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Ben Foster (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Anthony "Ben" Foster (born 3 April 1983) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for West Bromwich Albion
, on loan from Birmingham City
, and internationally for the England national team
.
, Warwickshire
, Foster started his football career at Racing Club Warwick
in 2000. He spent a season there before he joined Stoke City
on 25 April 2001. During his time at Stoke, Foster had loan spells at Bristol City
, Tiverton Town
, Stafford Rangers
, Kidderminster Harriers
and Wrexham
. Foster sustained a cruciate ligament
injury in June 2003 while playing tennis
with his brother, which sidelined him for a period of six months.
manager Alex Ferguson
, who was watching his son, Darren
, in the 2005 Football League Trophy
Final. United had been struggling for several years to replace former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel
, and Ferguson decided to move for the young Foster, making a bid of £1 million for the player. Stoke agreed a deal with United on 15 July 2005, and the transfer was completed on 19 July.
Not yet ready for first team action, Foster was sent on a season-long loan to Watford
on 1 August 2005, with the expectation of a second loan the season after. Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd claimed that "he's better than current Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar
" and believes that "he is going to be the best goalkeeper in the world." Manchester United manager Ferguson has suggested that Foster would succeed Van der Sar as first-choice keeper at United and should eventually replace Paul Robinson
as "England's next goalkeeper." Foster helped Watford reach the Premier League by beating Leeds United
3–0 in the Championship play-off final.
He re-signed for Watford on a second season-long loan on 10 August 2006 after Manchester United secured the services of Polish
goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak
on loan from West Bromwich Albion
. Foster's performances during Watford's Premier League campaign earnt him the club's "Player of the Season" award. Aidy Boothroyd expressed his desire to keep Foster at Watford for a third season on a number of occasions during the 2006–07 season, but his hopes were dashed in January 2007 when Alex Ferguson announced his intention to bring Foster back to Old Trafford
at the end of the season.
injury in his right knee, forcing him to miss the start of the 2007–08 season. He returned to light training towards the end of 2007, setting a February 2008 target for his return. He made a comeback in a reserves game against Middlesbrough
on 6 March 2008, before making his debut for the Manchester United first team on 15 March 2008. With Edwin van der Sar injured and Tomasz Kuszczak suspended for a red card against Portsmouth
in the FA Cup Sixth Round the previous Saturday, Alex Ferguson had to shelve plans to ship Foster out on loan again, and the young goalkeeper was promoted to the #1 jersey for the away match against Derby County
. United won the game 1–0, with Foster making two crucial saves en route to keeping a clean sheet. Although he was impressed with Foster's performance in the game against Derby, Ferguson did not start him for the following match against Bolton Wanderers
, opting for the returning Kuszczak.
After being selected as a substitute for Manchester United's opening game of the 2008–09 Champions League
against Villarreal
on 17 September 2008, Foster then played for the reserves against Blackburn Rovers
the following day. Unfortunately, during the game, he fell awkwardly and suffered a twisted ankle, putting him out of contention for six to eight weeks. Fortunately for Foster, his recovery time was quicker than was first estimated and he returned to reserve team action on 14 October 2008, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 win over Oldham Athletic reserves
. Foster then made his first Champions League
appearance – his second for the Manchester United first team – on 5 November 2008, in a 1–1 away draw to Celtic
.
Foster was originally selected in Manchester United's squad for the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup
, but after suffering a broken finger in training the day before the squad was due to depart for Japan, he was replaced by Ben Amos
. On 1 March 2009, Alex Ferguson named Foster in goal for the 2009 League Cup Final
at Wembley Stadium. After keeping a clean sheet in normal time, Foster then made a save from Tottenham's Jamie O'Hara in the consequent penalty shoot-out. This, combined with a miss from David Bentley
, gave United a 4–1 win in the shootout and the 2009 League Cup title. For his performance, Foster was given the Alan Hardaker
man of the match award. It was revealed after the match that Foster had used an iPod
to help with his preparations in the penalty shootout, prompting discussion about the use of technology in the game.
Foster was rewarded for his performance by being made United's second-choice goalkeeper for the remainder of the season, starting three more matches when Alex Ferguson chose to rest Edwin van der Sar ahead of important matches. However, he had been attempting to play with a ruptured ligament in his right thumb, which became aggravated, necessitating surgery which ruled him out of United's title run-in, the Champions League Final
against Barcelona
and England
's 2010 World Cup qualifiers
in June. Following speculation that United were in the market for a new goalkeeper to replace the soon-to-retire Edwin van der Sar, Foster signed a new four-year contract with the club. Alex Ferguson commented that Manchester United "genuinely see him [Foster] as a successor to Edwin van der Sar".
With Van der Sar injured for the first two months of the 2009–10 season, Foster was given the opportunity to nail down the number one shirt in the 2009 FA Community Shield
defeat to Chelsea
, where his mistakes led to two Chelsea goals and made no saves in the penalty shooutout. Foster continued to play in the League, starting with the opening day victory over Birmingham City
. In wins against Arsenal
and Manchester City
, Foster received heavy criticism for massive errors that led to opposition goals. Manager Alex Ferguson
stated that he believes in Foster's abilities and potential; however, eight days later, Foster was again criticised for a mistake which led to a Sunderland goal in a 2–2 draw, and left out of the England squad the next day with bruised ribs. However, following Robert Green
's red card in the match against Ukraine
and consequent suspension, Foster was given the all-clear by doctors and recalled to the England squad for the match against Belarus on 14 October. Foster played only two games for Manchester United after the Sunderland match; a League Cup win against Championship
side Barnsley
, and a Champions League
tie versus Beşiktaş
, with Manchester United's progress from the group already secured. He was displaced from the first team in Van der Sar's absence by Tomasz Kuszczak
, and on occasion, reserve goalkeeper Ben Amos
took Foster's place on the substitutes bench. Foster started his first game for three months against West Ham in February 2010, keeping a clean sheet in a 3–0 victory.
on 19 May 2010. The fee was not disclosed, though media speculation suggested an initial fee of £4 million, potentially rising to £6 million with add-ons. The club were seeking a replacement for Foster's fellow England international goalkeeper Joe Hart
, who had returned to Manchester City
after a successful 2009–10 season on loan at Birmingham. Foster made his Birmingham debut on the opening day of the 2010–11 season in a 2–2 draw away to Sunderland
. On his home debut the following week against Blackburn Rovers
, he saved a penalty from Morten Gamst Pedersen
as Birmingham won the match 2–1.
Criticised for an error in England's 2–1 defeat to France
, Foster produced a man-of-the-match performance on his return to League duty on 20 November as Birmingham beat reigning champions Chelsea
1–0. Though Chelsea had 32 shots at goal, Foster made a series of excellent saves, including one described by BBC Sport
as "staggering" to deny Didier Drogba
's "fierce close-range downward header". Foster made a "blunder" in the televised League Cup semi-final, allowing a soft shot from Carlton Cole
slip underneath him, which gave West Ham United a 2–1 lead after the first leg. However he made up for this with a display in the final
that earned him the Alan Hardaker Trophy for the second time in three years, as Birmingham defeated Arsenal 2–1 to claim their first major trophy in 48 years.
Despite Birmingham's City League Cup Final win, they were relegated to The Championship on the final day of the 2010-11 Premier League Season.
Because of his "series of inspirational performances", Foster was named Birmingham's Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season for 2010–11.
for the 2011–12 season.
squad, because of Robert Green
's injury in a "B" international against Belarus
. After Foster re-signed on loan for Watford, he was called up to Steve McClaren
's first England
squad as one of three goalkeepers for the friendly against Greece
. Since his first call-up but prior to his injury, Foster was named in every England squad, and made his England debut in the 1–0 defeat against Spain
on 7 February 2007.
After not playing for England for two years and never being called to the first team, he was finally selected by Fabio Capello
after his performance at the League Cup final and was a second half substitute against Slovakia in a 4–0 victory to earn his second cap.
Inconsistent performances in Manchester United's first fixtures of the 2009–10 season, as well as bruised ribs, meant that Foster was left out of Capello's initial squad for their final two World Cup qualifiers. However, after Robert Green was sent off in the match against Ukraine
on 10 October, Foster was recalled in his place for the following match against Belarus
. It had been expected that David James
would take Green's place in the starting line-up, but James was injured in the warm-up and Foster was given his third England cap instead. England won the match 3–0, with Foster making a one-handed save from Sergei Omelyanchuk
in the 63rd minute. Foster won his fourth cap against Brazil
, where he played the whole game in a 1–0 loss on 14 November 2009, the friendly game was played in Qatar
, with forward Nilmar
scoring the only goal of the game from a header in the 47th minute. He was overlooked for England's 2010 World Cup
squad, Joe Hart
being preferred for the third goalkeeping spot.
In May 2011, Foster announced that he would be making himself unavailable for international selection for an indefinite period. He intended to "prolong [his] club career for as long as possible" by allowing his body "a proper rest period between games" to reduce "niggling" injuries.
.
|2007||1||0
|-
|2008||0||0
|-
|2009||3||0
|-
|2010||1||0
|-
|2011||0||0
|-
!Total||5||0
|}
Statistics accurate as of match played 26 March 2011
Watford
Manchester United
Birmingham City
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, on loan from Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, and internationally for the England national team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Stoke City
Born in Leamington SpaLeamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, Foster started his football career at Racing Club Warwick
Racing Club Warwick F.C.
Racing Club Warwick Football Club is a football club based in Warwick, Warwickshire, England.-History:They were formed in 1919 under the name of Saltisford Rovers and played in various local leagues including the Warwick League, Leamington & District League and the Warwickshire Combination until 1967...
in 2000. He spent a season there before he joined Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
on 25 April 2001. During his time at Stoke, Foster had loan spells at Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
, Tiverton Town
Tiverton Town F.C.
Tiverton Town Football Club are an English football club based in Tiverton. The club are currently members of the Southern Football League South & West Division and play at Ladysmead.-History:...
, Stafford Rangers
Stafford Rangers F.C.
Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...
, Kidderminster Harriers
Kidderminster Harriers F.C.
Kidderminster Harriers F.C. are an English football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire formed in 1886 They currently play in the Conference National and have played at Aggborough Stadium since they were formed...
and Wrexham
Wrexham A.F.C.
Wrexham Football Club are a professional football team based in Wrexham, north-east Wales, who play in the English football pyramid.Founded in 1872, they are one of the oldest surviving football clubs in Britain and the oldest professional club in Wales...
. Foster sustained a cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
injury in June 2003 while playing tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
with his brother, which sidelined him for a period of six months.
Manchester United
While playing for Wrexham on loan from Stoke, Foster was spotted by Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
manager Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
, who was watching his son, Darren
Darren Ferguson
Darren Ferguson is a Scottish football manager and former player, currently in his second spell as the manager of Peterborough United...
, in the 2005 Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
Final. United had been struggling for several years to replace former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...
, and Ferguson decided to move for the young Foster, making a bid of £1 million for the player. Stoke agreed a deal with United on 15 July 2005, and the transfer was completed on 19 July.
Loan moves to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
on 1 August 2005, with the expectation of a second loan the season after. Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd claimed that "he's better than current Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar
Edwin van der Sar
Edwin van der Sar OON is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper for AFC Ajax, Juventus, Fulham and Manchester United. He is the most capped player in the Netherlands national football team's history...
" and believes that "he is going to be the best goalkeeper in the world." Manchester United manager Ferguson has suggested that Foster would succeed Van der Sar as first-choice keeper at United and should eventually replace Paul Robinson
Paul Robinson (goalkeeper)
Paul William Robinson is an English footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers as a goalkeeper in the Premier League. He had also been an England international and he earned 41 caps between 2003 and 2007 before his retirement from international football in August 2010.He joined Leeds United at 16...
as "England's next goalkeeper." Foster helped Watford reach the Premier League by beating Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
3–0 in the Championship play-off final.
He re-signed for Watford on a second season-long loan on 10 August 2006 after Manchester United secured the services of Polish
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak
Tomasz Kuszczak
Tomasz Mirosław Kuszczak is a Polish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for English club Manchester United and the Polish national team.Born in Krosno Odrzańskie, Kuszczak has previously played for Śląsk Wrocław in Poland, as well as for the German clubs KFC Uerdingen 05 and Hertha BSC, before...
on loan from West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
. Foster's performances during Watford's Premier League campaign earnt him the club's "Player of the Season" award. Aidy Boothroyd expressed his desire to keep Foster at Watford for a third season on a number of occasions during the 2006–07 season, but his hopes were dashed in January 2007 when Alex Ferguson announced his intention to bring Foster back to Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
at the end of the season.
Back to Manchester United
In June 2007, it was announced that Foster would undergo surgery on a cruciate ligamentAnterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
injury in his right knee, forcing him to miss the start of the 2007–08 season. He returned to light training towards the end of 2007, setting a February 2008 target for his return. He made a comeback in a reserves game against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 6 March 2008, before making his debut for the Manchester United first team on 15 March 2008. With Edwin van der Sar injured and Tomasz Kuszczak suspended for a red card against Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in the FA Cup Sixth Round the previous Saturday, Alex Ferguson had to shelve plans to ship Foster out on loan again, and the young goalkeeper was promoted to the #1 jersey for the away match against Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
. United won the game 1–0, with Foster making two crucial saves en route to keeping a clean sheet. Although he was impressed with Foster's performance in the game against Derby, Ferguson did not start him for the following match against Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, opting for the returning Kuszczak.
After being selected as a substitute for Manchester United's opening game of the 2008–09 Champions League
UEFA Champions League 2008–09
The 2008–09 UEFA Champions League was the 54th edition of Europe's premier club football tournament and the 17th edition under the current UEFA Champions League format. The final was played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 27 May 2009. It was the eighth time the European Cup final has been held in...
against Villarreal
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
on 17 September 2008, Foster then played for the reserves against Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
the following day. Unfortunately, during the game, he fell awkwardly and suffered a twisted ankle, putting him out of contention for six to eight weeks. Fortunately for Foster, his recovery time was quicker than was first estimated and he returned to reserve team action on 14 October 2008, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 win over Oldham Athletic reserves
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
. Foster then made his first Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
appearance – his second for the Manchester United first team – on 5 November 2008, in a 1–1 away draw to Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
.
Foster was originally selected in Manchester United's squad for the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup
2008 FIFA Club World Cup
-Play-off for Quarter-finals:-Quarter-finals:-----Semi-finals:-----Match for fifth place:-Match for third place:-Final:-Scorers:3 goals Wayne Rooney...
, but after suffering a broken finger in training the day before the squad was due to depart for Japan, he was replaced by Ben Amos
Ben Amos
Benjamin Paul "Ben" Amos is an English footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Manchester United. Born in Macclesfield, Cheshire, Amos began his career with Crewe Alexandra's youth academy, but joined Manchester United at the age of 11. He has spent time on loan at Peterborough United, Molde, and...
. On 1 March 2009, Alex Ferguson named Foster in goal for the 2009 League Cup Final
2009 Football League Cup Final
The 2009 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 Football League Cup, the 49th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League...
at Wembley Stadium. After keeping a clean sheet in normal time, Foster then made a save from Tottenham's Jamie O'Hara in the consequent penalty shoot-out. This, combined with a miss from David Bentley
David Bentley
David Michael Bentley is an English footballer who plays for West Ham United as a winger, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur....
, gave United a 4–1 win in the shootout and the 2009 League Cup title. For his performance, Foster was given the Alan Hardaker
Alan Hardaker
Alan Hardaker was an English football administrator for the Football League, a wartime Royal Navy officer, and previously an amateur footballer...
man of the match award. It was revealed after the match that Foster had used an iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
to help with his preparations in the penalty shootout, prompting discussion about the use of technology in the game.
Foster was rewarded for his performance by being made United's second-choice goalkeeper for the remainder of the season, starting three more matches when Alex Ferguson chose to rest Edwin van der Sar ahead of important matches. However, he had been attempting to play with a ruptured ligament in his right thumb, which became aggravated, necessitating surgery which ruled him out of United's title run-in, the Champions League Final
2009 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2009 UEFA Champions League Final was played on 27 May 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The match determined the winners of the 2008–09 season of the UEFA Champions League, a tournament for the top football clubs in Europe. The match was won by Barcelona of Spain, who beat England's...
against Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
's 2010 World Cup qualifiers
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 6
The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 6 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised Croatia, England, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra.The group was won by England, who qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup...
in June. Following speculation that United were in the market for a new goalkeeper to replace the soon-to-retire Edwin van der Sar, Foster signed a new four-year contract with the club. Alex Ferguson commented that Manchester United "genuinely see him [Foster] as a successor to Edwin van der Sar".
With Van der Sar injured for the first two months of the 2009–10 season, Foster was given the opportunity to nail down the number one shirt in the 2009 FA Community Shield
2009 FA Community Shield
The 2009 FA Community Shield was the 87th FA Community Shield, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions...
defeat to Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, where his mistakes led to two Chelsea goals and made no saves in the penalty shooutout. Foster continued to play in the League, starting with the opening day victory over Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. In wins against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, Foster received heavy criticism for massive errors that led to opposition goals. Manager Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
stated that he believes in Foster's abilities and potential; however, eight days later, Foster was again criticised for a mistake which led to a Sunderland goal in a 2–2 draw, and left out of the England squad the next day with bruised ribs. However, following Robert Green
Robert Green
Robert Paul Green is an English footballer who plays for West Ham United and the England national football team as a goalkeeper.-Norwich City:...
's red card in the match against Ukraine
Ukraine national football team
The Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
and consequent suspension, Foster was given the all-clear by doctors and recalled to the England squad for the match against Belarus on 14 October. Foster played only two games for Manchester United after the Sunderland match; a League Cup win against Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
, and a Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
tie versus Beşiktaş
Besiktas J.K.
Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
, with Manchester United's progress from the group already secured. He was displaced from the first team in Van der Sar's absence by Tomasz Kuszczak
Tomasz Kuszczak
Tomasz Mirosław Kuszczak is a Polish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for English club Manchester United and the Polish national team.Born in Krosno Odrzańskie, Kuszczak has previously played for Śląsk Wrocław in Poland, as well as for the German clubs KFC Uerdingen 05 and Hertha BSC, before...
, and on occasion, reserve goalkeeper Ben Amos
Ben Amos
Benjamin Paul "Ben" Amos is an English footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Manchester United. Born in Macclesfield, Cheshire, Amos began his career with Crewe Alexandra's youth academy, but joined Manchester United at the age of 11. He has spent time on loan at Peterborough United, Molde, and...
took Foster's place on the substitutes bench. Foster started his first game for three months against West Ham in February 2010, keeping a clean sheet in a 3–0 victory.
Birmingham City
After accepting that in order to play regularly he needed to leave Manchester, whether on loan or permanently, Foster signed a three-year contract with Premier League club Birmingham CityBirmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
on 19 May 2010. The fee was not disclosed, though media speculation suggested an initial fee of £4 million, potentially rising to £6 million with add-ons. The club were seeking a replacement for Foster's fellow England international goalkeeper Joe Hart
Joe Hart
Charles Joseph John "Joe" Hart is an English football goalkeeper who plays for Premier League club Manchester City and the England national football team and was previously a regular for the England under-21 team....
, who had returned to Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
after a successful 2009–10 season on loan at Birmingham. Foster made his Birmingham debut on the opening day of the 2010–11 season in a 2–2 draw away to Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
. On his home debut the following week against Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, he saved a penalty from Morten Gamst Pedersen
Morten Gamst Pedersen
Morten Gamst Pedersen is a Norwegian footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers and the Norway national football team.-Tromsø IL:...
as Birmingham won the match 2–1.
Criticised for an error in England's 2–1 defeat to France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
, Foster produced a man-of-the-match performance on his return to League duty on 20 November as Birmingham beat reigning champions Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
1–0. Though Chelsea had 32 shots at goal, Foster made a series of excellent saves, including one described by BBC Sport
BBC Sport
BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC. It became a fully dedicated division of the BBC in 2000. It incorporates programmes such as Match of the Day, Grandstand , Test Match Special, Ski Sunday, Rugby Special and coverage of Formula One motor racing, MotoGP and the Wimbledon Tennis...
as "staggering" to deny Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba
Didier Yves Drogba Tébily is an Ivorian footballer who plays in the centre forward position. He currently plays for Chelsea in the Premier League, where he is deputy vice-captain, and is the captain and all-time top scorer of the Côte d'Ivoire national football team...
's "fierce close-range downward header". Foster made a "blunder" in the televised League Cup semi-final, allowing a soft shot from Carlton Cole
Carlton Cole
Carlton Michael Cole Okirie is an English footballer who plays as a striker for West Ham United in the Npower Championship....
slip underneath him, which gave West Ham United a 2–1 lead after the first leg. However he made up for this with a display in the final
2011 Football League Cup Final
The 2011 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2010–11 Football League Cup, the 51st season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and the Football League. The match was contested by Arsenal and Birmingham City, at Wembley Stadium in...
that earned him the Alan Hardaker Trophy for the second time in three years, as Birmingham defeated Arsenal 2–1 to claim their first major trophy in 48 years.
Despite Birmingham's City League Cup Final win, they were relegated to The Championship on the final day of the 2010-11 Premier League Season.
Because of his "series of inspirational performances", Foster was named Birmingham's Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season for 2010–11.
West Bromwich Albion (loan)
Foster joined Premier League club West Bromwich Albion on loan on 29 July 2011, changing places with Albion goalkeeper Boaz MyhillBoaz Myhill
Glyn Oliver Myhill , more commonly known as Boaz Myhill , is a footballer who plays for Birmingham City, on loan from West Bromwich Albion, and the Wales national team as a goalkeeper.-Early life:...
for the 2011–12 season.
International career
On 26 May 2006, Foster was named on the stand-by list for England's 2006 World Cup2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
squad, because of Robert Green
Robert Green
Robert Paul Green is an English footballer who plays for West Ham United and the England national football team as a goalkeeper.-Norwich City:...
's injury in a "B" international against Belarus
Belarus national football team
The Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...
. After Foster re-signed on loan for Watford, he was called up to Steve McClaren
Steve McClaren
Stephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
's first England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
squad as one of three goalkeepers for the friendly against Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
. Since his first call-up but prior to his injury, Foster was named in every England squad, and made his England debut in the 1–0 defeat against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
on 7 February 2007.
After not playing for England for two years and never being called to the first team, he was finally selected by Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
after his performance at the League Cup final and was a second half substitute against Slovakia in a 4–0 victory to earn his second cap.
Inconsistent performances in Manchester United's first fixtures of the 2009–10 season, as well as bruised ribs, meant that Foster was left out of Capello's initial squad for their final two World Cup qualifiers. However, after Robert Green was sent off in the match against Ukraine
Ukraine national football team
The Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
on 10 October, Foster was recalled in his place for the following match against Belarus
Belarus national football team
The Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...
. It had been expected that David James
David James (footballer)
David Benjamin James is an English footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Bristol City.On 14 February 2009, he achieved the all-time Premier League appearance record with 536 appearances, overtaking Gary Speed. He held this record until being overtaken by Ryan Giggs on the 14th May 2011...
would take Green's place in the starting line-up, but James was injured in the warm-up and Foster was given his third England cap instead. England won the match 3–0, with Foster making a one-handed save from Sergei Omelyanchuk
Sergei Omelyanchuk
Syarhey Pyatrovich Amelyanchuk is a football player from Belarus who currently plays for FC Terek Grozny in the Russian Premier League and the Belarus national football team.-International career:...
in the 63rd minute. Foster won his fourth cap against Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
, where he played the whole game in a 1–0 loss on 14 November 2009, the friendly game was played in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, with forward Nilmar
Nilmar
Nilmar Honorato da Silva , commonly known as Nilmar, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as a striker for Villarreal CF and the Brazilian national team.-Internacional:...
scoring the only goal of the game from a header in the 47th minute. He was overlooked for England's 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
squad, Joe Hart
Joe Hart
Charles Joseph John "Joe" Hart is an English football goalkeeper who plays for Premier League club Manchester City and the England national football team and was previously a regular for the England under-21 team....
being preferred for the third goalkeeping spot.
In May 2011, Foster announced that he would be making himself unavailable for international selection for an indefinite period. He intended to "prolong [his] club career for as long as possible" by allowing his body "a proper rest period between games" to reduce "niggling" injuries.
Club
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Europe | Other | Total | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||||||||
| Racing Club Warwick Racing Club Warwick F.C. Racing Club Warwick Football Club is a football club based in Warwick, Warwickshire, England.-History:They were formed in 1919 under the name of Saltisford Rovers and played in various local leagues including the Warwick League, Leamington & District League and the Warwickshire Combination until 1967... |
2000–01 | – | – | – | ||||||||||||||||
| Stoke City Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts... |
2001–02 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| 2002–03 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2003–04 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2004–05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Total | |– | |||||||||||||||||||
| Bristol City Bristol City F.C. Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City... (loan) |
2002–03 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| Tiverton Town Tiverton Town F.C. Tiverton Town Football Club are an English football club based in Tiverton. The club are currently members of the Southern Football League South & West Division and play at Ladysmead.-History:... (loan) |
2003–04 2003–04 Southern Football League The 2003-04 season was the 100th in the history of the Southern League. The season began on 16 August 2003 and ended on 8 May 2004 with the play-off finals.At the end of the season the National League System was reorganised... |
16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 16 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Stafford Rangers Stafford Rangers F.C. Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts... (loan) |
2003–04 2003–04 Southern Football League The 2003-04 season was the 100th in the history of the Southern League. The season began on 16 August 2003 and ended on 8 May 2004 with the play-off finals.At the end of the season the National League System was reorganised... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Kidderminster Harriers Kidderminster Harriers F.C. Kidderminster Harriers F.C. are an English football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire formed in 1886 They currently play in the Conference National and have played at Aggborough Stadium since they were formed... (loan) |
2004–05 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Wrexham (loan) | 2004–05 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | 0 | 21 | 0 | ||||||||
| Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
2005–06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| 2006–07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| 2007–08 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||
| 2008–09 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||||||||
| 2009–10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||||||||
| Total | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||||||||
| Watford Watford F.C. Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade... (loan) |
2005–06 | 44 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 | 0 | 48 | 0 | ||||||||
| 2006–07 | 29 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 33 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Total | 73 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Birmingham City Birmingham City F.C. Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the... | 2010–11 2010–11 Premier League The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011... |
38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 43 | 0 | ||
| Total | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |– | 43 | 0 | |||||||||||
| West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion F.C. West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands... (loan) |
2011–12 2011–12 Premier League The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012... |
10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 0 | |||||||||
| Career total | 170 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 198 | 0 | ||||||||
.
International
|-|2007||1||0
|-
|2008||0||0
|-
|2009||3||0
|-
|2010||1||0
|-
|2011||0||0
|-
!Total||5||0
|}
Statistics accurate as of match played 26 March 2011
Club
Wrexham- Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
(1): 2004–05
Watford
- Football League Championship play-offsFootball League Championship play-offsThe Football League Championship play-offs are a series of playoff matches contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the Football League Championship table. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 6th playing 3rd and 5th playing 4th, with the return fixtures following...
(1) : 2005–06
Manchester United
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
(2): 2008–092009 Football League Cup FinalThe 2009 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 Football League Cup, the 49th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League...
, 2009–102010 Football League Cup FinalThe 2010 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2009–10 Football League Cup, the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League. The match, played at Wembley Stadium on 28 February 2010, was won by...
Birmingham City
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
(1): 2010–112011 Football League Cup FinalThe 2011 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2010–11 Football League Cup, the 51st season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and the Football League. The match was contested by Arsenal and Birmingham City, at Wembley Stadium in...
Individual
- Watford Player of the Season (1): 2006–07
- Alan Hardaker TrophyAlan HardakerAlan Hardaker was an English football administrator for the Football League, a wartime Royal Navy officer, and previously an amateur footballer...
(2): 20092009 Football League Cup FinalThe 2009 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 Football League Cup, the 49th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League...
, 20112011 Football League Cup FinalThe 2011 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2010–11 Football League Cup, the 51st season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and the Football League. The match was contested by Arsenal and Birmingham City, at Wembley Stadium in... - Birmingham City Player of the Season (1): 2010–112010–11 Birmingham City F.C. seasonThe 2010–11 season was Birmingham City Football Clubs seventh season in the Premier League and their 57th in the top tier of English football. It ran from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011. Led by Scotland national team manager Alex McLeish, the team finished in 18th place in the League, so were...
- Birmingham City Players' Player of the Season (1): 2010–11
External links
- Profile at StretfordEnd.co.uk