Charlie Henry (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Charlie Henry is an English
footballer who plays for Luton Town
. He is known for his rapid speed, nimble feet and trademark 'double somersault' goal celebrations. He has also represented the England C national football team as a midfielder
.
, Hertfordshire
, Henry began his career with Luton Town
as a youngster, but was released at the age of 15, being told by then Luton youth coach Dean Rastrick that he was “too small”. He then played local football for Buntingford Town and then Arlesey Town
at the age of 17, before signing for Wycombe Wanderers
on non-contract terms on 21 November 2005. Released by the Chairboys, Henry signed for Grays Athletic
in March 2006.
put an end to his time with Grays and he moved to Haverhill Rovers
in July 2006. He scored some vital goals at the New Croft ground, helping Haverhill reach the FA Cup
Fourth Qualifying Round for the first time in their 125-year history during the 2006–07 campaign, before the minnows finally bowed out to Aldershot Town
.
manager Gary Roberts
and he was soon thrust into the Lilywhites side where he impressed, bagging 6 goals in 31 appearances. He became something of a crowd favourite at Milton Road with his penetrating runs, powerful shots and wild ‘somersault’ goal celebrations.
, who signed Henry on a two-year contract in July 2007 for a fee of £7,500. With Dorchester having just turned professional, it represented a chance for Henry to play football on a full-time basis.
on 23 November 2007 for an undisclosed fee.
season, netting 6 goals in just 21 appearances. His form alerted several other clubs and, out-of-contract in the summer of 2009, he eventually signed for Newport County
on 18 June 2009, under the management of Dean Holdsworth
, on a one-year contract, after scoring several times against the Exiles for his former clubs.
He became a fan favourite at Spytty Park and he fired nine goals in 35 appearances during his first season with the Exiles, the 2009–10
campaign, as Newport won the Conference South
title with a record 103 points. On 25 May 2010, Henry signed a new one-year contract with the club.
Playing at Conference National
level for the first time in his career, Henry was again a key figure for Newport County during the 2010–11
campaign as the Exiles were the surprise package in the league and play-off contenders in the first half of the season.
Upon returning to Luton, Henry expressed his delight at being given a second opportunity with the Hatters, saying, “It’s great to be back. I loved my time when I was here before, I know a few of the boys and I’m relishing my chance to play. I can’t wait. This is such a big club. It’s a league club playing in the Conference and I want to get out of it and get in the league with Luton. From what I know and what I’ve seen, the squad is unbelievable as it is. Hopefully I can try and add something to it.”
However, a detached ligament in his foot sustained whilst playing for Newport County was more serious than first thought by the Luton Town coaching staff, and Henry was sidelined for the remainder of the 2010–11 season with an injury that manager Richard Money described as "one in a million".
Henry made his debut for Luton the next season, coming on as a substitute in the club's 5–1 victory against Hendon
in the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round on 29 October 2011, 11 months after initially joining the club. Henry described his appearance as "unbelievable" and admitted there were times during his injury where he thought his career was over.
. A month later, he earned his second cap, picking up the man-of-the-match award in a 1–0 victory over Estonia U23 in Tallinn
in the International Challenge Trophy.
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 Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
. He is known for his rapid speed, nimble feet and trademark 'double somersault' goal celebrations. He has also represented the England C national football team as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
Early career
Born in StevenageStevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, Henry began his career with Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
as a youngster, but was released at the age of 15, being told by then Luton youth coach Dean Rastrick that he was “too small”. He then played local football for Buntingford Town and then Arlesey Town
Arlesey Town F.C.
Arlesey Town Football Club is an English association football club from Arlesey, Bedfordshire, England. They currently play in the Southern Football League Premier Division.The club is affiliated to the Bedfordshire County Football Association.-History:...
at the age of 17, before signing for Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
on non-contract terms on 21 November 2005. Released by the Chairboys, Henry signed for Grays Athletic
Grays Athletic F.C.
Grays Athletic Football Club is an English football club currently based in Corringham, Essex after leaving the New Recreation Ground in Grays at the end of the 2009–10 season...
in March 2006.
Haverhill Rovers
Shin splintsShin splints
Shin splints or medial tibial stress syndrome refers to pain along or just behind the shins with sports that apply extreme pressure to the legs, such as gymnastics...
put an end to his time with Grays and he moved to Haverhill Rovers
Haverhill Rovers F.C.
Haverhill Rovers F.C. is an English football club based in Haverhill, Suffolk. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at the New Croft.The club is affiliated to the Suffolk County FA.-History:...
in July 2006. He scored some vital goals at the New Croft ground, helping Haverhill reach the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Fourth Qualifying Round for the first time in their 125-year history during the 2006–07 campaign, before the minnows finally bowed out to Aldershot Town
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
.
Cambridge City
His form alerted Cambridge CityCambridge City F.C.
Cambridge City Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:The club was founded in 1908 Cambridge Town F.C., as Cambridge had not been granted city status at that point, and were committed to amateur sport...
manager Gary Roberts
Gary Roberts (footballer born 1960)
Gary Roberts is a Welsh former footballer who played as a forward. He made over 200 appearances for Brentford, and also played for many lower-league clubs, including Wembley, Barnet, Maidstone United, Welling United, St Albans City, Hitchin Town, Stevenage Borough, Baldock Town and Cambridge...
and he was soon thrust into the Lilywhites side where he impressed, bagging 6 goals in 31 appearances. He became something of a crowd favourite at Milton Road with his penetrating runs, powerful shots and wild ‘somersault’ goal celebrations.
Dorchester Town
Such was his form at Cambridge City, that it alerted the attentions of Dorchester TownDorchester Town F.C.
Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South...
, who signed Henry on a two-year contract in July 2007 for a fee of £7,500. With Dorchester having just turned professional, it represented a chance for Henry to play football on a full-time basis.
Havant & Waterlooville
After just three months at the Avenue Stadium, and six goals in 18 appearances, he signed for Havant & WaterloovilleHavant & Waterlooville F.C.
Havant & Waterlooville Football Club are an English football club based in Havant, Hampshire. The club formed in 1998 after a merger between Havant Town and Waterlooville, and are currently members of the Conference South. Nicknamed The Hawks, they play at West Leigh Park.-History:In 1998 Havant...
on 23 November 2007 for an undisclosed fee.
Newport County
After 16 appearances and 2 goals for the Hawks during the 2007–08 campaign, Henry made a big impact for Havant & Waterlooville during the 2008–092008–09 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, netting 6 goals in just 21 appearances. His form alerted several other clubs and, out-of-contract in the summer of 2009, he eventually signed for Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
on 18 June 2009, under the management of Dean Holdsworth
Dean Holdsworth
Dean Christopher Holdsworth is an English former professional football player, now manager. As a striker he scored 193 goals in 610 league games over a 22 year career. Despite playing for 16 clubs in 19 spells the majority of his goals and appearances came at Brentford, Wimbledon, and Bolton...
, on a one-year contract, after scoring several times against the Exiles for his former clubs.
He became a fan favourite at Spytty Park and he fired nine goals in 35 appearances during his first season with the Exiles, the 2009–10
2009–10 Newport County A.F.C. season
The 2009–10 season was Newport County's sixth consecutive season in the Conference South and they had been ever-present since the introduction of the Conference North & South in 2004....
campaign, as Newport won the Conference South
Conference South
Conference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...
title with a record 103 points. On 25 May 2010, Henry signed a new one-year contract with the club.
Playing at Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
level for the first time in his career, Henry was again a key figure for Newport County during the 2010–11
2010–11 Newport County A.F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was Newport County's first season back in the Conference National since the club was expelled mid-season in 1989. County confirmed promotion on 15 March the previous season — the first team in senior football in Britain to do so...
campaign as the Exiles were the surprise package in the league and play-off contenders in the first half of the season.
Luton Town
After scoring a fine goal at Kenilworth Road for Newport County in a 1–1 draw on 24 August 2010 he was on the radar of Luton manager Richard Money, who had already been impressed with Henry after spotting him in a pre-season match against Stevenage. On 26 November 2010, Henry signed for Luton, initially on loan, before making the move permanent on 5 January 2011, returning to Kenilworth Road nine years after being released as a 15-year old. Although delighted to be joining Luton Town – an opportunity Henry said was too good to turn down – he did express his sadness at leaving Newport County, saying, “What can I say about Newport? It’s very difficult and in a lot of ways I am gutted to be leaving. I’ve had the best two years of my life down here and the best time in my career by an absolute mile. I was excited because Luton Town are a huge club and right on my doorstep, but I was still relieved when the gaffer said he didn’t want me to go and would like to keep me. But the talks went really well and now I can’t wait to get started as a Luton player."Upon returning to Luton, Henry expressed his delight at being given a second opportunity with the Hatters, saying, “It’s great to be back. I loved my time when I was here before, I know a few of the boys and I’m relishing my chance to play. I can’t wait. This is such a big club. It’s a league club playing in the Conference and I want to get out of it and get in the league with Luton. From what I know and what I’ve seen, the squad is unbelievable as it is. Hopefully I can try and add something to it.”
However, a detached ligament in his foot sustained whilst playing for Newport County was more serious than first thought by the Luton Town coaching staff, and Henry was sidelined for the remainder of the 2010–11 season with an injury that manager Richard Money described as "one in a million".
Henry made his debut for Luton the next season, coming on as a substitute in the club's 5–1 victory against Hendon
Hendon F.C.
Hendon Football Club are an English football club based in Hendon, in the London Borough of Barnet. They currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division.In the 2003-04 season they finished fourth in the Isthmian League Premier Division...
in the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round on 29 October 2011, 11 months after initially joining the club. Henry described his appearance as "unbelievable" and admitted there were times during his injury where he thought his career was over.
International career
Henry's form with Newport County in 2010 earned him a call-up to the England C national football team squad, where he made his debut in a 2–2 draw with WalesWales national semi-professional football team
The Wales National Semi-Professional Football Team is a football team that represents Wales at non-league level. It features players Under 23 years of age who play for clubs outside of the Football League and players from the Welsh Premier League are eligible...
. A month later, he earned his second cap, picking up the man-of-the-match award in a 1–0 victory over Estonia U23 in Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
in the International Challenge Trophy.
External links
- Charlie Henry profile at the Luton Town website