Joseph "Joe" Widdowson is an English footballer who plays for League One

Football League One

Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....

 club Rochdale

Rochdale A.F.C.

Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...

. His primary position is as a left-sided defender.

West Ham United

Widdowson began his career as a trainee at West Ham United

West Ham United F.C.

West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...

 in July 2007. He joined Football League Two

Football League Two

Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....

 side Rotherham United

Rotherham United F.C.

Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...

 in February 2008 on a one-month loan, where he made three league appearances. He made his non-competitive debut for West Ham on 17 July 2008 against Hampton & Richmond Borough

Hampton & Richmond Borough F.C.

Hampton & Richmond Borough F.C. are an English football club based in the suburb of Hampton, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. They were founded in 1921 and formerly known as Hampton F.C. until 1999 when they changed their name in an attempt to draw a wider support base from around the...

  completing 90 minutes in a 2–4 victory. This match was then followed with a full 90 minutes on 24 July 2008 in the MLS All-Stars game

Major League Soccer All-Star Game

The MLS All-Star Game is an annual soccer game held by Major League Soccer featuring selected players from the league against various competitors...

 in Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

 in which Widdowson was handed the difficult task of marking 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...

 legend David Beckham

David Beckham

David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...

. Widdowson impressed many spectators during the game with the way he handled the task set in such a controlled manner, and ended the game swapping shirts with the Los Angeles Galaxy

Los Angeles Galaxy

The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...

 star.

Grimsby Town

On 2 January 2009 Widdowson joined Grimsby Town on an initial one month loan. Widdowson made his debut for Grimsby on 17 January 2009 in a 1-0 away victory against Wycombe Wanderers

Wycombe Wanderers F.C.

Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...

. He scored his first league goal, against Rotherham United

Rotherham United F.C.

Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...

, in a 3-0 home win for the Mariners on 24 January 2009. The goal was good enough to win 2nd place in the club's goal of the season awards. Grimsby manager Mike Newell

Mike Newell (footballer)

Michael Colin "Mike" Newell is an English football manager and former professional footballer. As a player he notably was a member of the Blackburn Rovers team which won the Premier League in 1995, as well also playing for Crewe Alexandra, Wigan Athletic, Luton Town, Leicester City, Everton,...

 managed to extend Widdowson's loan until the end of the season, and he remained as the club's first choice left back, despite regular starter Tom Newey

Tom Newey

Thomas William "Tom" Newey is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Football League Two side Rotherham United...

 returning from injury. Newey was then loaned out to Rochdale

Rochdale A.F.C.

Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...

, and Widdowson became an integral part of the Grimsby side that managed too stave off relegation from the Football League. He was given his first red card for the club on 25 April 2009 after being controversially dismissed in the 87th minute of play for a second bookable offence in the clubs relegation crunch tie with Bournemouth

A.F.C. Bournemouth

A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....

. On 18 May 2009, the Mariners announced Widdowson had signed a three-year contract with the club.

Rochdale

On 22 June 2010 Widdowson signed for Rochdale

Rochdale A.F.C.

Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...

 ahead of the clubs' first campaign in League One.

Career statistics

{| border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="2" style="background:ivory; font-size:95%; border:1px #aaa solid; border-collapse:collapse; clear:center;"
|+ Club performance
|-

!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!rowspan="2"|League
!colspan="2"|League

The Football League

The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...

!colspan="2"|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...

!colspan="2"|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...

!colspan="2"|FL 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...

!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:top;"|West Ham United

West Ham United F.C.

West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...

|2007–08

2007-08 in English football

The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...

|Premier League

FA Premier League

The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...

| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|-
|2008–09
|Premier League
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|-
| style="text-align:center; vertical-align:top;"|Rotherham United

Rotherham United F.C.

Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...

 (loan)
|2007–08

2007-08 in English football

The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...

|League Two

Football League Two

Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....

| style="text-align:center;"|3
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|3
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|-
| style="text-align:center; vertical-align:top;"|Grimsby Town

Grimsby Town F.C.

Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...

 (loan)
|2008–09
|League Two

Football League Two

Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....

| style="text-align:center;"|20
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|20
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
| style="text-align:center; vertical-align:top;"|Grimsby Town

Grimsby Town F.C.

Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...

|2009–10
|League Two

Football League Two

Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....

| style="text-align:center;"|17
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|20
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|-
| style="text-align:center; vertical-align:top;"|Rochdale
|2010–11
|League One

Football League One

Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....

| style="text-align:center;"|34
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|37
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|-
| style="text-align:center; vertical-align:top;"|Rochdale
|2011–12
|League One

Football League One

Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....

| style="text-align:center;"|8
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|0
| style="text-align:center;"|10
| style="text-align:center;"|0
|-
82||1||2||0||5||0||1||0||90||1

External links