Justin Hoyte

Justin Raymond Hoyte (born November 20, 1984 in Leytonstone, London) is an England football player who currently plays for Arsenal F.C..

Club career

Hoyte signed professional terms with Arsenal in May 2003. He is primarily a Fullback (football), but has also been used at left back for Sunderland and Arsenal.

He made his début as an 89th minute substitute in Arsenal's 6-1 FA Premier League victory over Southampton F.C. in May 2003. Being down the pecking order, his first few appearances for Arsenal were mostly restricted to Football League Cup matches, though in 2004-05 in English football he made five league appearances, four of them as starts.

During the summer of 2005, Hoyte was linked with a loan move to Ipswich Town F.C., but Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger made clear he wanted the defender to play Premiership football. Therefore Hoyte instead joined Sunderland, on August 31, 2005 and played for the Black Cats for the entire 2005-06 in English football season, making 31 appearances and scoring 1 goal against Newcastle United in April 2006. He returned to Arsenal at the end of the season.

With Ashley Cole absent from the Arsenal team due to his protracted transfer to Chelsea F.C. and Gaël Clichy's injury, Hoyte started the 2006-07 in English football season as Arsenal's left back, starting against both Dinamo Zagreb and Aston Villa F.C.. However, he was widely seen as a temporary measure. This was proven when William Gallas signed for Arsenal a few weeks later and took Hoyte's left back position with Hoyte moving back to his preferred right side of defence to cover for the injured Emmanuel Eboué. His first few performances were shaky but improved as he got more and more games under his belt. As of 20 May, 2007 he has played 53 times for Arsenal in all competitions.

His first goal for Arsenal came on January 2, 2007 at home against Charlton Athletic. He created history when, slotting the ball past Scott Carson, he became the first Englishman to score for Arsenal in the new Emirates Stadium.

On 19 July 2007, the Daily Mirror published that Aston Villa F.C. were set to make a £2.5 million off to Arsenal for Hoyte; after manager Martin O'Neill prioritised bringing in someone to fill the right back position. On 7 August 2007, the claim was repeated by most major news outlets. However it now appears like he will stay at Arsenal, with Eboue now slotting onto the right wing, leaving him competing with Bacary Sagna for the right back place.

International career

Hoyte was capped 18 times for the England national under-21 football team team, and played all four matches at the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. He took part in the epic semi-final shootout against hosts Netherlands national under-21 football team, missing his first but scoring his second penalty as England lost 13-12. His sole goal for the team also came against the Netherlands, in November 2006.