Billy Sharp

William Louis "Billy" Sharp (born 5 February 1986 in Sheffield) is an England professional footballer currently playing a striker role at Sheffield United F.C..

Career

Sheffield United

Sharp started at Rotherham United F.C. as a schoolboy in the Academy after leaving his Sunday league team in his hometown of Dronfield, Derbyshire, but opted to join the Sheffield United F.C. Academy after Rotherham United F.C. turned him away.

Sharp signed for Sheffield United F.C. as a schoolboy in 2002 but, after leaving the Academy, he failed to establish himself in manager Neil Warnock's squad. He made only two brief substitute appearances for United, the second and final of which coming in the last game of the 2004-2005 season.

Rushden and Diamonds (loan)

In January 2005, he went on loan to Rushden & Diamonds F.C.. Despite playing just 16 games Sharp became a very popular figure. Scoring 9 goals, one of them a last minute winner in the 3-2 win over local rivals Northampton Town, he helped prevent another relegation. His hat-trick against Boston Utd. was also memorable.

Scunthorpe United

After returning from his loan spell Sharp made two substitute appearances for United before he was sold to Scunthorpe United F.C. for £100,000 in August 2005. He soon became a firm favourite at Glanford Park scoring 24 goals in his first season with the league one club.

Sharp scored the 50th goal of his career in the 2-0 win at Carlisle United F.C. on 9 December 2006. He was featured on ITV's The Championship, and Scunthorpe United chairman J. Steven Wharton claimed he would reject a bid of £2 million for Sharp.

Sharp broke the Iron's 45 year old club record for most goals scored in a season on 28 April 2007. Barrie Thomas was the previous holder.

Sharp netted 30 times in the league in the 2006-07 season guiding his team to promotion into the Coca Cola Championship. This was the highest total in the 4 leagues of England

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He scored a header in the televised defeat to Aston Villa F.C., which only served to enhance his reputation across the nation. In all, he scored 56 goals in 95 games for Scunthorpe during his two seasons at Glanford Park.

With his goalscoring feats in the 2006-07 season, there was predictable interest from other clubs in Sharp, and a number of clubs made bids for the striker as the season ended.

Sheffield United

Ultimately, lifelong Blades fan Sharp rejoined Sheffield United F.C. on 4 July 2007 for a fee of around £2 million, a deal that also saw Sheffield United's Jonathan Forte transferred to Scunthorpe and was given the number 24 shirt.

Sharp made his full Sheffield United first team debut in the opening game of the 2007-08 season, a 2-2 draw with Colchester United. He scored his first competitive goals for the club in September, hitting two against Morecambe F.C. in a 5-0 third round Football League Cup victory but had to wait until March to score his first league goal, in a 2-1 win at home against Coventry City. After finally breaking his duck he went on to score three more times before the end of the season.

Sharp started the 2008-09 season brightly, scoring a hat-trick in the Blades' first home game, against Queens Park Rangers F.C..