Nigel Quashie

Nigel Francis Quashie, (IPA chart for English: ) (pronounced "kwah-zee") (born July 20, 1978 in London Borough of Southwark) is an English-born football player who plays as a midfielder (soccer) for West Ham United F.C. and for Scotland national football team. He is eligible to play for the Scottish national football team as his grandfather was born in Scotland.

Club career

Queens Park Rangers

Quashie began his career in London as a trainee with Queens Park Rangers F.C. in August 1995, making his League debut in a 2–1 defeat against Manchester United F.C. at Old Trafford (football) a few months later in December 1995. He was used sparingly for the remainder of that campaign, making eleven appearances as QPR were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 1995-96 in English football season. He made a further 13 appearances in the 1996-97 in English football season before breaking into the first eleven on a regular basis in the 1997-98 in English football season when he made 34 league and cup appearances. By July, he reportedly had attracted interest from several clubs, including West Bromwich Albion F.C. and Birmingham City F.C. with Portsmouth F.C. understood to have made an offer.

Portsmouth

Quashie joined Portsmouth in August 2000 for a fee of £600,000, signing a three-year contract. He made a further 44 appearances No sooner had he returned from a six-week layoff with a knee injury in December 2003 than he suffered an injury to his opposite knee leading him to miss a further six weeks of the 2003-04 in English football season. However, Quashie remained a first choice player, making 25 appearances

Southampton

Quashie joined Southampton F.C. for a fee of £2.1 million in January 2005, signing a three-and-a-half year contract. He said, "It's a big move for me and I am happy to be linking up with Harry Redknapp again. I am certain we will stay up - I would not have come here if I had any doubts about that, but we need to get a few results quickly." The chairman of Southampton, Rupert Lowe, said, "Harry really wanted Nigel - he thinks he is a strong character who will add to the dressing room. We are delighted to make him our third signing since Harry arrived." and he did not make his debut until the match against Everton on 6 February.

After the transfer of Jason Dodd, he became the club's captain but he was unable to prevent the Saints being relegated at the end of the 2004-05 in English football season. Despite relegation, Quashie said that he had no regrets over the move to Southampton as he had been unhappy with the way he had been treated at Portsmouth. However, following Redknapp's departure and his replacement with George Burley, Quashie was allowed to leave Southampton in the January 2006 transfer window.

West Bromwich Albion

Quashie joined West Bromwich Albion F.C. in January 2006 for £1.2 million, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract. He was charged with misconduct by the Football Association after being sent off against Middlesbrough F.C. three weeks later for alleged use of foul and abusive language towards the referee's assistants as he left the pitch and was given a one-game ban in addition to a four-game ban for the sending off, his second of the season, and a £5,000 fine after admitting misconduct. His only goal for the club came in a 3–1 defeat against Arsenal in April 2006. Albion were relegated at the end of the season. Quashie achieved the rare distinction of being relegated from the Premiership in two successive seasons. Following relegation, Quashie was allowed to leave in the January 2007 transfer window as he expressed a wish to return to the Premier League and manager, Tony Mowbray, wanted to raise some revenue to bring in new players.

West Ham United

Quashie became Alan Curbishley's second signing of the transfer window when he joined West Ham United F.C. on a three-and-a-half year contract for an initial fee of £1.5 million, rising to £1.75 million after West Ham successfully avoided relegation in the 2006-07 in English football season. and went on to make eight appearances Quashie switched his allegiance to Scotland and made his international debut against Estonia national football team in May 2004, becoming only the second black player to represent Scotland since Andrew Watson in 1881. He scored in his second game, a 4–1 win over Trinidad and Tobago national football team, a few days later. Bertie Vogts said of him, "Nigel is a fantastic player and a real leader on the pitch. He feels so Scottish and that's great." By the end of the 2006–07 season, he had made 14 appearances for Scotland, including appearances in World Cup and European Championship matches.