Wayne Hennessey

Wayne Robert Hennessey (born 24 January 1987) is a Wales Wales national football team Association football Goalkeeper (association football) currently playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. in the Premier League.

Club career

Early career

Hennessey, born in Bangor and raised in Beaumaris, Anglesey, began as a trainee at Manchester City F.C. but was released in 2003, whereupon Wayne Hennessey joined the youth academy at Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.. After progressing through the ranks, Wayne Hennessey signed professional forms in April 2005.

After remaining in Wolves' reserve and youth teams during the 2005–06 season, Hennessey was sent on trial with Bristol City F.C. in July 2006 with a view to a Loan (football) move to gain first team experience but was recalled to Wolves after an injury to their first-choice goalkeeper Matt Murray. Wayne Hennessey did go back to Bristol City in August 2006, however, on a one month loan deal, but Wayne Hennessey only made two appearances and returned to Wayne Hennessey parent club early due to an arm injury.

Stockport County — record breaker

To gain first-team football, Hennessey joined Football League Two side Stockport County F.C. in January 2007 on a one-month loan. On Wayne Hennessey senior debut against Boston United F.C., Wayne Hennessey kept a clean sheet and after keeping another five clean sheets in successive matches, Wayne Hennessey loan spell was extended by an extra month.

Wayne Hennessey went on to set a The Football League record of nine successive clean sheets and wins. Stockport broke the 119-year-old record, Wayne Hennessey feat also means Wayne Hennessey now holds County's record for the longest period without conceding a goal, beating Harry Hardy's 85-year-old record. Wayne Hennessey record now stands at 857 minutes, from the start of Wayne Hennessey competitive club debut, against Boston United on 13 January 2007, until Oliver Allen (footballer) of Barnet F.C scored on 10 March 2007. Wayne Hennessey therefore did not concede in Wayne Hennessey first nine-and-a-half matches of competitive club football.

Wolves

Hennessey was recalled by Wolves in April 2007 after another injury to first-choice Matt Murray, and found himself on the substitutes bench for several games. When Murray broke Wayne Hennessey shoulder on the eve of Wolves' Football League Championship play-off semi-final first leg against local rivals West Bromwich Albion F.C., Hennessey stepped in to make Wayne Hennessey Wolves debut. Although a losing effort from Wolves, Hennessey performed solidly over the two legs.

With Murray sidelined for the whole of the 2007–08 in English football with yet another injury, Hennessey became firmly established at the club's number one, being an ever-present in the league. The season also saw Wayne Hennessey sign a new deal which will keep Wayne Hennessey at Molineux Stadium until Summer 2012.

Wayne Hennessey was ranked 22nd in the Top 50 Football League Players by FourFourTwo magazine, named in the PFA Team of the Year Championship as well as being named 2007–08 season Player of the Year for Wolves.

The 2008–09 season saw a solid start for Hennessey and Wolves with eight victories out of the first nine league games. This fine run ended against promotion rivals Reading F.C. with a 3-0 loss and a comparably poor performance by Hennessey. Wolves manager Mick McCarthy thought it best to drop the goalkeeper to the bench citing mental fatigue as the reason. Reserve keeper Carl Ikemes deputised and impressed enough to leave Hennessey on the sidelines until an injury to Ikeme against Sheffield United ruled Wayne Hennessey out for the majority of the season. Hennessey played for a large portion of the Sheffield United game and kept Wayne Hennessey place throughout the remainder of the season. The experienced Darren Ward was brought into the side in the January to provide guidance and competition to the young Welshman. Wayne was part of the starting 11 and made several crucial saves in the game against QPR which culminated in a 1-0 victory taking Wolves back into the Premiership after five years absence.

International career

Hennessey made Wayne Hennessey full international debut for Wales national football team in a 2-2 exhibition game draw against New Zealand national football team on 26 May 2007 and has since established himself as Wayne Hennessey country's first-choice goalkeeper.

Wayne Hennessey has also been capped at Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 level. Wayne Hennessey once scored for the Under-19 side with a 40-yard free kick against Turkey.

Honours

- Football League Championship (II): 2009