Ben Hamer
Encyclopedia
Benjamin John "Ben" Hamer (born 20 November 1987) is an English
footballer who plays for Charlton
as a goalkeeper.
, Somerset
. His family moved to Germany
at the age of 2 and, consequently, he is a fluent German speaker. However, when he was 8, his family came back to England
. He attended Holyrood Community School in Chard which is near to his birthplace. His footballing ability led to a spell playing for Somerset
at county level, where he was spotted by a Reading scout. He signed for Reading at the age of 15.
Having risen through the youth academy at Reading, Hamer went on loan to Crawley Town
for the 2006–07 season, where he missed just one league game and was named as player of the season.
On 4 July 2007, Hamer signed a new one year contract to keep him at Reading until the end of the 2007–08 season. He joined Brentford
in an initial one-month loan deal on 11 August 2007, which was subsequently extended to 14 October 2007. Brentford re-signed Hamer in an emergency loan deal on 1 January 2008 following an injury to their first choice 'keeper, Simon Brown
. On 28 January 2008, his loan was extended to the end of the 2007–08 season.
He signed a new one year deal with Reading and returned to Brentford for a third loan spell on a season-long loan on 17 June, and was Andy Scott
's first choice goalkeeper for the 2008–09
season, in which Brentford were champions of League Two
. As well as winning a League 2 Champions medal, Hamer also won the Puma Golden Glove award for League 2 having recorded 20 clean sheets within the season. He was also the only Brentford player to successfully hit the crossbar in Soccer AM
's Crossbar Challenge.
On 18 June 2009, Hamer signed a new 2-year contract and is expected to jostle with Adam Federici
for the Number 1 jersey. On 31 August, Hamer was loaned back to Brentford for a fourth spell with the Bees.
On 18 January 2011 Hamer joined League One side Exeter City
on a three-month loan deal. Hamer made his Exeter City
debut against Walsall
on 22 January 2011.
On the 1st of August Hamer joined League One side Charlton Athletic
and was immediately handed the number one jersey.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who plays for Charlton
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
as a goalkeeper.
Career
Hamer was born in TauntonTaunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. His family moved to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
at the age of 2 and, consequently, he is a fluent German speaker. However, when he was 8, his family came back to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He attended Holyrood Community School in Chard which is near to his birthplace. His footballing ability led to a spell playing for Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
at county level, where he was spotted by a Reading scout. He signed for Reading at the age of 15.
Having risen through the youth academy at Reading, Hamer went on loan to Crawley Town
Crawley Town F.C.
Crawley Town Football Club is an English football club based in Crawley, West Sussex. They won the title of the Football Conference, by a record 15 point margin on second place, and with it promotion to The Football League, in April 2011.-1896–2009:...
for the 2006–07 season, where he missed just one league game and was named as player of the season.
On 4 July 2007, Hamer signed a new one year contract to keep him at Reading until the end of the 2007–08 season. He joined Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
in an initial one-month loan deal on 11 August 2007, which was subsequently extended to 14 October 2007. Brentford re-signed Hamer in an emergency loan deal on 1 January 2008 following an injury to their first choice 'keeper, Simon Brown
Simon Brown (footballer born 1976)
Simon James Brown is an English footballer, who currently plays for Cambridge United. Brown is a goalkeeper.-Playing career:...
. On 28 January 2008, his loan was extended to the end of the 2007–08 season.
He signed a new one year deal with Reading and returned to Brentford for a third loan spell on a season-long loan on 17 June, and was Andy Scott
Andy Scott (English footballer)
Andrew "Andy" Scott is an English former professional footballer whose clubs included Sheffield United, Brentford, Oxford United and Leyton Orient. He is currently manager of League Two team Rotherham United, after being sacked from Brentford in February 2011. During his playing career, Scott was...
's first choice goalkeeper for the 2008–09
2008–09 in English football
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
season, in which Brentford were champions of League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
. As well as winning a League 2 Champions medal, Hamer also won the Puma Golden Glove award for League 2 having recorded 20 clean sheets within the season. He was also the only Brentford player to successfully hit the crossbar in Soccer AM
Soccer AM
Soccer AM is a British Saturday-morning football-based comedy/talk show, predominantly based around the Premier League...
's Crossbar Challenge.
On 18 June 2009, Hamer signed a new 2-year contract and is expected to jostle with Adam Federici
Adam Federici
Adam Jay Federici is an Australian football player who plays as a goalkeeper for Football League Championship club Reading and has featured for the Australian national team.-Club career:...
for the Number 1 jersey. On 31 August, Hamer was loaned back to Brentford for a fourth spell with the Bees.
On 18 January 2011 Hamer joined League One side Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
on a three-month loan deal. Hamer made his Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
debut against Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
on 22 January 2011.
On the 1st of August Hamer joined League One side Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
and was immediately handed the number one jersey.
Honours
Brentford- League TwoFootball League TwoFootball League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
: 2008–09Football League Two 2008–09The Football League 2008–09, known as the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons, is the 17th season under its current league division format. It began in August 2008 and concluded in May 2009, with the promotion play-off finals.... - Puma Golden Glove Winner for League 2: 2008–09Football League Two 2008–09The Football League 2008–09, known as the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons, is the 17th season under its current league division format. It began in August 2008 and concluded in May 2009, with the promotion play-off finals....
External links
- Ben Hamer profile at readingfc.co.uk