Connor Wickham: A Look at the Career of the Nomadic Striker
Connor Wickham, the 30-year-old striker, has left Cardiff after the conclusion of his short-term contract. He signed a deal with the Bluebirds until the end of the season on Valentine’s Day but made only 12 appearances and scored just one goal. Wickham departs the Welsh capital alongside Gavin Whyte, Tom Sang, and Dillon Phillips after not being offered a new deal.
Wickham’s Early Career
Wickham debuted in the EFL aged just 16 and 11 days as a highly-touted wonderkid at Ipswich Town. He went on to score 15 goals in 72 appearances for Town as a teenager, before sealing a move to Premier League Sunderland for a fee potentially rising to £12million in 2011. The forward’s precocious form as a youngster saw him become a regular for England at youth level, starring as the Three Lions won the 2010 Euro Under-17s Championship. Wickham bagged both goals in a 2-1 semi-final win over France, with Paul Pogba scoring for Les Bleus. He also netted the winning goal in the final against Spain.
Wickham’s Premier League Career
Wickham’s Premier League career was sadly blighted by injuries, and after 15 goals in 91 appearances for Sunderland, he departed the Stadium of Light for Crystal Palace in 2015 for an initial £9m. Wickham would manage only 50 appearances in six injury-ravaged years at Selhurst Park, scoring 11 times. Uneventful short-term spells with Preston and MK Dons followed, before he penned a six-month deal at League One minnows Forest Green last August.
Wickham’s Time at Forest Green
Despite his side’s awful form, Wickham managed nine goals in 20 appearances, including a sensational halfway line effort in the FA Cup. His form earned him a move to the Championship, with Cardiff signing him to help in their bid to stay in the second-tier.
Wickham’s Future
Wickham will now look for his tenth club in what has been a nomadic career. He has played for Ipswich Town, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Preston, MK Dons, Forest Green, and Cardiff. Wickham has been a regular for England’s youth sides up to Under-21 level, scoring six goals in 17 games for the U21s.
Conclusion
Connor Wickham’s career has been plagued by injuries, but he has still managed to score goals and make an impact at various clubs. His time at Forest Green was particularly impressive, and it earned him a move to the Championship with Cardiff. However, his short-term contract with the Bluebirds did not result in a new deal. Wickham will now look for his tenth club, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up next.