Chris “Me Mum” BirchallSeason | Position | Division | Team | Picks | Min | Starts | FG | P | W | D | L | Goals | Assists | CS | YC | RC |
2005-2006 | M | E3 | PortVale | 34/35 | 2278 | 24 | 17 | 34 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
2006-2007 | M | E2 | Coventry | 42/49 | 1506 | 18 | 14 | 29 | 9 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
2007-2008 | M | E2/S1 | Coventry/St.Mirren | 15/37 | 606 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
2008-2009 | M | E2/E3 | Coventry/Carlisle/Brighton | 15/47 | 651 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Not in the manager’s plans at Coventry, Birchall still managed to return to the national team set up after his involuntary hiatus. After an uneventful loan spell to League One’s Carlisle in December, he would be transferred to another league one club, Brighton and Hove Albion on a six month contract. Although initially in Brighton’s good books, reported interest by the MLS’ LA Galaxy threw a spanner in the works, and Chris would be relegated to the second team for the remainder of the season. He has since agreed terms with the LA Galaxy and will be an official Galaxy player when the MLS transfer window opens on the 15th of July.
Stern JohnSeason | Position | Division | Team | Picks | Min | Starts | FG | P | W | D | L | Goals | Assists | CS | YC | RC |
2005-2006 | F | E2 | Coventry/Derby | 35/46 | 2501 | 29 | 12 | 37 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
2006-2007 | F | E2 | Coventry/Sunderland | 42/44 | 2766 | 32 | 17 | 41 | 18 | 6 | 17 | 10 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 0 |
2007-2008 | F | E1/E2 | Sunlun/South | 47/50 | 3170 | 36 | 20 | 43 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
2008-2009 | F | E2 | Southampton/BristolCity | 39/43 | 1603 | 17 | 5 | 34 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
By any standards, including his particularly high personal one, Stern John had a poor season. After scoring twice in two games against Bermuda to take the Soca Warriors through, he returned to a Southampton side almost unrecognisable from its previous season’s incarnation. He never really fit into the new young side with its new Dutch coach and philosophy, and only scored one Carling Cup goal in nine games.
He was later loaned out at the end of October to Championship rivals Bristol City, as the financially struggling Saints could not afford to keep him on their books. He started brightly enough with his first goal coming in his third match, and a second 5 games later, in two losses to Reading and Ipswich, but by the New Year, it was clear that he was not performing as expected.
It was hoped that the arrival of his former Coventry City strike partner Dele Adebola in the January transfer window would allow Bristol City to recreate the awesome tandem that they had built within the Sky Blues, but more often than not they would not start together and Stern ended up coming on as a sub for a younger striker. By April, he was no longer even playing, and he has since been released by his parent club, Southampton, now flirting with administration, although he is still training with them pending finalisation of a deal with a new club.
An ill advised decision to take (and atrociously miss) a penalty kick in Trinidad and Tobago’s first final round World Cup qualifier against El Salvador in February has endeared him even less to the usually difficult Soca Warrior fans.
He will need to start the new season on a flyer – and hopefully against El Salvador - if he is to redeem himself and regain his volatile confidence levels.
Colin SamuelSeason | Position | Division | Team | Picks | Min | Starts | FG | P | W | D | L | Goals | Assists | CS | YC | RC |
2005-2006 | F | S1 | DundeeUtd | 39/40 | 2447 | 26 | 19 | 38 | 5 | 12 | 21 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
2006-2007 | F | S1 | DundeeUtd | 41/42 | 2618 | 32 | 17 | 37 | 13 | 11 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
2007-2008 | F | US1 | TorontoFC | 19/20 | 1603 | 19 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
2008-2009 | M | S2 | St.Johnstone | 30/32 | 1737 | 19 | 9 | 29 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
Colin signed his return to Scotland with a bang, scoring a goal in the season opener versus Ross County after coming on after an early injury. 5 games later in September, he was at it again banging in two against the same team to reverse the 1-2 scoreline of July and spark his team on a 21 game unbeaten streak in the league. Barring injuries, he would make regular appearances for the Saints, sometimes as a starter, sometimes from the bench. Two months later in November he popped up again to score against Ross County one minute after coming on as a late substitute. The fourth tie against Ross in January was postponed because of frozen weather until February, when surprisingly Colin would not score despite playing the entire game. Ironically though, he scored in his very next game on Valentine’s day against Livingston, two minutes after entering. He would miss three games through a niggling injury thereafter, but sparked his return with a brace against Airdrie and would start every game until the end of the season, with the exception of the last one when promotion was already gained.
In June, Colin returned to the national team, signing his return with a goal in a World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica. Hopefully, next year, Samuel will be signing his return to the SPL.
Jason “Rocket” ScotlandSeason | Position | Division | Team | Picks | Min | Starts | FG | P | W | D | L | Goals | Assists | CS | YC | RC |
2005-2006 | F | S2 | St.Johnstone | 35/35 | 2904 | 35 | 23 | 35 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
2006-2007 | F | S2 | St.Johnstone | 46/48 | 3795 | 45 | 27 | 46 | 25 | 9 | 12 | 26 | 0 | 15 | 4 | 1 |
2007-2008 | F | E3 | Swansea | 56/59 | 2827 | 48 | 28 | 54 | 31 | 12 | 11 | 29 | 6 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
2008-2009 | F | E2 | Swansea | 47/48 | 3471 | 40 | 24 | 49 | 20 | 18 | 11 | 23 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
Coming off stomach surgery during the summer, Scotland’s lack of pre season training showed and he hardly seemed the same player in the first few months of the season. After only netting once in 10 matches and 8 starts, he was rested by Roberto Martinez for one match. If this move was intended to hurt Jason’s pride, it had the desired effect as he scored a brace against Wolverhampton the very next game. In the first half of November, Scotty scored two in three starts.
From December however, the real Scotty emerged, scoring 15 goals in 20 league games, setting up four others, and generally creating havoc in opposing defences. In three FA Cup matches against Premiership opposition Fulham and Portsmouth, he scored three times and set up a fourth goal.
Although his performances were not enough to grab a play off spot for his team – reputed for playing the most attractive football in the league but a bit naive defensively – it did grab him a Championship Team of the Year place, as well as heavy interest from Fulham, and Wigan, now coached by Roberto Martinez.
Soca Warriors fans are anxiously awaiting a replication of his club form at national team level.