Sylvan Ebanks-Blake
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
| Number | 27 | ||
Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (born March 29, 1986 in Cambridge) is an English football striker who plays for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Championship.
Playing career
Ebanks-Blake's first clubs were Cherry Hinton Lions and Fulbourn Falcons in the Cambridge area. Despite being a boyhood Liverpool fan, he started his professional career at Manchester United as a youth team player. He played his first match at senior level for the club on 26 October 2004 against Crewe Alexandra in the League Cup. One year later, he scored his first senior level goal for the club against Barnet in another League Cup tie.
Towards the end of the 2004/05 season, he fractured his leg and was ruled out for the remainder of the season. He recovered and scored a hat-trick on his return for the Manchester United reserves. However, he was never called on for a first team league game, although he was an unused substitute in several Champions League games. In January 2006, he moved on loan to Royal Antwerp in Belgium to gain first team experience, where he scored 4 goals in 9 matches.
Ebanks-Blake returned to England in the summer and signed a three year deal with Championship club Plymouth Argyle on 14 July 2006. The fee paid to Manchester United was an initial £200,000, potentially rising to over £300,000 due to clauses. Ebanks-Blake was new manager Ian Holloway's first signing and became a first team regular.
The striker notched up 10 goals in his first season at Argyle, many of which came in a strong finish to the season. He cemented his status as a fan favourite and top prospect with 11 league goals by New Year in the 2007/08 season, despite starting the season on the substitutes bench.
This form attracted Wolverhampton Wanderers to bid £1.5million in the January transfer window, and he duly signed for them on 11 January 2008.[1] He started well at his new club, scoring 7 goals in his first 8 games, and being named Championship Player of the Month for March 2008.[2] He finished the season as winner of the Golden Boot for the Championship with 23 goals.
Nightclub incident
Ebanks-Blake pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm to a bouncer in an incident at a Plymouth nightclub on 11 November 2007 while an Argyle player. The player was subsequently fined £1,350 with £650 costs and £500 compensation by Plymouth Crown Court on 4 July 2008, after admitting to attacking the doorman with his girlfriend's handbag causing a three-inch cut to his head.[3]
References
- ^ "Ebanks-Blake ties up Wolves move". BBC Sport. 2008-01-11.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Magnificent seven make Sylvan Player of the Month". Football League.
- ^ "Wolves star admits club attack". Express & Star. 2008-07-04.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
External links
- Official club profile
- Sylvan Ebanks-Blake at Soccerbase