Kyle Letheren

Kyle Letheren
Personal information
Full name Kyle Charles Letheren
Date of birth (1987-12-26) 26 December 1987
Place of birth Llanelli, Wales
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Blackpool
Number 23
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2003–2006 Swansea City 0 (0)
2005 → Newport County (loan) 2 (0)
2006–2009 Barnsley 0 (0)
2009 → Doncaster Rovers (loan) 0 (0)
2009 Plymouth Argyle 0 (0)
2010–2013 Kilmarnock 11 (0)
2013–2015 Dundee 56 (0)
2015– Blackpool 5 (0)
National team‡
2007 Wales U21 1 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:10, 2 October 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14:59, 27 August 2014 (UTC)

Kyle Charles Letheren (born 26 December 1987 in Llanelli) is a Welsh professional footballer who currently plays for Blackpool. He is the son of former Leeds United goalkeeper Glan Letheren.

Career

Career in England

Letheren began his career as a trainee at Swansea City, spending time on-loan at Newport County in 2005,[1] but he didn't make an appearance for the first-team before being released in the summer of 2006.

He subsequently joined Barnsley.[2] Having arrived at Barnsley on a short term deal, Letheren then signed a new deal to keep him at Oakwell until 2008[3] Two years after joining the club, he made his debut in the 3rd round of the FA Cup against Blackpool on 5 January 2008, as a half-time substitute, replacing the injured Heinz Müller. At 1–0 down 'the Tykes' went on to win the game 2–1, giving Letheren his first clean sheet on his debut. Barnsley that year went on to beat Liverpool & Chelsea and reached the FA Cup semi-finals

He was loaned to Doncaster Rovers for the second-half of the 2008–2009 season as cover for veteran goalkeeper Neil Sullivan,[4] but he didn't make an appearance for them.

He was released from his contract in the summer of 2009[5] and then signed a short-term contract with Plymouth Argyle in the Championship to provide cover for Romain Larrieu.[6]

On 31 December 2009, Letheren was released from Plymouth Argyle after his contract expired.[7] In April 2010, he agreed to join Motherwell until the end of the season as an emergency goalkeeper,[8] but the Scottish Premier League blocked the move as they were deemed to have enough goalkeepers.[9] He remained at Fir Park to train with the squad for the remainder of the season.

Kilmarnock

Letheren signed for Kilmarnock in August 2010, to provide backup to Cammy Bell.[10] Letheren failed to make an appearance for Kilmarnock in his first season, mostly down to the form of Bell. In 2011–12, he was handed his Scottish Premier League debut as a half time substitute for the injured Bell, ironically against Motherwell, at 0–0 and Kilmarnock went on to win the game 2–0. Later that year he was handed his full SPL debut away to Dunfermline, in a 2–1 win.

During the 2012–2013 season, Cammy Bell suffered an injury leading to Letheren having a run in the first team. That run lasted until mid-October, when Bell returned. His second run in the first team came in early-February, when he played twice, he was involved in a 2–0 win over motherwell & in what was his last appearance for the club, a 1–1 draw against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.[11]

With his contract due to expire at the end of the season, he left Kilmarnock by mutual consent in April 2013.[12]

Dundee

After leaving Kilmarnock, Letheren was linked with a move to South African side Ajax Cape Town.[13] Letheren went on trial with Dundee, with Manager John Brown saying he had done well.[14] After making an appearance in a pre-season friendly, as a trialist, during which he suffered a thigh injury,[15] it was then announced on 9 July 2013, that Letheren had signed a contract with Dundee.[16]

Letheren played as first-choice goalkeeper for Dundee throughout all of the 2013–2014 season. He was voted supporter's association Player of the Year after pulling off a match-winning save in the dying moment of the final game of the season to secure Dundee the Scottish Championship title.[17] Letheren played the first ten matches at the start of the 2014–15 season before injuring his knee in a warm up against Motherwell.[18] It was later announced that he would be out until December.[19] After making his return against Partick Thistle and St Mirren, Letheren was once again sidelined after suffering an injury in the warm-up ahead of the Dundee derby against Dundee United, which allowed Arvid Schenk to take his place, although Schenk went on to concede six goals, in a 6–2 loss.[20] Though he recovered from his injury, Letheren lost his first choice goalkeeper status to Scott Bain throughout the season. However, Letheren was given a chance to play the last three matches at the end of the season following Bain's injury.[21]

At the end of the 2014–15 season, it was announced that Letheren was being released by the club upon the expiry of his contract.[22] Following his release, Letheren was linked with a move to Championship side Bristol City.[23] Letheren explained the reason for his release, saying he wanted regular first team football in the hope of securing a place in the national team.[24]

Blackpool

Letheren returned to England, agreeing a deal to join League One side Blackpool on 1 July 2015, signing a two-year contract, with an option for a further year.[25]

International career

Letheren has represented Wales at schoolboy level and at under-21 level.[26]

On 27 August 2014, Wales manager Chris Coleman announced his first Euro 2016 qualifying squad and Letheren was called up to the squad for their first qualifying match in Andorra after an impressive start to the 2014–2015 season with Dundee in which he conceded just two goals in four league matches.[27]

Honours

Kilmarnock
Dundee

References

  1. ↑ "Swansea loan Letheren to Newport". BBC Sport. 25 November 2005. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  2. ↑ "Letheren pens Tykes deal". Sky Sports. 4 August 2006. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  3. ↑ "Fresh deals for Tykes duo". Sky Sports. 8 March 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "Doncaster sign Letheren on loan". BBC Sport. 27 January 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  5. ↑ "Quartet to leave Oakwell". Sky Sports. 7 May 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  6. ↑ "Plymouth sign goalkeeper Letheren". BBC Sport. 7 August 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  7. ↑ "Pilgrims let trio leave". Sky Sports. 1 January 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  8. ↑ "Goalkeeper Kyle Letheren agrees Motherwell deal". BBC Sport. 12 April 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "SPL block Letheren's Motherwell move". STV. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Goalkeeper Kyle Letheren joins Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. 10 August 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  11. ↑ "Inverness CT 1-1 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. 13 February 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  12. ↑ "Goalkeeper Kyle Letherem ends three-year spell with Kilmarnock". Sky Sports. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  13. ↑ "Ajax consider Welsh keeper". Kick Off. 8 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  14. ↑ "Dundee boss John Brown has to wait before making any signings". The Courier. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  15. ↑ "Dark Blues boss impressed as trialists get among goals". The Courier. 9 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  16. ↑ "Kyle is a Dee". Dundee FC. 9 July 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  17. ↑ "DE VRIES TROPHY IN SAFE HANDS". Dundee FC. 4 May 2014. Archived from the original on 25 June 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  18. ↑ "Motherwell 1 – 3 Dundee". BBC Sport. 18 October 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  19. ↑ "Keeper blow for Dundee as Letheren ruled out until December". Evening Telegraph. 22 October 2014. Archived from the original on 25 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  20. ↑ "Dundee United 6–2 Dundee". BBC Sport. 1 January 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  21. ↑ "Dundee keeper Bain’s season over but door opens for Roberts". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 13 May 2015. Archived from the original on 25 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  22. ↑ "Dundee confirm goalkeeper Kyle Letheren's exit". BBC Sport. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  23. ↑ "BRISTOL CITY OFFER EX-DUNDEE KEEPER KYLE LETHEREN CONTRACT". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 2 June 2015. Archived from the original on 25 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  24. ↑ "Former Swan Kyle Letheren weighing up offers as he eyes Euro 2016". South Wales Evening Post. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  25. ↑ "Letheren pens deal". Blackpool F.C.'s official website. 12 June 2015. Archived from the original on 25 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  26. ↑ "Letheren steps up". Wales Online. 30 May 2005. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  27. ↑ "Dundee keeper Kyle Letheren in line for Wales call-up". The Courier. 27 August 2014.

External links

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