Junior Mendes

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Junior Mendes

| image =

| fullname = Albert Junior Hillyard Andrew Mendes{{cite book|last=Hugman|first=Barry J.|title=The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005|publisher=Queen Anne Press|year=2005|page=424|isbn=1-85291-665-6}}

| height =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|9|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Balham, England

| currentclub = Heart of Midlothian (fitness coach)

| clubnumber =

| position = Striker

| youthyears1= 1993–1995

| youthclubs1= Chelsea

| totalcaps = 356 | totalgoals = 53

| nationalyears1= 2004–2012

| nationalteam1= Montserrat

| nationalcaps1= 7 | nationalgoals1 = 1

}}

Albert Junior Hillyard Andrew Mendes (born 15 September 1976) is an English-born Montserratian former professional footballer and sports scientist who as of 2024, works as Head of Performance for NIFL Premiership side Coleraine.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QibcIacFcpw | title=INTERVIEW | Junior Mendes | 31st January 2024 | website=YouTube | date=31 January 2024 }}

As a player he was a striker from 1995 to 2015. Mendes began his career with Premier League side Chelsea in 1995, but was released at the 95–96 season. He went on to play in the Football League for Carlisle United, Mansfield Town, Huddersfield Town, Northampton Town, Grimsby Town, Notts County, Lincoln City and Aldershot Town, in Scotland with St Mirren, Dunfermline Athletic and Ayr United, and in English Non-league football with Stevenage Borough and Ilkeston Town. He has represented Montserrat seven times, scoring one goal.

Club career

He signed for Stevenage Borough in March 2009 on loan until the end of the 2008–09 season.{{cite news|title=Stevenage sign Aldershot's Mendes|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stevenage/7968610.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 March 2009|accessdate=28 March 2009}} He had a trial with Conference team York City in October 2009,{{cite news|first=Dave|last=Flett|title=Montserrat international Junior Mendes to play for York City reserves|url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/yorkcityfc/4704608.Montserrat_international_Junior_Mendes_to_play_for_York_City_reserves/|work=The Press|date=27 October 2009|accessdate=27 October 2009}} before signing as stand in for one game on non-contract terms for Conference North club Ilkeston Town, to play against Cambridge United in the FA Cup First Round.{{cite news|title=Reds bring in Mendes |url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=62106 |publisher=nonleaguedaily.com |date=6 November 2009 |accessdate=8 November 2009 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925140545/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=62106 |archivedate=25 September 2012 }} Mendes signed for Scottish Football League First Division club Ayr United in November 2009, until mid-January.{{cite news|title=Magic Mendes |url=http://www.ayradvertiser.com/sport/football/articles/2009/11/19/394305-magic-mendes/ |publisher=ayradvertiser.com |first=Stuart |last=McConnell |date=19 November 2009 |accessdate=8 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707202240/http://www.ayradvertiser.com/sport/football/articles/2009/11/19/394305-magic-mendes/ |archivedate= 7 July 2011 }}

Mendes signed for Clydebank in November 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.clydebankpost.co.uk/sport/football/articles/2014/11/14/515895-experienced-mendes-can-help-squad/|title=Experienced Mendes can help squad|author=|date=14 November 2014|website=Clydebank Post|accessdate=29 May 2017}}

Personal life

Mendes studied at University of the West of Scotland completing a MRes in Sport and exercise Science in 2018. Mendes works as a sports scientist{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/from-couva-to-brazil-the-world-cup-story.24527089 |title=From Couva to Brazil: The World Cup story |first=Gary |last=Keown |work=Herald |publisher=Herald & Times Group |date=19 June 2014 |accessdate=4 August 2017}} and was employed as a fitness coach by a number of Scottish clubs, starting with Scottish League One club Partick Thistle in 2015.{{cite web |url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-management/junior-mendes/ |title=Junior Mendes |publisher=Partick Thistle FC |accessdate=4 August 2017}}