because of its large contribution to the medal.
On the sporting breakthrough in the top division Wilkinson waited in vain but also in Nottingham and in not even one and a half years, he scored in 34 league games only five goals. As then with Steve Harrison of the coach of the second division FC Watford filed interest and give it a perspective in a team that should compete for the ascent revealed, this did not hesitate and joined in August 1988 in the north of London by the city. In the following three years, this goal was indeed unreachable and after a narrowly in the playoffs against Blackburn Rovers missed rise in 1989, the team was ranked mostly in the lower middle, but Wilkinson himself developed into a reliable scorer, for three consecutive years in each case the most hits for the " Hornets " achieved. At his side stormed players like Dave Bamber, Garry Thompson, Dean Holdsworth and Iwan Roberts, but especially with Gary Penrice it suit well. In the summer of 1991 it finally pulled him for 550,000 pounds in the second division for Middlesbrough FC.
Middlesbrough FC (1991-1996)
In " Boro " Wilkinson was immediately regulars, acted in all 59 official matches of the 1991/92 season, not a single time has been changed and scored 24 goals. The two sporting highlights were the one hand, reaching the semi-finals in the League Cup, which went only narrowly lost in extra time against Manchester United, and the runner-up promotion to the newly created Premier League. He had with his goal to make it 2-1 final score against Wolverhampton Wanderers on the final day contributed significantly to the second rank. For the first time in his playing career, he was now " set " in a Erstligamannschaft as a center forward, but also his 14 league goals did not prevent it went to Middlesbrough FC as Penultimate on a direct path back to the second division. There Wilkinson took a fresh start and in the 1993/94 season he scored another 15 league goals. However, Boro narrowly missed the play-off places, but in the following year succeeded on the second division championship to return to the Premier League. This Wilkinson had early in the season still had specifically a large share before injuries and increasing competition ensured that his regular place was under pressure. As he often does not come in Middlesbrough used and he also recovered from a knee injury, the club loaned him in the 1995/96 season from three times. He helped to speak at the second division Oldham Athletic (from late October 1995), former club Watford FC ( early December 1995) and most recently Luton Town (from the end of March 1996), without, however, with the exception of two Goals in official matches for Oldham made a lasting impression to leave.
The last professional years (1996-2000)
Transfer fee free moving Wilkinson then in July 1996 to the also playing in the second division FC Barnsley and together with his former Boro strike partner John Hendrie, he went so successful hunting for goals that he once again became a crucial factor in a promotion battle and his new employer the first participation in the English top flight in its history enabled. Not only are his qualities were needed as "push forward "; with his willingness to help out in the defensive, he had made a good name. In the Premier League, he then had to make the signings space and in September 1997 it went for him for 150,000 pounds to the third division Millwall FC. In his short time there, he played alongside players such as Paul Shaw and Kim Grant before the League rival Northampton Town secured his services in the summer of 1998. Due to a broken jaw, his debut was delayed there until end of September 1998 and a further ankle injury in December, which required surgery, Wilkinson was only late for his last professional applications in the 1998/99 season. Without being once again in the season 1999/2000 come into play, Wilkinson's active career ended in June 2000.
He then moved into coaching subject in which he henceforth mostly reserve or youth teams of professional clubs began to provide support. After this regard first experience at Leeds United and Grimsby Town he took over in 2003, the second team of Cardiff City.
Title / Awards
- English Championship ( 1): 1987
- Charity Shield ( 1): 1986