Adam Boyd
Adam Mark Boyd (born on 25 May, 1982 in Hartlepool in the North East of England)[1] is an English footballer, currently playing for Leyton Orient in the English Football League One. Boyd plays as a striker and started off playing in school while attending Grange Primary School.
During his studies at Hartlepool Manor School of Technology he played for Hartlepool United (1999). He moved to Luton Town in 2006 for a fee of £500,000 and then joined Leyton Orient a year later in 2007 on a free transfer. He also had a short loan spell at Boston United in 2004.
[edit] Childhood and early career
Boyd attended Grange Primary School and was first spotted by the school’s headmaster and PE coach, Mr. Cross, who selected him to play for the under-11 football team, despite only being 7 years old.[2] While at Grange Primary School, Boyd rarely missed a game for his school. He then attended the Hartlepool Manor School of Technology and he was once again recognized as a football player by the school’s headmaster, Alan White, a teacher who had previously taught Steve Harper and Paul Kitson.[3] Boyd also played for 5 years with a Sunday League team called Hartlepool St. Francis, where he started off by playing in central defence and helped the team win several trophies in the Teesside Junior Alliance league. Boyd caught the eye of Middlesbrough who sent scouts to watch him and gave him a trial.[2] However, they decided against signing him for he joined Hartlepool United instead, which was his favourite team alongside Manchester United.[4] He had regularly watched Hartlepool United as a young lad with his Dad.[2]
[edit] Hartlepool United
[edit] Hartlepool Breakthrough
While at Hartlepool’s youth team he quickly impressed the coaching staff of Mick Smith and Billy Horner. Despite having been in the youth team only for a short amount of time, he was given a surprising last minute call up to the first team at only 16 years of age. Boyd eventually made his debut against Shrewsbury Town and was an immediate success after coming on a substitute and scoring a dramatic last minute goal from a tight angle in his debut game.[5] However, Boyd’s early promise quickly faded as the team relinquished him to the reserves and he struggled to make an impact.[5] From the 1999 season to 2003, Boyd had started a total of 25 first team matches and made 38 substitution appearances. Despite being on the field often, Boyd only managed to score 15 goals.
[edit] Under Neale Cooper and Onwards
Boyd’s lack of first team appearances prompted the newly appointed Hartlepool manager Neale Cooper to loan him to Boston United in order to gain match practice. During his time at Boston, Boyd won critical acclaim from Boston manager Neil Thompson and played a total of 14 matches scoring 4 goals before returning to Hartlepool.[6] Boyd returned 9 pounds overweight and looked set to leave Hartlepool United after angering Cooper. When asked about his weight gain, Boyd claimed that he had been eating more to build up his strength but when asked about gym work he said he had not started it yet.[7] Boston looked set to make permanent deal for Boyd and made an offer for the striker.[6] However, both teams failed to reach an agreement with Boston claiming that Hartlepool was asking far too much. It was rumoured that Hartlepool chairman, Ken Hodcroft, wanted a five figure sum and Boston was only prepared to pay a four figure amount of about £5,000.[2]
Boyd was a surprise inclusion in the team to face Stockport and came on as a substitute after 45 minutes. The next game away at Grimsby Town saw Boyd get his first start of the season for Pools and score two goals. Boyd kept his place in the team and continued to score for the remainder of the season and notched an impressive 12 goals in 10 starts.[2] Neale Cooper noticed a change in Boyd's attitude and commitment to the club and made Boyd Hartlepool's first choice striker.[8] Boyd was also rewarded for his end of season form by being named the Powerade League One Player of the Month and also received the Goalscorer of the Month award. A football league spokesman described Boyd as “finally delivering on his undoubted promise”.[9]
 Adam Boyd scoring what was to be the Hartlepool United Goal of the Season 2005 against Sheffield WednesdayThe following season Boyd became one of League 1's top goalscorers[10] and formed a strong partnership with fellow striker Joel Porter to help Hartlepool make the play-offs. He scored 29 goals in league matches and cup serie and became the club’s highest goalscorer since Joe Allon in 1991.[11] The peak of Boyd’s goals came against Sheffield Wednesday where Boyd received the ball outside the box and faked his way past two players before curving it over Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Paul Gallacher. This goal earned him two awards, Hartlepool United's Goal of the Season 2005 and the North East Goal of the Season 2005.[12][13] Boyd was also named Hartlepool United’s Players’ Player of the Year.[13] Boyd ended the season strongly and scored a brace in the first leg of the play-off semi final match against Tranmere Rovers. This helped to secure Hartlepool’s place in the play-off finals for the first time to forge a reputation for his goalscoring exploits, which has won him admirers such as Alan Shearer.[14] His team mates likened him to his childhood idol Dennis Bergkamp.[4][15] As Boyd was acclaimed, his value went up to £1 million and he attracted the attention of FA Premier League clubs such as Newcastle United, Liverpool, Middlesborough and Sunderland.[16] However, Boyd remained in Hartlepool's club for the start of the 2005-06 campaign. Boyd started the season by scoring 2 goals in 4 starts, but later picked up a long-term injury against Yeovil Town after bruising his bone. To make matters worse, Boyd’s injury treatment went badly as he contracted a blood infection, which resulted him being out for 5 months.[17] Former manager Mike Newell, then of Luton Town, sought to take advantage of the effect that his injury had had on his value and made Hartlepool two offers thought to be of approximately £500,000 that the club quickly rejected.[18] After finally returning to full training, Boyd struggled to overcome the effects of his injury and spent the majority of the time on the sidelines as the season drew to a close.
[edit] Luton Town
On 28 July 2006, Boyd signed a three-year contract with Luton Town after Hartlepool accepted a bid in the range of £500,000.[19] Before leaving, Boyd thanked Hartlepool’s coaches, managers and fans for helping him to develop and supporting him. He also thanked Chris Turner, Ken Hodcroft and Danny Wilson for allowing the transfer to happen so he could fulfil his ambitions.[20] On his debut for Luton Town, he played a part in setting up Carlos Edwards' goal against Leicester City to make the game 2-0. Boyd's first goal for Luton Town came in a League Cup match against Bristol Rovers - the game finished 1-1 with Luton winning 5-3 on penalities. It appeared that Boyd was way behind the rest of the team in terms of fitness and match sharpness.[21] However, Newell believed this was because Boyd has "had the best part of a year out of the game".[22] Boyd scored his first League goal for Luton against QPR in a match likely to be remembered for Mike Newell's post match comments about the female linesman.
However, Boyd showed few signs of adapting to Championship football, leaving many Hatters fans are frustrated with Boyd's lack of form after such a big money move for a club of Luton's financial situation. Boyd ended an unhappy spell with The Hatters by being released from his contract, after Town were relegated to League One.[23] Boyd spent one year at Luton Town, scoring only two goals in twenty-three first team games.
[edit] Leyton Orient
Boyd was signed by Leyton Orient on 24 July 2007 on a two-year deal, following his release from Luton.[23] Boyd scored on his debut, a pre-season friendly against West Ham United with a 25-yard (23 m) volleyed lob over Robert Green.[24] The match was testimonial to Orient manager Martin Ling, who signed Boyd on the same day as the match.[24]
He also scored a header against Spurs's Paul Robinson, in a pre-seaon friendly at Brisbane Road.
He scored the winner on his league debut for Orient against Southend United in a 2-1 win at Roots Hall.
[edit] Statistics
[edit] Personal life
Boyd has also become famous for his behaviour off the pitch after the ex-boyfriend of a woman he was in bed with caught them and assaulted him. Boyd was then forced to flee naked down a "posh estate" and suffered bruises and injuries to his feet.[7] Boyd refused to take any legal action against his attacker, claiming that he just wants to "forget about it".[26] Ironically, months before during Hartlepool’s pre-season tour in Holland, a streaker ran onto the pitch and danced in front of him.[4]
[edit] Honours
- Hartlepool United Player’s Player of the Year: 2005
- Hartlepool United Goal of the Season: 2005
- North East Goal of the Season: 2005
With Hartlepool United
- ^ "Adam Boyd", 4thegame. Retrieved on 2006-10-08.
- ^ a b c d e "Boyd shooting for the stars", The Northern Echo, 2004-05-15. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ Northern Echo, first published Saturday 15 May 2004
- ^ a b c Match Magazine August 24-30, page 29.
- ^ a b "Boyd happy to be backhome", The Northern Echo, 2005-09-03. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ a b "Boston seek Boyd deal", BBC, 2004-01-20. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ a b "Where are the touchline-snorters of yesteryear?", The Guardian, 2005-09-03. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ "Boyd is handed a lifeline", The Northern Echo, 2005-03-18. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ "Boyd takes awards double", Football.co.uk, 2005-09-29. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ ESPNsoccernet - English League One Top Scorers. ESPN (2005-05-31). Retrieved on 2006-09-28.
- ^ Hartlepool Statistics: Most Goals in a Season. In The Mad Crowd, Hartlepool Statistics Website. Retrieved on 2006-09-27.
- ^ "Downing and Boyd get awards", The Northern Echo, 2005-09-27. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ a b "Joel Porter takes club award", Hartlepool Rivals, 2005-05-11. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ "Shearer's a fan of star striker Boyd", The Northern Echo, 2005-05-28. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ "New-boy Betsy already causing ripples at Pool", The Northern Echo, 2004-08-21. Retrieved on 2006-09-27.
- ^ "Big guns eye Boyd", Football.co.uk, 2005-09-29. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ "Featured Player- Better All The Time", Hartlepool United Official Site, 2006-01-06. Retrieved on 2006-03-16.
- ^ "Boyd wanted by Luton boss Newell after bid is lodged", The Northern Echo, 2006-01-06. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ "Luton seal Boyd deal", Luton Town- Official Site, 2006-07-28. Retrieved on 2006-07-28.
- ^ "Thank You", Hartlepool United- Official Site, 2006-06-28. Retrieved on 2006-06-28.
- ^ "Newell unhappy with Boyd fitness", Yahoo News, 2006-08-23. Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
- ^ "Newell: Boyd yet to prove worth", Yahoo News, 2006-08-21. Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
- ^ a b "Orient sign Hatters striker Boyd", BBC Sport, 2007-07-24. Retrieved on 2007-07-24.
- ^ a b "Boyd Stunner Earns O's Draw In Ling Testimonial", Leyton Orient- Official Site, 2007-07-24. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
- ^ Includes Play-Off, Football League Trophy and FA Community Shield matches
- ^ "Jealous ex found girl with nude footballer", The Northern Echo, 2005-08-24. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.
- ^ Hartlepool United Official Site- Honours List. Last accessed on July 25 2006.
[edit] External links
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