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Sam Vokes

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Sam Vokes
Personal information
Full name Samuel Michael Vokes
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Sheffield United
(on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Number 19
Youth career
2005–2006 Bournemouth
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 Bournemouth 54 (16)
2008– Wolverhampton Wanderers 41 (6)
2009Leeds United (loan) 8 (1)
2010–2011Bristol City (loan) 1 (0)
2011Sheffield United (loan) 6 (1)
International career
2007– Wales U21 14 (4)
2008– Wales 16 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 08:49, 20 March 2011 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:56, 15 February 2011 (UTC)

Samuel Michael "Sam" Vokes is an English-born Welsh International footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers. He is currently on loan at Championship side Sheffield United.

Vokes began his professional career at then-struggling Bournemouth, making his debut in 2006. His form there earned a move to Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he helped them win promotion to the Premier League in his first season.

He has become an established member of the Welsh national team, who he has also represented at under-21 level. Although born in England, Vokes is eligible to represent Wales through a Welsh-born grandfather.[1]

Club career

Early career

Born in Southampton and raised in Lymington,[2] Vokes stepped up into Bournemouth's first team on 5 December 2006 in a 2–0 victory over Nottingham Forest. His first senior goal came in a 1–1 draw at Gillingham on 16 December. This form saw the club give him a three-and-a-half year professional contract during the following month.[3]

The striker remained at Bournemouth during the 2007–08 season, despite being linked to several other clubs, including Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Everton and Celtic.[4] The youngster was a bright spark in an otherwise tumultuous season for the Cherries as they were embroiled in a club ownership saga. His 12 goal tally could not prevent Bournemouth from being relegated to League Two.[5]

Wolves

He eventually signed a four-year contract with Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers on 23 May 2008.[6] Vokes marked his debut for the club by coming off the bench to equalise in a 2–2 draw at Plymouth Argyle on the opening day of the 2008–09 season.[7]

With the goalscoring form of Chris Iwelumo and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake firing the club to the top of the table – that they led for almost the entire season – Vokes was mostly only employed as a substitute. Nonetheless he contributed a number of vital goals to help the team win promotion to the Premier League as champions.

To gain playing time, Vokes moved to League One side Leeds United in October 2009 on loan until the New Year,[8] making his Leeds debut in a 2–1 victory over Norwich City on 19 October. He scored once for the club against Bristol Rovers[9] but competition between Leeds strikers meant Vokes returned to Wolves when the deal ended.

Vokes went out on loan once more in August 2010 when he moved to Championship side Bristol City.[10] He endured a miserable stay, tearing his hamstring within minutes of making his debut in a game against Millwall and re-aggravating the injury in a reserve match in December.[11] He returned to Wolves when his loan expired in January having played just 13 minutes of first team football.

Once again fit, he moved on a month-long loan to another Championship side, Sheffield United, in February 2011[12] and made his début the same evening in a 1-1 draw with Reading.

He is contracted to the Molineux club until Summer 2013.[13]

International career

Although born in England, Vokes is eligible to represent Wales through a Welsh-born grandfather.[1] Upon discovering Vokes' eligibility, Wales U21 coach Brian Flynn called him up to the Welsh under-21 team, and he made his debut against Northern Ireland U21 on 6 February 2007. The seventeen-year-old made an instant impression by scoring after 36 seconds, a team record, in a 4–0 victory.[2] He remained in the team and featured in their European U-21 Championship qualifying campaign.

He was soon called-up to the senior squad and made his debut in a 1–0 friendly win in Iceland on 28 May 2008. Vokes scored his first senior international goal when he netted the winner in a 1–0 win over Azerbaijan in their opening 2010 World Cup qualifier on 6 September 2008; his second international goal arrived in a friendly against Montenegro on 12 August 2009.

International goals

Wales' goal tally first

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 6 September 2008 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales  Azerbaijan 1 – 0 1 – 0 2010 World Cup qualifying
2. 12 August 2009 Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro  Montenegro 1 – 2 1 – 2 Friendly

Honours

Wolverhampton Wanderers

References

  1. ^ a b "Vokes looking forward to an England test". Bournemouth Echo. 15 May 2008.
  2. ^ a b "Sam impresses all with superb debut". Dorset Echo. 7 February 2007.
  3. ^ "Vokes hailed after earning deal". BBC Sport. 22 January 2007.
  4. ^ "Vokes unfazed by big club scouts". BBC Sport. 24 March 2008.
  5. ^ "Mum's the word for Vokes". Bournemouth Daily Echo. 3 March 2008.
  6. ^ "Vokes joins Wolves from Cherries". BBC Sport. 23 May 2008.
  7. ^ "Plymouth 2–2 Wolves". BBC Sport. 9 August 2008.
  8. ^ "Leeds sign Wolves' Vokes on loan". BBC Sport. 19 October 2009.
  9. ^ "Bristol Rovers 0–4 Leeds United". BBC Sport. 27 October 2009.
  10. ^ "Bristol City sign Wolves striker Sam Vokes on loan". BBC Sport. 5 August 2010.
  11. ^ "Vokes suffers new setback". Bristol City. 15 December 2010.
  12. ^ "Bjorn Helge Riise and Sam Vokes loaned to Blades". BBC Sport. 15 February 2011.
  13. ^ "Wolves striker Sam Vokes signs three-year contract". BBC Sport. 19 May 2010.


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