Freddy Eastwood

Freddy Eastwood (born October 29, 1983 in Basildon, Essex) is an England football (soccer), currently playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.. He is a Welsh people International, eligible to play for the Wales national football team as his maternal grandfather was born in Llanelli, Wales.

Background

Eastwood was born in Basildon, Essex and is a member of the Romani community. He was often seen exercising his horse on the A127 road in Essex on the morning of a match day when playing for Southend United F.C..

He appealed to the Her Majesty's Government in August 2006 to keep his home on a travellers site in Basildon after Basildon Council refused planning permission.

Club career

West Ham United

Eastwood began his career as a West Ham United F.C. Academy player after turning down an offer of a scholarship at Southend where he had been a promising youth player. At West Ham, Eastwood played in the same youth team as Jermain Defoe, Anton Ferdinand and Glen Johnson but was not considered good enough by the then manager Glenn Roeder and was released by the Hammers in May 2003. After being released, he considered quitting football altogether and worked briefly as a car salesman. in his first season, winning the Grays' Golden Boot Swindon Town F.C. and Charlton Athletic F.C. as well as Southend United.

Southend United

Eastwood joined Southend United in October 2004, initially on loan. He made his debut for the club in spectacular style, scoring the opener after 7.7 seconds, an English league Football records in England Individual for a debut, and going on to score two more to record his first of three hat-tricks for the club as Southend beat top of the table Swansea City A.F.C. 4-2. Eastwood joined Southend on a permanent basis in November 2004 for an undisclosed fee in a three-year deal from Grays. He finished the 2004-05 in English football season with 24 goals from 42 appearances in all competitions

Eastwood scored Southend United's 5,000th League goal on 2 January 2006 when he smashed home the late winner against Blackpool F.C. at Bloomfield Road as the Shrimpers went to the top of League One. He scored twice at Swansea City on 29 April 2006 to earn Southend United a 2-2 draw, a result which sealed promotion to the Football League Championship. By the end of the 2005-06 in English football season, Eastwood was joint 18th in Southend's all time leading goal scorers list with 49 goals, 45 of which were in the league, two in the FA Cup and two in the Football League Trophy. He was also joint top scorer with Billy Sharp in League One in 2005-06 with 23 goals.

The following season, Eastwood scored his 50th goal for the club in the Championship opener game against Stoke City F.C.. It would prove to be a difficult season for the striker and despite scoring 11 goal in the Championship,

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Eastwood signed a four-year deal with Wolverhampton Wanderers in July 2007 after completing a £1.5m move from Southend and was given the number 23 shirt. Eastwood started the 2007-08 impressively, scoring his first goal for Wolves on his full debut in the Carling Cup first round win over Bradford City F.C., and scoring one and setting up another on his league debut in a 3-1 away win over Sheffield Wednesday F.C.. He scored twice against Blackpool F.C. in his second league game, prompting manager Mick McCarthy to say, "...the difference [between the two sides] was Freddy Eastwood - his goals speak for themselves and it is goals which win games."

International career

As his maternal grandfather was born in Wales, Eastwood is eligible to play for Welsh national football team. He was selected for the squad for the international friendly against New Zealand national football team in May 2006 and the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Czech Republic national football team in June, however an existing back injury did not heal as quickly as hoped and Eastwood was forced to withdraw from the squad. He was selected for the squad to play Bulgaria national football team and went on to score his debut international goal in the first half of their 1-0 victory on August 22, 2007. John Toshack, the Wales manager, said, "It was a really special goal [.. Now we have got a player up front who knows his business. We have been aware of his goalscoring exploits and have worked hard to make sure he became a Wales international."