Adam gains second wind

Published : May 02, 2015 00:00 IST

At a time when his place has been under threat this season, Charlie Adam’s wonder goal against Chelsea seems to have settled the doubt about the midfielder’s utility in the Stoke line-up. By Jack Maleham.

It is fair to say that since leaving Liverpool to join fellow Premier League outfit Stoke City in 2014, Charlie Adam’s name has not often been in the headlines. That changed recently though, when the midfielder scored a wonder goal from 65 yards against Premier League leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

After scoring one of the greatest goals in Premier League history, Adam described it as just “one of those things” before admitting that he would have swapped scoring the goal for a Stoke victory.

“Lucky enough, it went in and it was a great goal, but the disappointing thing was we lost the game and I’ve always said that winning the game would have been more important than scoring that goal,” said Adam after the 2-1 defeat.

It is perhaps a little surprising that the 29-year-old Scotland international played down the goal, after it emerged that he had in fact scored from the halfway line. Adam had struck a similar shot in a reserve game whilst playing for Blackpool against Accrington Stanley in 2009.

Adam began his career in his native Scotland and came through the youth system at hometown club Dundee. At the age of 17, he was signed by Rangers in 2003, and Adam made his debut against Livingston in 2004, but was soon loaned out to get regular first-team action.

He joined the Scottish First Division club, Ross County, for the remainder of the 2004-05 campaign, where he scored twice in 15 appearances and helped his team reach the Scottish Challenge Cup final.

The following season again saw Adam leave Rangers in a loan deal, this time signing for St. Mirren, also of the First Division, and it was here that his career really sparked into life. He became a regular in the St. Mirren starting line-up and helped them win the title as well as the Scottish Challenge Cup.

After his success at St. Mirren, Adam finally broke into the Rangers first team during the 2006-07 season and scored his first goal for the club in a UEFA Cup tie against Livorno. It was one of 14 goals that season, including one in the Old Firm derby against Celtic.

An impressive campaign led to Adam making his Scotland debut in a friendly against Austria before making his competitive debut as a substitute against the Faroe Islands.

In his second season for Rangers, Adam was rotated with other midfielders but he scored in both UEFA Champions League matches against Stuttgart and helped Rangers reach the UEFA Cup final, although he was an unused substitute for the defeat to Zenit St. Petersburg.

With appearances for Rangers proving more difficult to come by, Adam signed for English Championship club Blackpool on loan in January 2009 and despite being sent off on his debut, he impressed enough to persuade them to spend a club-record fee of GBP500,000 for him the following summer.

The next campaign proved a memorable one for both Adam and Blackpool, as the Scot scored 16 league goals en route to the Championship play-offs. He scored in both the semifinal and the final to help the Tangerines achieve a surprise promotion to the Premier League. Adam was also named in the PFA’s Championship team of the year.

Adam’s excellent form continued in the Premier League and in January 2011, Blackpool rejected a GBP4.5 million offer from Liverpool. Adam remained at the club for the rest of the season and netted 12 league goals from midfield but could not save the Seasiders from relegation.

The summer saw Liverpool come back with an increased offer of GBP6.75 million, and this time Blackpool accepted.

Adam became a regular starter for the Reds as his new club reached both the League Cup and FA Cup finals. He played the whole of the League Cup final victory over Cardiff City, but missed his penalty in the shootout and was injured for the FA Cup final.

Brendan Rogers took over from Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool manager for the 2012-13 season, and the former Swansea manager decided to move Adam on as part of his squad overhaul, prompting a GBP4million switch to Stoke.

His place has come under threat this season due to the arrival of Bojan, but his injury allowed Adam another run in the team and he has made the most of it.

Married to model Sophie-Leigh Anderson, the duo has a son, Jack.

FACTFILEName: Charlie AdamPosition: MidfielderClub: Stoke CityD.O.B: 10/12/1985Scotland Caps: 25International Goals: 0

Moment to remember: Winning promotion via the play-offs with Blackpool in May 2010, scoring in the play-off final victory over Cardiff City.

Moment to forget: Being sent off on his Blackpool debut in a 3-2 defeat to Doncaster Rovers.

© PA Sport

More stories from this issue

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment