Jermaine Lloyd Pennant is a footballer who plays for
Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
in the Premier League.
Born in
NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, Pennant played for his local side
Notts CountyNotts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
as a youngster. He earned promising reviews in the youth team at County and
ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
signed him in 1999. He struggled to make much of an impact at the
North LondonNorth London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
club and spent time on loan at
WatfordWatford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
,
Leeds UnitedLeeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
and
Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
before joining the latter permanently. While an Arsenal player, he won 24 caps for the
England under-21England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
team. He gained notoriety in 2005, when he had to play a match while on probation—he played while wearing an
electronic tagElectronic tagging is a form of non-surreptitious surveillance consisting of an electronic device attached to a person or vehicle, especially certain criminals, allowing their whereabouts to be monitored. In general, devices locate themselves using GPS and report their position back to a control...
following a
drink-drivingDriving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
conviction. Following Birmingham's relegation in 2006 Pennant signed for
LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for a fee of £6.7 million. He won the
2006 FA Community ShieldThe 2006 FA Community Shield was a football match played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 13 August 2006 between the 2005–06 FA Premier League champions Chelsea and 2005–06 FA Cup winners Liverpool. Liverpool won the match 2–1, with goals coming from John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch...
and also played a vital role in the clubs run to the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League final.
However off the field problems continued to affect him and consequently led to him being left out of the side. He joined
PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
on loan before leaving to join Spanish side
Real ZaragozaReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
in 2009. His time in Spain was overshadowed by disciplinary problems. He returned to the Premier League for the 2010–11 season signing on loan at
MidlandsThe Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
club
Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. Following a successful loan spell he signed a permanent contract at Stoke in December 2010.
Early years
Jermaine Pennant was born in
The MeadowsThe Meadows is an area of Nottingham, England located south of the city centre.- Overview :The area is close to the River Trent and is connected to West Bridgford in the Borough of Rushcliffe by Trent Bridge and the Wilford Suspension Bridge...
area of
NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England. His father was of
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n descent, his mother is British. His father Gary was a semi-professional footballer who inspired Pennant to play. His mother died from cancer when he reached three years of age. As a result, he helped raise his younger siblings, two sisters and one brother. Pennant recalls how as a child his favorite toy was a football, and how it rarely left his side.
Pennant, who grew up in a crime and drug infested neighborhood, credits football for saving him from a life of crime. When he was 14, he moved away from home and was living with
YTSThe Youth Training Scheme was the former name in the United Kingdom of an on-the-job training course for school leavers aged 16 and 17, managed by the Manpower Services Commission...
players who were 16,17, and 18. Notts County provided Pennant a safe haven.
Arsenal
Pennant was signed at the age of 15 by
ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
from
Notts CountyNotts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
for £2 million, a record fee for a trainee at the time, but failed to fulfil his promise amidst a string of disciplinary problems.
Pennant's career seemed promising following his move to Arsenal. He made his debut aged 16 years and 319 days against
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in the
League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
on 30 November 1999, making him Arsenal's youngest-ever first team player, beating Gerry Ward's long-standing record by two days. Pennant's record has since been surpassed by
Cesc FàbregasFrancesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
and
Jack WilshereJack Andrew Garry Wilshere is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Arsenal and the England national team....
. He continued to make League Cup appearances over the next few seasons, but had to wait two-and-a-half years for his league debut, as a substitute against
West Ham UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
on 24 August 2002 in the Premier League.
At first, Pennant became homesick. After that subsided, he began to get sick from not playing. It affected him greatly. He played for Arsenal for seven years and only made five starts including the hat-trick on his full league debut, against
SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in May 2003. However, these were also his only Arsenal league goals and he did not manage to secure a regular place in an Arsenal side that went on a run of 49 consecutive games without defeat. Arsenal manager
Arsène WengerArsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
appeared to have eventually lost patience with Pennant, who had a history of turning up late to training. Between 2002 and 2004, Pennant spent time on loan at
WatfordWatford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
and
Leeds UnitedLeeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. Pennant received regular first-team action at Leeds, who were relegated at the conclusion of the 2003–04 season.
Birmingham City
Pennant was loaned to
Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
for the 2004–05 season. During his spell at Birmingham, he was arrested and convicted for drink-driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. Despite his conviction, Pennant signed a permanent contract with Birmingham in April 2005. Following the 2005–06 season, Birmingham were relegated to the
ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, and speculation grew that Pennant would leave the club.
Liverpool
Pennant signed for Liverpool on 26 July 2006, on a four year contract for a fee of £6.7 million, potentially rising to £8 million with add-ons. After impressing in pre-season, Pennant made his
LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
debut against
Maccabi HaifaMaccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football team from the city of Haifa, a section of Maccabi Haifa sports club. The club has won 12 championships, 5 State Cups and 4 Toto Cups...
in a
Champions' LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
3rd round qualifying match at Anfield where he went on to win the fans' Star Man award. On 20 January 2007, he scored his first goal for Liverpool in their 2–0 home victory over Chelsea in the Premier League. On 31 March, Pennant participated in a 4–1 win against his former club Arsenal. After not being chosen for the England squad to play Israel and Andorra in March 2007, Pennant expressed the lack of recognition from England manager,
Steve McClarenStephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
, as 'frustrating'.
Pennant started the 2007–08 season in good form, putting in strong performances on either flank as Liverpool reached the top of the league table in the first month. He was however, again ignored by McClaren for the England team in their European qualifying matches against Israel and Russia, despite the backing of Liverpool manager Benitez. As Liverpool struggled to regain their good early season form following the international break, Pennant too could not maintain his form. On 18 September 2007, Pennant was sent off against FC Porto in Liverpool's opening Champions League match of the season.
In January 2009, Pennant was loaned out to
PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, where he spent the second half of the 2008–09 season. He played 13 league games for Portsmouth without scoring a goal. Pennant was not offered a new contract by Liverpool following his return, and subsequently became a free agent when his contract expired on 1 July 2009.
Real Zaragoza
On 9 July 2009, Pennant passed a medical and signed a three year deal at
Real ZaragozaReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
.
He made his La Liga debut first round of the season, and played for 71 minutes in Zaragoza's 1–0 win over
CD TenerifeClub Deportivo Tenerife, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in Tenerife . Founded in 1922, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, with a 24,000-seat capacity.-History:Club Deportivo Tenerife was founded in...
.
The team had languished near the bottom of the table all season and his performances had also come into question, as he looked uncomfortable and still seemed unfamiliar with his soundings. On 24 February 2010, he was reprimanded by coach
José Aurelio GayJosé Aurelio Gay López is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a midfielder, and a current coach.Gay was associated with Zaragoza throughout his career, serving the club as both a player and manager.-Playing career:...
after turning up late for training three times in the space of two weeks; he was sent home on the third occasion and disciplined. He never played for "
La BlanquillosReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
" again.
Stoke City
On 31 August 2010, the final day of the summer transfer window, Pennant agreed a 4-month loan deal with Premier League side
Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. Pennant made his debut for Stoke as a substitute in
the Potters home game against
Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
on 13 September 2010. Manager
Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
has indicated that he will look to make Pennant's loan switch permanent in the January transfer window. Pennant also expressed his desire to stay at Stoke after his loan spell.
Pennant joined Stoke on a permanent transfer on 29 December 2010 signing a two and a half year contract for an initial fee of £1.725 million which could eventually rise to £2.8 million in the future.
Following his transfer manager
Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
stated that Pennant must not become complacent. He scored his first goal for Stoke in a 4–0 win over
Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in March 2011, contributed an assist in their 5–0 defeat of
Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
in the
FA Cup Semi-finalThe 2010–11 FA Cup was the 130th season of the world's oldest association football knock-out competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short...
, and scored his second goal of the season as they beat
Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
3–0 a week later. He also scored against his former club
ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
Pennant was handed the number 7 shirt prior to the start of the 2011–12 season. However he reverted back to number 16 as a large number of fans had already purchased a replica shirt with his name and old number on the back.
International career
Whilst on the
England under-21England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
team, he was sent home by coach
Howard WilkinsonHoward Wilkinson is a former English football player and manager, and has recently stepped down as a Non-Executive Director at Sheffield Wednesday after formerly relinquishing the chairman role to Milan Mandaric...
for breaking a curfew before an important game against Turkey. He later apologised for his actions. He also was sent off for punching
Niko KranjčarNiko Kranjčar is a Croatian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur and the Croatia national team.He represented two of the biggest clubs in his homeland, playing for Dinamo Zagreb before sparking controversy by making a move to their fierce rivals Hajduk Split in 2005...
in a game against
Croatia under-21sThe Croatia national under-21 football team, also known as Croatia under-21 or Croatia U21 is a youth association football national team which represents Croatia at this age level and is a feeder team for the Croatia national football team....
. However, he did manage to make 24 appearances for the U21s in total, making him one of the ten most-capped Englishmen at this level.
Despite being of Jamaican and Irish descent, he has so far opted to represent
EnglandThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
internationally; although he has played at under-21 level, he has not played for the senior team. In March 2011 Pennant revealed that though he would still "love to play for England", he had made the
Football Association of IrelandThe Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
aware that he was interested in representing the
Republic of IrelandThe Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
, saying "if I've got a chance to play international football with Ireland, I'm going to take it with both hands".
Career statistics
| Club |
Season |
League
Jermaine Lloyd Pennant (born 15 January 1983) is a footballer who plays for Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
in the Premier League.
Born in NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, Pennant played for his local side Notts CountyNotts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
as a youngster. He earned promising reviews in the youth team at County and ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
signed him in 1999. He struggled to make much of an impact at the North LondonNorth London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
club and spent time on loan at WatfordWatford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, Leeds UnitedLeeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
and Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
before joining the latter permanently. While an Arsenal player, he won 24 caps for the England under-21England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
team. He gained notoriety in 2005, when he had to play a match while on probation—he played while wearing an electronic tagElectronic tagging is a form of non-surreptitious surveillance consisting of an electronic device attached to a person or vehicle, especially certain criminals, allowing their whereabouts to be monitored. In general, devices locate themselves using GPS and report their position back to a control...
following a drink-drivingDriving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
conviction. Following Birmingham's relegation in 2006 Pennant signed for LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for a fee of £6.7 million. He won the 2006 FA Community ShieldThe 2006 FA Community Shield was a football match played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 13 August 2006 between the 2005–06 FA Premier League champions Chelsea and 2005–06 FA Cup winners Liverpool. Liverpool won the match 2–1, with goals coming from John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch...
and also played a vital role in the clubs run to the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League final.
However off the field problems continued to affect him and consequently led to him being left out of the side. He joined PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
on loan before leaving to join Spanish side Real ZaragozaReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
in 2009. His time in Spain was overshadowed by disciplinary problems. He returned to the Premier League for the 2010–11 season signing on loan at MidlandsThe Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
club Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. Following a successful loan spell he signed a permanent contract at Stoke in December 2010.
Early years
Jermaine Pennant was born in The MeadowsThe Meadows is an area of Nottingham, England located south of the city centre.- Overview :The area is close to the River Trent and is connected to West Bridgford in the Borough of Rushcliffe by Trent Bridge and the Wilford Suspension Bridge...
area of NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England. His father was of JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n descent, his mother is British. His father Gary was a semi-professional footballer who inspired Pennant to play. His mother died from cancer when he reached three years of age. As a result, he helped raise his younger siblings, two sisters and one brother. Pennant recalls how as a child his favorite toy was a football, and how it rarely left his side.
Pennant, who grew up in a crime and drug infested neighborhood, credits football for saving him from a life of crime. When he was 14, he moved away from home and was living with YTSThe Youth Training Scheme was the former name in the United Kingdom of an on-the-job training course for school leavers aged 16 and 17, managed by the Manpower Services Commission...
players who were 16,17, and 18. Notts County provided Pennant a safe haven.
Arsenal
Pennant was signed at the age of 15 by ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
from Notts CountyNotts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
for £2 million, a record fee for a trainee at the time, but failed to fulfil his promise amidst a string of disciplinary problems.
Pennant's career seemed promising following his move to Arsenal. He made his debut aged 16 years and 319 days against MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in the League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
on 30 November 1999, making him Arsenal's youngest-ever first team player, beating Gerry Ward's long-standing record by two days. Pennant's record has since been surpassed by Cesc FàbregasFrancesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
and Jack WilshereJack Andrew Garry Wilshere is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Arsenal and the England national team....
. He continued to make League Cup appearances over the next few seasons, but had to wait two-and-a-half years for his league debut, as a substitute against West Ham UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
on 24 August 2002 in the Premier League.
At first, Pennant became homesick. After that subsided, he began to get sick from not playing. It affected him greatly. He played for Arsenal for seven years and only made five starts including the hat-trick on his full league debut, against SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in May 2003. However, these were also his only Arsenal league goals and he did not manage to secure a regular place in an Arsenal side that went on a run of 49 consecutive games without defeat. Arsenal manager Arsène WengerArsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
appeared to have eventually lost patience with Pennant, who had a history of turning up late to training. Between 2002 and 2004, Pennant spent time on loan at WatfordWatford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
and Leeds UnitedLeeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. Pennant received regular first-team action at Leeds, who were relegated at the conclusion of the 2003–04 season.
Birmingham City
Pennant was loaned to Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
for the 2004–05 season. During his spell at Birmingham, he was arrested and convicted for drink-driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. Despite his conviction, Pennant signed a permanent contract with Birmingham in April 2005. Following the 2005–06 season, Birmingham were relegated to the ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, and speculation grew that Pennant would leave the club.
Liverpool
Pennant signed for Liverpool on 26 July 2006, on a four year contract for a fee of £6.7 million, potentially rising to £8 million with add-ons. After impressing in pre-season, Pennant made his LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
debut against Maccabi HaifaMaccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football team from the city of Haifa, a section of Maccabi Haifa sports club. The club has won 12 championships, 5 State Cups and 4 Toto Cups...
in a Champions' LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
3rd round qualifying match at Anfield where he went on to win the fans' Star Man award. On 20 January 2007, he scored his first goal for Liverpool in their 2–0 home victory over Chelsea in the Premier League. On 31 March, Pennant participated in a 4–1 win against his former club Arsenal. After not being chosen for the England squad to play Israel and Andorra in March 2007, Pennant expressed the lack of recognition from England manager, Steve McClarenStephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
, as 'frustrating'.
Pennant started the 2007–08 season in good form, putting in strong performances on either flank as Liverpool reached the top of the league table in the first month. He was however, again ignored by McClaren for the England team in their European qualifying matches against Israel and Russia, despite the backing of Liverpool manager Benitez. As Liverpool struggled to regain their good early season form following the international break, Pennant too could not maintain his form. On 18 September 2007, Pennant was sent off against FC Porto in Liverpool's opening Champions League match of the season.
In January 2009, Pennant was loaned out to PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, where he spent the second half of the 2008–09 season. He played 13 league games for Portsmouth without scoring a goal. Pennant was not offered a new contract by Liverpool following his return, and subsequently became a free agent when his contract expired on 1 July 2009.
Real Zaragoza
On 9 July 2009, Pennant passed a medical and signed a three year deal at Real ZaragozaReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
.
He made his La Liga debut first round of the season, and played for 71 minutes in Zaragoza's 1–0 win over CD TenerifeClub Deportivo Tenerife, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in Tenerife . Founded in 1922, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, with a 24,000-seat capacity.-History:Club Deportivo Tenerife was founded in...
.
The team had languished near the bottom of the table all season and his performances had also come into question, as he looked uncomfortable and still seemed unfamiliar with his soundings. On 24 February 2010, he was reprimanded by coach José Aurelio GayJosé Aurelio Gay López is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a midfielder, and a current coach.Gay was associated with Zaragoza throughout his career, serving the club as both a player and manager.-Playing career:...
after turning up late for training three times in the space of two weeks; he was sent home on the third occasion and disciplined. He never played for "La BlanquillosReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
" again.
Stoke City
On 31 August 2010, the final day of the summer transfer window, Pennant agreed a 4-month loan deal with Premier League side Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. Pennant made his debut for Stoke as a substitute in the Potters home game against Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
on 13 September 2010. Manager Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
has indicated that he will look to make Pennant's loan switch permanent in the January transfer window. Pennant also expressed his desire to stay at Stoke after his loan spell.
Pennant joined Stoke on a permanent transfer on 29 December 2010 signing a two and a half year contract for an initial fee of £1.725 million which could eventually rise to £2.8 million in the future.
{{Quote|"I think everyone knows how I feel about being at this football club. The supporters, players and management have been absolutely fantastic to me over these past four months and I desperately wanted to stay here because I love it so much. I know I have only been here a few months, but it really does feel like I have been here for years. The atmosphere around the place is brilliant, so I am looking forward to the fact that I am here at Stoke now for the long term and back in the best league in the world."|Pennant on his permanent transfer to Stoke City.}}
Following his transfer manager Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
stated that Pennant must not become complacent. He scored his first goal for Stoke in a 4–0 win over Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in March 2011, contributed an assist in their 5–0 defeat of Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
in the FA Cup Semi-finalThe 2010–11 FA Cup was the 130th season of the world's oldest association football knock-out competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short...
, and scored his second goal of the season as they beat Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
3–0 a week later. He also scored against his former club ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
Pennant was handed the number 7 shirt prior to the start of the 2011–12 season. However he reverted back to number 16 as a large number of fans had already purchased a replica shirt with his name and old number on the back.
International career
Whilst on the England under-21England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
team, he was sent home by coach Howard WilkinsonHoward Wilkinson is a former English football player and manager, and has recently stepped down as a Non-Executive Director at Sheffield Wednesday after formerly relinquishing the chairman role to Milan Mandaric...
for breaking a curfew before an important game against Turkey. He later apologised for his actions. He also was sent off for punching Niko KranjčarNiko Kranjčar is a Croatian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur and the Croatia national team.He represented two of the biggest clubs in his homeland, playing for Dinamo Zagreb before sparking controversy by making a move to their fierce rivals Hajduk Split in 2005...
in a game against Croatia under-21sThe Croatia national under-21 football team, also known as Croatia under-21 or Croatia U21 is a youth association football national team which represents Croatia at this age level and is a feeder team for the Croatia national football team....
. However, he did manage to make 24 appearances for the U21s in total, making him one of the ten most-capped Englishmen at this level.
Despite being of Jamaican and Irish descent, he has so far opted to represent EnglandThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
internationally; although he has played at under-21 level, he has not played for the senior team. In March 2011 Pennant revealed that though he would still "love to play for England", he had made the Football Association of IrelandThe Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
aware that he was interested in representing the Republic of IrelandThe Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
, saying "if I've got a chance to play international football with Ireland, I'm going to take it with both hands".
Career statistics
| Club |
Season |
League
Jermaine Lloyd Pennant (born 15 January 1983) is a footballer who plays for Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
in the Premier League.
Born in NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, Pennant played for his local side Notts CountyNotts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
as a youngster. He earned promising reviews in the youth team at County and ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
signed him in 1999. He struggled to make much of an impact at the North LondonNorth London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
club and spent time on loan at WatfordWatford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, Leeds UnitedLeeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
and Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
before joining the latter permanently. While an Arsenal player, he won 24 caps for the England under-21England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
team. He gained notoriety in 2005, when he had to play a match while on probation—he played while wearing an electronic tagElectronic tagging is a form of non-surreptitious surveillance consisting of an electronic device attached to a person or vehicle, especially certain criminals, allowing their whereabouts to be monitored. In general, devices locate themselves using GPS and report their position back to a control...
following a drink-drivingDriving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
conviction. Following Birmingham's relegation in 2006 Pennant signed for LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for a fee of £6.7 million. He won the 2006 FA Community ShieldThe 2006 FA Community Shield was a football match played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 13 August 2006 between the 2005–06 FA Premier League champions Chelsea and 2005–06 FA Cup winners Liverpool. Liverpool won the match 2–1, with goals coming from John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch...
and also played a vital role in the clubs run to the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League final.
However off the field problems continued to affect him and consequently led to him being left out of the side. He joined PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
on loan before leaving to join Spanish side Real ZaragozaReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
in 2009. His time in Spain was overshadowed by disciplinary problems. He returned to the Premier League for the 2010–11 season signing on loan at MidlandsThe Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
club Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. Following a successful loan spell he signed a permanent contract at Stoke in December 2010.
Early years
Jermaine Pennant was born in The MeadowsThe Meadows is an area of Nottingham, England located south of the city centre.- Overview :The area is close to the River Trent and is connected to West Bridgford in the Borough of Rushcliffe by Trent Bridge and the Wilford Suspension Bridge...
area of NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England. His father was of JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n descent, his mother is British. His father Gary was a semi-professional footballer who inspired Pennant to play. His mother died from cancer when he reached three years of age. As a result, he helped raise his younger siblings, two sisters and one brother. Pennant recalls how as a child his favorite toy was a football, and how it rarely left his side.
Pennant, who grew up in a crime and drug infested neighborhood, credits football for saving him from a life of crime. When he was 14, he moved away from home and was living with YTSThe Youth Training Scheme was the former name in the United Kingdom of an on-the-job training course for school leavers aged 16 and 17, managed by the Manpower Services Commission...
players who were 16,17, and 18. Notts County provided Pennant a safe haven.
Arsenal
Pennant was signed at the age of 15 by ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
from Notts CountyNotts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
for £2 million, a record fee for a trainee at the time, but failed to fulfil his promise amidst a string of disciplinary problems.
Pennant's career seemed promising following his move to Arsenal. He made his debut aged 16 years and 319 days against MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in the League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
on 30 November 1999, making him Arsenal's youngest-ever first team player, beating Gerry Ward's long-standing record by two days. Pennant's record has since been surpassed by Cesc FàbregasFrancesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
and Jack WilshereJack Andrew Garry Wilshere is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Arsenal and the England national team....
. He continued to make League Cup appearances over the next few seasons, but had to wait two-and-a-half years for his league debut, as a substitute against West Ham UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
on 24 August 2002 in the Premier League.
At first, Pennant became homesick. After that subsided, he began to get sick from not playing. It affected him greatly. He played for Arsenal for seven years and only made five starts including the hat-trick on his full league debut, against SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in May 2003. However, these were also his only Arsenal league goals and he did not manage to secure a regular place in an Arsenal side that went on a run of 49 consecutive games without defeat. Arsenal manager Arsène WengerArsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
appeared to have eventually lost patience with Pennant, who had a history of turning up late to training. Between 2002 and 2004, Pennant spent time on loan at WatfordWatford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
and Leeds UnitedLeeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. Pennant received regular first-team action at Leeds, who were relegated at the conclusion of the 2003–04 season.
Birmingham City
Pennant was loaned to Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
for the 2004–05 season. During his spell at Birmingham, he was arrested and convicted for drink-driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. Despite his conviction, Pennant signed a permanent contract with Birmingham in April 2005. Following the 2005–06 season, Birmingham were relegated to the ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, and speculation grew that Pennant would leave the club.
Liverpool
Pennant signed for Liverpool on 26 July 2006, on a four year contract for a fee of £6.7 million, potentially rising to £8 million with add-ons. After impressing in pre-season, Pennant made his LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
debut against Maccabi HaifaMaccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football team from the city of Haifa, a section of Maccabi Haifa sports club. The club has won 12 championships, 5 State Cups and 4 Toto Cups...
in a Champions' LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
3rd round qualifying match at Anfield where he went on to win the fans' Star Man award. On 20 January 2007, he scored his first goal for Liverpool in their 2–0 home victory over Chelsea in the Premier League. On 31 March, Pennant participated in a 4–1 win against his former club Arsenal. After not being chosen for the England squad to play Israel and Andorra in March 2007, Pennant expressed the lack of recognition from England manager, Steve McClarenStephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
, as 'frustrating'.
Pennant started the 2007–08 season in good form, putting in strong performances on either flank as Liverpool reached the top of the league table in the first month. He was however, again ignored by McClaren for the England team in their European qualifying matches against Israel and Russia, despite the backing of Liverpool manager Benitez. As Liverpool struggled to regain their good early season form following the international break, Pennant too could not maintain his form. On 18 September 2007, Pennant was sent off against FC Porto in Liverpool's opening Champions League match of the season.
In January 2009, Pennant was loaned out to PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, where he spent the second half of the 2008–09 season. He played 13 league games for Portsmouth without scoring a goal. Pennant was not offered a new contract by Liverpool following his return, and subsequently became a free agent when his contract expired on 1 July 2009.
Real Zaragoza
On 9 July 2009, Pennant passed a medical and signed a three year deal at Real ZaragozaReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
.
He made his La Liga debut first round of the season, and played for 71 minutes in Zaragoza's 1–0 win over CD TenerifeClub Deportivo Tenerife, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in Tenerife . Founded in 1922, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, with a 24,000-seat capacity.-History:Club Deportivo Tenerife was founded in...
.
The team had languished near the bottom of the table all season and his performances had also come into question, as he looked uncomfortable and still seemed unfamiliar with his soundings. On 24 February 2010, he was reprimanded by coach José Aurelio GayJosé Aurelio Gay López is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a midfielder, and a current coach.Gay was associated with Zaragoza throughout his career, serving the club as both a player and manager.-Playing career:...
after turning up late for training three times in the space of two weeks; he was sent home on the third occasion and disciplined. He never played for "La BlanquillosReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
" again.
Stoke City
On 31 August 2010, the final day of the summer transfer window, Pennant agreed a 4-month loan deal with Premier League side Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. Pennant made his debut for Stoke as a substitute in the Potters home game against Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
on 13 September 2010. Manager Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
has indicated that he will look to make Pennant's loan switch permanent in the January transfer window. Pennant also expressed his desire to stay at Stoke after his loan spell.
Pennant joined Stoke on a permanent transfer on 29 December 2010 signing a two and a half year contract for an initial fee of £1.725 million which could eventually rise to £2.8 million in the future.
{{Quote|"I think everyone knows how I feel about being at this football club. The supporters, players and management have been absolutely fantastic to me over these past four months and I desperately wanted to stay here because I love it so much. I know I have only been here a few months, but it really does feel like I have been here for years. The atmosphere around the place is brilliant, so I am looking forward to the fact that I am here at Stoke now for the long term and back in the best league in the world."|Pennant on his permanent transfer to Stoke City.}}
Following his transfer manager Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
stated that Pennant must not become complacent. He scored his first goal for Stoke in a 4–0 win over Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in March 2011, contributed an assist in their 5–0 defeat of Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
in the FA Cup Semi-finalThe 2010–11 FA Cup was the 130th season of the world's oldest association football knock-out competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short...
, and scored his second goal of the season as they beat Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
3–0 a week later. He also scored against his former club ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
Pennant was handed the number 7 shirt prior to the start of the 2011–12 season. However he reverted back to number 16 as a large number of fans had already purchased a replica shirt with his name and old number on the back.
International career
Whilst on the England under-21England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
team, he was sent home by coach Howard WilkinsonHoward Wilkinson is a former English football player and manager, and has recently stepped down as a Non-Executive Director at Sheffield Wednesday after formerly relinquishing the chairman role to Milan Mandaric...
for breaking a curfew before an important game against Turkey. He later apologised for his actions. He also was sent off for punching Niko KranjčarNiko Kranjčar is a Croatian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur and the Croatia national team.He represented two of the biggest clubs in his homeland, playing for Dinamo Zagreb before sparking controversy by making a move to their fierce rivals Hajduk Split in 2005...
in a game against Croatia under-21sThe Croatia national under-21 football team, also known as Croatia under-21 or Croatia U21 is a youth association football national team which represents Croatia at this age level and is a feeder team for the Croatia national football team....
. However, he did manage to make 24 appearances for the U21s in total, making him one of the ten most-capped Englishmen at this level.
Despite being of Jamaican and Irish descent, he has so far opted to represent EnglandThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
internationally; although he has played at under-21 level, he has not played for the senior team. In March 2011 Pennant revealed that though he would still "love to play for England", he had made the Football Association of IrelandThe Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
aware that he was interested in representing the Republic of IrelandThe Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
, saying "if I've got a chance to play international football with Ireland, I'm going to take it with both hands".
Career statistics
| Club |
Season |
League{{ref label|League|A|} |
}
!colspan="2"|FA Cup
!colspan="2"|League Cup
!colspan="2"|Europe
!colspan="2"|Other{{ref label|League|B|}}
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|Notts CountyNotts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
|1998–99
|0||0||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||1||0||2||0
|-
!Total
!0!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!1!!0!!2!!0
|-
|rowspan="6" valign="center"|ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
|1999–2000During the 1999–2000 English football season, Arsenal competed in the FA Premier League .-Season summary:Arsenal finished Premiership runners-up for the second season running...
|0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
|2000–01During the 2000–01 English football season, Arsenal competed in the FA Premier League .-Season summary:...
|0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
|2001–02During the 2001–02 English football season, Arsenal competed in the FA Premier League...
|0||0||0||0||3||0||2||0||0||0||5||0
|-
|2002–03
|5||3||0||0||1||0||1||0||0||0||7||3
|-
|2004–05
|7||0||1||0||3||0||0||0||1||0||12||0
|-
!Total
!12!!3!!1!!0!!9!!0!!3!!0!!1!!0!!26!!3
|-
|rowspan="3"|WatfordWatford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
(loan)
|2001–02
|9||2||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–|||9||2
|-
|2002–03The 2002–03 season marked Watford Football Club's third consecutive season in the Football League First Division, following relegation from the Premier League in the 1999–2000 season. The club was managed by its former reserve team manager Ray Lewington, following the dismissal of Gianluca Vialli...
|12||0||2||1||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||14||1
|-
!Total
!21!!2!!2!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!23!!3
|-
|rowspan="2"|Leeds UnitedLeeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
(loan)
|2003–04* Tottenham-Leeds 2-1* 0-1 Alan Smith * 1-1 Mauricio Taricco * 2-1 Frédéric Kanouté * Middlesbrough-Leeds 2-3* 0-1 Lamine Sakho * 1-1 Szilárd Németh * 2-1 Juninho * 2-2 Zoumana Camara * 2-3 Mark Viduka...
|36||2||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||36||2
|-
!Total
!36!!2!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!36!!2
|-
|rowspan="3" valign="center"|Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
|2004–05The 2004–05 season was Birmingham City Football Club's third season in the Premier League and their 52nd in the top tier of the English football league system. It ran from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005. Led by former player Steve Bruce, the team finished in 12th place, two places lower than the...
|12||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||12||0
|-
|2005–06-September:-October:-November:-December:-January:-February:-March:-April–May:-League table :-Results summary:-Results by round:-FA Cup:-League Cup:-In:...
|38||2||6||0||4||1||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||48||3
|-
!Total
!50!!2!!6!!0!!4!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!60!!3
|-
|rowspan="4" valign="center"|LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
|2006–07
|34||1||1||0||2||0||14||0||1||0||52||1
|-
|2007–08
|18||2||2||0||0||0||5||0||0||0||25||2
|-
|2008–09
|3||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||4||0
|-
!Total
!55!!3!!3!!0!!3!!0!!19!!0!!1!!0!!81!!3
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
(loan)
|2008–09
|13||0||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–|||14||0
|-
!Total
!13!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!14!!0
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|Real ZaragozaReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
|2009–10- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
|25||0||1||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–|||26||0
|-
!Total
!25!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!26!!0
|-
|rowspan="3" valign="center"|Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
|2010–11The 2010–11 season was the 148th season in Stoke City F.C.s history, their third in the Premier League and 111th in the league system of English football. Their 11th place finish in the 2009–10 season means it is their third successive season in the Premier League...
|29||3||6||0||1||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–|||36||3
|-
|2011–12The 2011–12 season is the 149th season in Stoke City F.C.s history, their fourth in the Premier League and 112th in the league system of English football. Their 13th place finish in the 2010–11 season means it is their fourth successive season in the Premier League...
|12||0||0||0||2||0||5||0||colspan="2"|–|||19||0
|-
!Total
!41!!3!!6!!0!!3!!0!!5!!0!!0!!0!!55!!3
|-
!colspan="2"|Career total
!253!!15!!21!!1!!19!!1!!27!!0!!3!!0!!323!!17
|}
Honours
ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
:
- FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
: 2004The 2004 FA Community Shield was the 82nd FA Community Shield, a football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions...
- FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
: 2001
LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
- FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
: 2006The 2006 FA Community Shield was a football match played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 13 August 2006 between the 2005–06 FA Premier League champions Chelsea and 2005–06 FA Cup winners Liverpool. Liverpool won the match 2–1, with goals coming from John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch...
- UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
Runner-up: 2006–07
Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
:
- 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...
runner-up: 2010–11The 2010–11 FA Cup was the 130th season of the world's oldest association football knock-out competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short...
Style of play
Pennant plays as a right winger who has been descried by former Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
left-back José EnriqueJosé Enrique Sánchez Díaz , more commonly known as José Enrique, is a Spanish footballer who plays for Liverpool as a left-back.-Early career:...
as quick and strong with similar style to that of Aaron LennonAaron Justin Lennon is an English footballer who plays as a right winger for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and the England national team.-Early life:...
and Theo WalcottTheo James Walcott is an English footballer of Jamaican descent who plays for Arsenal and the England national team. Walcott is a product of the Southampton F.C. Academy. He is a striker who is usually deployed on the right wing as a wide forward to exploit his speed...
. Pennant is also able to use skill to beat opponents Full backs.
Personal life
In February 2004, Pennant was given a sixteen month ban from driving after being seen driving in the wrong lane in Paddington, West London. On 23 January 2005, Pennant was arrested and charged with drink-driving after crashing his MercedesMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
into a lamp-post in AylesburyAylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
, while serving a sixteen month driving ban and uninsured. During questioning, Pennant initially identified himself as his friend Ashley ColeAshley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
. Pennant pleaded guilty to drink-driving and driving whilst disqualified, and he was sentenced to ninety days in prison on 1 March. He was released on parole after 30 days and immediately returned to playing for Birmingham, although he had to wear an electronic tagElectronic tagging is a form of non-surreptitious surveillance consisting of an electronic device attached to a person or vehicle, especially certain criminals, allowing their whereabouts to be monitored. In general, devices locate themselves using GPS and report their position back to a control...
at all times, including while on the pitch. It emerged during the trial that he was illiterate.
In 2007, Pennant began dating glamour model Amii GroveAmii Anne J. Grove is an English glamour model and Page Three Girl. She has appeared in publications such as The Sun, Nuts, Zoo Weekly and FHM.-Life and career:...
. Following a domestic disturbance in July 2007, Pennant was arrested for a Section 5 public order offence — using words or behaviour likely to cause distress — for which he had to pay a fixed penalty fine. According to Grove, she ended the relationship upon finding CCTV footage of Pennant cheating, and "took revenge by destroying £200,000 of his designer gear". In December 2008 Pennant's front gates at his home in CheshireCheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
was ram-raided by burglars in an attempted robbery.
Until January 2008, Pennant was dating HollyoaksHollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
actress Jennifer MetcalfeJennifer Joanne Metcalfe is an English actress and model. She joined the cast of soap opera Hollyoaks in June 2006, playing feisty Mercedes McQueen.-Personal life:...
. In October 2008, he reunited with former girlfriend Amii Grove following the death of her army officer brother and became engaged. Soon afterwards, Pennant's father Gary was convicted on drug dealing charges and sentenced to four years imprisonment. In early 2009, Pennant and Grove broke up and Pennant began dating Metcalfe again. Following his move to Spain, Pennant broke up with Metcalfe but the pair remain friends.
He recently made headlines when his PorschePorsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
had been found abandoned at a railway station in ZaragozaZaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
with several months worth of parking tickets.
Pennant became engaged to Lara Murphy. and they have a son called Trey who was born in August 2010. The relationship ended with Lara Murphy when his son was a year old and he started a relationship with glamour model Alice GoodwinAlice Goodwin is a glamour model from Stoke-on-Trent, England.Alice Goodwin attended Newcastle-under-Lyme School and later on Keele University studying English and Education before she was discovered by talent scouts from Daily Star while sunbathing on Bournemouth beach...
.
External links
{{commons category}}
{{England U21 Squad Euro 2002}}
{{Stoke City F.C. squad}}
{{Persondata
|NAME= Pennant, Jermaine Lloyd
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Pennant, Jermaine
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= footballer
|DATE OF BIRTH= 1983-1-15
|PLACE OF BIRTH= NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pennant, Jermaine}}
| |