Patrick Kisnorbo
Encyclopedia
Patrick Fabio Maxime Kisnorbo (born 24 March 1981) is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n football (soccer) player of Mauritian
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...

 and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 heritage who plays for Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds 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...

 in The Championship
Football League Championship
The 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...

 of the English
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...

 Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...

. Kisnorbo is also an Australian
Australia national football (soccer) team
The Australia national association football team represents Australia in international association football competitions. Its official nickname is the "Socceroos"...

 international with 18 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...

 to his name. Also known by his nickname Paddy. He is the vice-captain at Leeds.

Kisnorbo plays at centre-back but in the past he has also played as a defensive midfielder. He was a fans' favourite at Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...

, accumulating over 100 appearances in his four years at the club. During his time with Leicester, he was at the centre of a number of refereeing controversies in which officiating calls were later shown to be wrong. He has also suffered some injuries that affected his playing ability for a time. Kisnorbo has represented Australia at international level in three tournaments; the 2002
2002 OFC Nations Cup
-Results:-Match Schedule:-------------------- and progress to the knockout tournament.-Results:-Match Schedule:-------------------- and progress to the knockout tournament.-Knockout Rounds:-Semi-Finals:----...

 and 2004 Oceania Nations (OFC) Cup
2004 OFC Nations Cup
The 2004 OFC Nations Cup doubled as the qualification tournament to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, except the two-legged final ....

s and the 2007 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup
2007 AFC Asian Cup
The Asian Football Confederation's 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals were held from July 7 to July 29, 2007. For the first time in its history, the competition was co-hosted by four nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The tournament was won by first-time champions Iraq, who defeated Saudi...

. He started his professional career at South Melbourne
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...

 and later played for the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 club Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...

 before joining Leicester and then transferring to Leeds United.

Kisnorbo won the 2009-10 fans Player of The Season award and also the Players Player Award for Leeds United in his debut season. During his first 2 years at Leeds, Kisnorbo wore a headband bandage when playing football as 'tradition' after initially wearing it after suffering a head injury on his Leeds debut.

Early life

Patrick Kisnorbo was born in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

 to a Mauritian
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...

 father and an Italian mother who was from Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...

. Because of his mother's birth, Kisnorbo holds an Italian passport, which allows him to bypass European Union work permit restrictions.

Career

Kisnorbo began playing football as a youth in his hometown with Essendon City
Essendon Royals
FC Bulleen Lions is an Australian association football club from Bulleen, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.The Essendon Royals senior team merged with the Veneto Social Club at the start of the 2008 season. The Essendon Royals then became the Bulleen Royals, then the FC Bulleen Lions...

 and Bulleen
Bulleen Zebras
Whittlesea Zebras is an Australian association football club based in Epping, Melbourne. The Zebras play in the Victorian Premier League....

. He then played in the South Melbourne
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...

 youth team for two seasons before being selected for the senior team, which was competing in the now defunct National Soccer League
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...

.

Hearts

Following the collapse of the Australian National Soccer League, he made his move from South Melbourne
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...

 to the Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

-based Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...

 club Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...

 in July 2003, signing a two-year contract. He was recommended to Hearts by former player Dave McPherson. Kisnorbo quickly became a regular for the first team where he made 48 appearances in two seasons, scoring his only league goal in a 2–1 win over Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...

 on 24 October 2004.

Kisnorbo also played in the UEFA Cup against such clubs as Bordeaux
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux is a French association football club based in the city of Bordeaux. The club currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football, and won its last Ligue 1 title in the 2008–09 season....

, Feyenoord, FC Schalke and Ferencváros, and scored a goal against Portuguese club SC (Sporting Club) Braga
SC Braga
Sporting Clube de Braga , commonly known as Sporting de Braga or just Braga, is a Portuguese sports club, from the city of Braga. Its football team plays at the AXA Stadium, also known as The Quarry, which was built for UEFA Euro 2004...

. He spent 18 months at Hearts, playing a total of 64 competitive games, before his contract expired at the end of the 2004–05 season. It was not renewed by the club.

Leicester City

Kisnorbo joined Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...

 in April 2005 after leaving Hearts, signing a pre-contract agreement in January. He followed former Hearts boss Craig Levein
Craig Levein
Craig William Levein is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager of the Scotland national team. During his playing career he played for Cowdenbeath and Heart of Midlothian...

, teammates Mark de Vries
Mark de Vries
Mark de Vries is a Dutch footballer currently playing for Dutch Jupiler League club SC Cambuur.- Early career :...

 and Alan Maybury
Alan Maybury
Alan Paul Maybury is an Irish footballer currently playing for St. Johnstone.-Leeds:As a youngster Maybury was linked to Rangers and was anecdotally the first player from the Republic of Ireland to be offered a youth contract. However he decided to start his senior career at Leeds United...

 across the border to the Midlands
English Midlands
The 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.

Kisnorbo's first goal for Leicester came on 15 October 2005 against Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford 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...

 at Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road, a stadium in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, is the home of the football club Watford and their tenants, the Saracens rugby union club. An all-seater stadium, its current capacity is 17,477.-History:...

, which turned out to be the match winner. His initial appearances for Leicester were as a midfielder, and at first he failed to adjust and was booed by his own fans during a 2–1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...

. However, a move back to defence resulted in a change in fortunes for Kisnorbo, and his partnership with then-teammate Paddy McCarthy was instrumental in helping Leicester avoid relegation to League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....

 that season.

Transfer speculation linked Kisnorbo to Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...

 at the end of the 2005–06 season season, but he decided to extend his stay with Leicester by signing a new three-year contract, less than 12 months after joining the club. Kisnorbo began the 2006–07 season well, scoring two goals and putting in fine rear-guard displays against Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...

 and Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...

, helping the club survive relegation yet again. He was linked with a move to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...

 during the January transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...

. His performance in the 2006–07 season earned him the players' player of the season award from his teammates. It was also at this point that he became a fan favourite.

2007–08 season

In the 2007–08 season, Kisnorbo was relegated to League One with the club, but was also on the receiving end of no less than three controversial refereeing decisions. His first was a goal against Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....

 on 20 October, which referee Scott Mathieson ruled out for an offside, depriving Leicester of an away win. Video replay showed that Kisnorbo's disallowed goal was actually onside, greatly frustrating him, while Leicester coach Gerry Taggart
Gerry Taggart
Gerald "Gerry" Taggart is a former professional footballer. On 10 June 2010, he was announced as the new assistant manager at Oldham Athletic.-Manchester City:...

 commented "We have all seen the replay of Patrick's goal in the dressing room and he is clearly not offside." Kisnorbo's second was a red card
Misconduct (football)
Misconduct in association football is any conduct by a player that is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Misconduct may occur at any time, including when the ball is out of play, during half-time and before and after the...

 by referee Phil Joslin
Phil Joslin (referee)
Philip J. Joslin is an English association football referee who operates in the Football League...

 for what the linesman claimed was a foul on Pablo Couñago
Pablo Couñago
Pablo González Couñago is a Spanish footballer who plays as a striker.After having played in 35 La Liga matches for Celta and Málaga scoring three goals – he spent the bulk of his professional career in England with Ipswich Town, where he scored a total of 65 official goals.Couñago represented...

. Joslin awarded Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....

 a penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...

, and Ipswich won 3–1. Joslin admitted his mistake, and had the ban rescinded the following day after video replays showed Kisnorbo actually won the ball outside the penalty area
Penalty area
The penalty area , is an area of an association football pitch. It is rectangular and extends to each side of the goal and in front of it. Within the penalty area is the penalty spot , which is from the goal line, directly in-line with the centre of the goal...

. Leicester's then-manager Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...

 described the sending off as a "complete kerfuffle." The Leicester club was fined £3,000 by The Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...

, however, because of Kisnorbo's teammates angry appeals to Joslin during the game. Kisnorbo's third was another red card by referee Mike Pike
Mike Pike (referee)
Michael S. Pike is an English football referee who officiates in the Football League.-Career:...

 for a foul on Billy Sharp
Billy Sharp
William Louis "Billy" Sharp is an English professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Doncaster Rovers. He is now widely known for playing in a game for Doncaster Rovers against Middlesbrough two days after his two-day-old son's death...

 on 5 April 2008. Pike awarded Sheffield United a penalty kick as they won 3–0. Video replays, however, showed no contact between the two, confirming that Sharp was diving
Diving (football)
In association football, diving is an attempt by a player to gain an unfair advantage by diving to the ground and possibly feigning an injury, to appear as if a foul has been committed. Dives are often used to exaggerate the amount of contact present in a challenge...

. Holloway branded Pike's decision "embarrassing", saying "that was the biggest blunder I've seen in a long time." Leicester also succeeded in their appeal against the second red card.

Further misfortune came when Kisnorbo suffered damaged knee ligaments in 3–1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on 26 April 2008, sidelining him for six months. His injury badly affected Leicester's hopes of surviving in the Championship. He played his 100th game and scored his last ever goal for Leicester in a 2–0 home win over Ipswich on 26 December 2007.

2008–09 season

Kisnorbo returned to action the following season in a 3–0 reserve team win over Rushden and Diamonds on 2 October. He later returned for the first team coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 draw against Oldham Athletic on 18 October 2008. However, he was struck with another ligament injury to his other knee in a 3–0 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...

 win over Stevenage Borough
Stevenage Borough F.C.
Stevenage Football Club is an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club currently participate in League One, the third tier of English football, having won promotion from League Two in the 2010–11 season...

 on 9 November, putting him out for two more months. Kisnorbo made his competitive return as a second half substitute in a 1–0 win over Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...

 on 14 March 2009, but by then was facing competition in the first team from teammates Wayne Brown
Wayne Brown (defender)
Wayne Lawrence Brown is an English footballer, who plays for Bury Town FC-Ipswich:Brown started his career as an apprentice at Ipswich Town, making 40 league appearances for the club and scoring once against Avenir Beggen in the UEFA Cup.-Watford:He had loan spells at Colchester, QPR and Wimbledon...

, Jack Hobbs
Jack Hobbs (footballer)
Jack Hobbs is a professional English football player, currently playing for Hull City.-Lincoln City:From Moulton, a small village near Spalding, Lincolnshire, Hobbs played for Moulton Harrox from the age of 10. The former Spalding Grammar School student left Moulton Harrox a few years later when...

, Michael Morrison
Michael Morrison (footballer)
Michael Brian Morrison is an English footballer currently playing for Charlton Athletic. He plays as a centre-back but can also play as a right-back.-Cambridge United:...

 and Aleksandar Tunchev
Aleksandar Tunchev
Aleksandar Blagov Tunchev is a Bulgarian footballer who plays for Leicester City as a defender.-Bulgaria:Tunchev started his career in his hometown of Pazardzhik with local team Hebar. After that he played for Belasitsa Petrich, later joining Lokomotiv Plovdiv in June, 2002...

. He started just three games in the second half of the season, which saw the club secure their promotion as League One champions.
It was reported on 28 April that manager Nigel Pearson
Nigel Pearson
Nigel Graham Pearson is an English football manager and former professional player. He is currently in his second spell as manager of Leicester City, having previously managed Hull City, Southampton and Carlisle United, and been assistant manager for England Under-21s and Newcastle United...

 told Kisnorbo he could leave on a free transfer the following summer as the club began their preparations for their Championship
Football League Championship
The 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...

 campaign the following season. Leicester on 29 May released Kisnorbo at the end of his contract, along with Paul Henderson, Marc Edworthy
Marc Edworthy
Marc Edworthy is a former English professional footballer. He started out playing as a right winger before being moved to right back...

, Bruno N'Gotty
Bruno N'Gotty
Bruno N'Gotty is a French football player of Cameroonian ancestry who last played for English club Leicester City. Initially a player at his home team Olympique Lyonnais, he later played for Paris Saint-Germain, A.C...

 and Barry Hayles
Barry Hayles
Barrington Edward "Barry" Hayles is a footballer who plays for Conference South club Truro City as a striker, having previously played for Stevenage Borough, Bristol Rovers, Fulham, Sheffield United, Millwall, Plymouth Argyle, Leicester City and Cheltenham Town...

. Kisnorbo stated he was "very disappointed to have been released", and made it clear that he wanted "to show Leicester next season what they are missing because I'm desperate to stay in the Championship." He had trials with Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...

 and Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...

, but was unable to secure a move to either club.

2009–10 season

On 22 July 2009, Kisnorbo signed for Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds 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...

 on a two-year contract. He made his debut in a 2–1 win over Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...

 on 8 August. On his debut Kisnorbo suffered a head wound which required stitches, after receiving stitches to the wound off the pitch he came out wearing a head bandage. After playing for Australia on 12 August, Kisnorbo became Leeds's 100th full international player. Whilst at Leeds he has made himself a fans favourite for his solid performances and his brave style of play. Since suffering a head injury, which required 12 stitches, in the first game of the season Kisnorbo has worn a protective headband
Headband
A headband is a clothing accessory worn in the hair or around the forehead, usually to hold hair away from the face or eyes. Headbands generally consist of a loop of elastic material or a horseshoe-shaped piece of flexible plastic or metal...

. He rejected plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...

 to avoid losing his place in the team: "I can't see myself going for [surgery] at the moment because I've got bigger things to worry about than getting this sorted."

Kisnorbo scored his first goal for Leeds against Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...

, having returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous game against Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...

 having picked up an illness on international duty. His international call ups along with other internationals at Leeds resulted in games against Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...

 and Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....

 being postponed. Kisnorbo missed the games against Kettering Town
Kettering Town F.C.
Kettering Town Football Club are a football club originating in Kettering, Northamptonshire but currently based in the nearby village of Irthlingborough. The club play in the Conference National after winning the Conference North in 2007–08...

, Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...

 and local rivals Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...

 through an injury he picked up in training. He had not recovered from injury to be able to have a part in the squad in the FA Cup replay to Kettering. Instead, the Australia international returned to the Leeds starting line up against Brentford.

Kisnorbo played against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...

 when Leeds won 1–0 away at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...

 on 3 January in the FA Cup, during which he and Richard Naylor
Richard Naylor
Richard Alan Naylor is an English footballer who plays as a centre back for Doncaster Rovers after leaving Leeds United where he had been Captain...

 "bolted the door against the assaults of Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...

 and Dimitar Berbatov
Dimitar Berbatov
Dimitar Ivanov Berbatov is a Bulgarian footballer who plays as a forward for Manchester United. He captained the Bulgarian national team from 2006 to 2010, and is its all-time leading goalscorer and has also won the Bulgarian Footballer of the Year a record seven times, surpassing the number of...

", after which he was described as a hero. Kisnorbo missed the Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...

 Northern Section Final first leg loss against Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....

 with a calf injury. Kisnorbo returned to Leeds' starting lineup, and played the full 90 minutes, in the next game where Leeds earned a 2–2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....

 in the FA Cup.

Kisnorbo was part of the Leeds defence, who were defeated 3–0 by Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...

. Kisnorbo was omitted from the Leeds squad in the next game against Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....

 after being ruled out by injury.

The injury also forced him to miss the FA Cup replay at Elland Road against Tottenham Hotspur, the League One game against Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...

 and the Football League Trophy Northern Section final second leg against Carlisle.

Kisnorbo's season prematurely ended after he suffered a suspected ruptured acchilles tendon against Millwall in March, ending his hopes of playing in Leeds's promotion charge, and also his dream of playing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...

. Leeds as a result signed Neil Collins
Neil Collins
For the Scottish footballer see Neill Collins.Neil Jeffrey Collins is a former Speedway rider...

 on loan from Preston to cover his absence.

In May 2010, he was selected in the Football League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....

 PFA Team of the Year
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...

 for the 2009-10 season. On the final day of the season Kisnorbo was named as the fans Leeds United Player Of The Season and also the Players Player Of The Season. Leeds were promoted to the Football League Championship after finishing in 2nd place in League 1 and thus earning automatic promotion.

2010–11 season

Kisnorbo joined the Leeds squad on the pre season tour of Slovakia despite being injured. Grayson confirmed that Kisnorbo was looking to return from his achilles tendon rupture injury around December/January time meaning he will miss at least half of the 2010/11 season for Leeds. Manager Simon Grayson
Simon Grayson
Simon Nicholas Grayson is a retired English footballer and current manager of Leeds United. He is the elder brother of cricketer Paul Grayson....

 revealed contract talks with Kisnorbo would start once the defender returned from injury and managed to prove his fitness. After having another operation on his injury in October 2010, Grayson said that Kisnorbo was now looking to return later than planned, with an estimated return around February/March 2011.

On 20 November, Grayson reiterated his desire to keep Kisnorbo but stated that he must prove his fitness before being offered a new deal at Leeds. Kisnorbo got an infection on his achilles injury, and stepped up his rehab by going to the USA for treatment. Kisnorbo returned to Leeds' training ground Thorp Arch during mid January. However, on 11 March 2011, it was confirmed that he would not play again in the 2010–11 season. As Kisnorbo's contract expires in June 2011, he would have to try and prove his fitness to the coaching staff at Leeds in the hope of earning a new contract, or be free to join another club. In March 2011, Kisnorbo returned to full training with Leeds after his long spell out injured.

In Leeds' penultimate game of the season against Burnley, Kisnorbo made the provisional squad, however failed to make the substitutes bench. He is hoping to his long injury nightmare in the final game of the season against Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...

 (QPR). On 6 May, Grayson revealed the club were going to offer Kisnorbo a new contract on a short term deal, which if he accepted it would allow him more time to earn a new long term deal once he has proven his fitness. On 7 May, Kisnorbo was named on the bench for Leeds against QPR for the first time he has been involved in a matchday squad since suffering his ruptured achilles tendon. Kisnorbo made his first appearance of the season as a second half substitute against QPR in the final game of the season.

2011–12 season

With Kisnorbo only on a short term contract to prove his fitness, Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...

 and Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....

 were linked with signing the player. Manager Simon Grayson
Simon Grayson
Simon Nicholas Grayson is a retired English footballer and current manager of Leeds United. He is the elder brother of cricketer Paul Grayson....

 then claimed that he was looking for Kisnorbo to prove his fitness before offering him a longer term contract. After completing his injury rehab in his native Australia, Kisnorbo returned to pre-season training for Leeds United a week later than his fellow team mates. After returning from his long injury lay off, and proving his fitness, Kisnorbo signed a new two-year contract at Leeds on 10 July. Kisnorbo revealed he wouldn't be wearing his iconic head bandage for the 2011–12 season as he wanted it to represent a new start for him. Kisnorbo scored the opening goal in the pre-season friendly victory against Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle 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...

. Kisnorbo started for Leeds on the opening day of the season as they suffered a 3–1 defeat against Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton 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...

. It was his first competitive start for Leeds since picking up his injury against Millwall 17 months earlier.

Kisnorbo was handed the captaincy in the absence of suspended captain Jonny Howson on 16 August against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...

. Kisnorbo scored an own goal against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West 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 21 August. Kisnorbo's poor form continued when he was sent off and gave away a penalty for Leeds in the match against Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...

 on 17 September. As a result of the suspension, Kisnorbo missed the League Cup game against fierce rivals Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...

. After a spell out the side due to the partnership of Tom Lees
Tom Lees
Thomas James "Tom" Lees is an English professional footballer, who plays as a defender for Leeds United. Lees has undertaken two season-long loan spells at Bury and Accrington Stanley...

 and Darren O'Dea
Darren O'Dea
Darren O'Dea [pronounced dah-renh-oh-dee] is an Irish footballer who currently plays as a centre back for English Football League Championship club Leeds United after joining on a loan deal from Celtic. O'Dea has represented his country at under-21 level and at senior level...

, Kisnorbo came on as a substitute replacing O'Dea in Leeds' 1–1 draw against Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...

 on 30 October. After starting in the 5–0 loss against Blackpool, Kisnorbo put in an impressive performance against his old side Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...

 on 6 November to help earn Leeds a clean sheet in a 1–0 win.

International career

Kisnorbo was part of Australia's 2001 Youth World Cup
2001 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Argentina between June 17 and July 8, 2001. The 2001 championship was the 13th contested. The tournament took part in six cities, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Salta, and Mar del Plata...

 campaign, playing five matches for the under-20
Australia national under-20 football team
The Australia national under-20 association football team, more commonly known as the Young Socceroos, is controlled by Football Federation Australia and represents Australia in international Under 20 or youth football competitions....

 team in Oceania
Oceania Football Confederation
The Oceania Football Confederation is one of the six continental confederations of international association football, consisting of Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and island nations such as Tonga, Fiji and other Pacific Island countries...

 qualifiers, including a goal against Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea national football team
The Papua New Guinea national football team is the national team of Papua New Guinea and is controlled by the Papua New Guinea Football Association....

. He remained on the squad for the finals, appearing in all the matches leading up to Australia's second-round elimination at the hands of Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...

. His performances in the under-20 level led to his first international appearance on 6 July 2002 against Vanuatu
Vanuatu national football team
The Vanuatu national football team is the national team of Vanuatu and is controlled by the Vanuatu Football Federation.-History:It was known as the New Hebrides national football team until the New Hebrides became Republic of Vanuatu in 1980. It finished fourth in the OFC Nations Cup in 1973,...

 in Australia
Australia national football (soccer) team
The Australia national association football team represents Australia in international association football competitions. Its official nickname is the "Socceroos"...

's first match of the 2002 OFC Nations Cup
2002 OFC Nations Cup
-Results:-Match Schedule:-------------------- and progress to the knockout tournament.-Results:-Match Schedule:-------------------- and progress to the knockout tournament.-Knockout Rounds:-Semi-Finals:----...

. He made three appearances in the tournament including the defeat to New Zealand
New Zealand national soccer team
The New Zealand national football team, nicknamed the All Whites, is the national association football team of New Zealand and is governed by New Zealand Football . The team plays in an all-white strip rather than the traditional New Zealand sporting black due to a former FIFA regulation that...

 in the final.

In 2004 Kisnorbo was again selected for the squad for the Oceania Cup
2004 OFC Nations Cup
The 2004 OFC Nations Cup doubled as the qualification tournament to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, except the two-legged final ....

. In Australia's last group match against Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands national football team
The Solomon Islands national football team is the national team of the Solomon Islands and is controlled by Solomon Islands Football Federation. The team shocked the football world in the 2004 Oceania Nations Cup , tying Australia 2–2 to nip heavily-favored New Zealand for second place and a spot...

 he was sent off for receiving two yellow cards, ending his tournament. He declined to join the "Olyroos
Australia national under-23 football team
The Australia Olympic football team, more commonly known as the Olyroos, is controlled by Football Federation Australia and represents Australia at association football in the Olympic Games...

" squad for an Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...

 preparation tour in July, electing to concentrate on cementing a place at Hearts in the pre-season. This decision harmed his national team aspirations, as he was left out of the squad that eventually lost to Iraq
Iraq national football team
The Iraqi national football team represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They won the 2007 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup tournament.-The Golden Generation:...

 in the quarter-finals.

Kisnorbo made appearances for Australia in friendlies
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...

 against Ghana
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...

, Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...

, China
China national football team
The China PR national football team is the national association football team of the People's Republic of China and is governed by the Chinese Football Association...

 and Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...

. These performances led to his selection for the Australian 2007 AFC Asian Cup
2007 AFC Asian Cup
The Asian Football Confederation's 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals were held from July 7 to July 29, 2007. For the first time in its history, the competition was co-hosted by four nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The tournament was won by first-time champions Iraq, who defeated Saudi...

 squad, playing in the first two group matches against Oman
Oman national football team
The Oman national football team is the national team of Oman. Although the team was officially founded in 1978, the squad was formed long before, and has established a proper football association in only December, 2005...

 and Iraq
Iraq national football team
The Iraqi national football team represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They won the 2007 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup tournament.-The Golden Generation:...

. After Australia tied the first match and lost the second, Kisnorbo was dropped from the starting line-up amongst a host of changes. He played no further part in the tournament as Australia were eventually knocked out by Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...

.

It was widely regarded that Kisnorbo's poor performance at the Asian Cup had ruined his chances of ever returning to international level, and he remained outside the Australian national squad for over two years, however, following admirable performances with his new club Leeds United, Kisnorbo regained his international place in 2009 and started in a 3–0 friendly win over Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The 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....

 on 12 August 2009, nearly scoring a goal in the 22nd minute when his header was saved at pointblank range by goalkeeper Shay Given
Shay Given
Séamus John James "Shay" Given is an Irish footballer who plays for Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland national team as a goalkeeper. He won the PFA's Player of the Year in 2002....

. On 5 September 2009, Kisnorbo scored his first goal for Australia in a game against South Korea. Kisnorbo was subsequently selected in the Australian squad for a friendly against the Netherlands on 10 October 2009.

Kisnorbo's ruptured achilles tendon injury suffered against Millwall in March 2010 ruled him out of the 2010 World Cup for Australia.

In June 2011, Kisnorbo was recalled to the Australia national side for the first time since recovering from his achilles injury when he was called up to train with the national side in a non playing role ahead of the friendly against Serbia
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...

.

National team statistics

|-
|2002||4||0
|-
|2003||0||0
|-
|2004||3||0
|-
|2005||0||0
|-
|2006||1||0
|-
|2007||6||0
|-
|2008||0||0
|-
|2009||4||1
|-
!Total||18||1
|}

Honours

Club
Leeds United
  • League One
    Football League One
    Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....

     Runners Up (Promoted): 2009–10


Leicester City
  • League One Champions: 2008–09


Personal
  • League One PFA Team of the Year
    PFA Team of the Year
    The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...

    : 2009–10
  • Leeds United
    Leeds United A.F.C.
    Leeds 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...

     Fans Player of the Year Award: 2009–10
    2009–10 in English football
    The 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...

  • Leeds United
    Leeds United A.F.C.
    Leeds 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...

     Players' Player of the Year 2009–10
    2009–10 in English football
    The 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...



International
Australia
  • OFC Nations Cup Champions
    OFC Nations Cup
    The OFC Nations Cup is an international association football tournament held among the Oceania Football Confederation member nations. It was held every two years from 1996 to 2004; before 1996 there were two other tournaments held at irregular intervals, under the name Oceania Nations Cup...

    : 2004
    2004 OFC Nations Cup
    The 2004 OFC Nations Cup doubled as the qualification tournament to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, except the two-legged final ....

  • OFC Nations Cup Runners-Up
    OFC Nations Cup
    The OFC Nations Cup is an international association football tournament held among the Oceania Football Confederation member nations. It was held every two years from 1996 to 2004; before 1996 there were two other tournaments held at irregular intervals, under the name Oceania Nations Cup...

    : 2002
    2002 OFC Nations Cup
    -Results:-Match Schedule:-------------------- and progress to the knockout tournament.-Results:-Match Schedule:-------------------- and progress to the knockout tournament.-Knockout Rounds:-Semi-Finals:----...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK