Simon Church
{{Short description|Wales international footballer}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Simon Church
| image = Simon Church (cropped).jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption = Church playing for Reading in 2012
| fullname = Simon Richard Church{{Cite book
| editor-first = Barry J.
| editor-last = Hugman
| title = The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11
| year = 2010
| publisher = Mainstream Publishing
| isbn = 978-1-84596-601-0
| page = 83 }}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|12|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Amersham, England
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}
| position = Striker
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = 1998–2003 | youthclubs1 = Wycombe Wanderers
| youthyears2 = 2003–2007 | youthclubs2 = Reading
| years1 = 2007–2013 | clubs1 = Reading | caps1 = 104 | goals1 = 22
| years2 = 2007–2008 | clubs2 = → Crewe Alexandra (loan) | caps2 = 12 | goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2008 | clubs3 = → Yeovil Town (loan) | caps3 = 6 | goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2008 | clubs4 = → Wycombe Wanderers (loan) | caps4 = 9 | goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2009 | clubs5 = → Leyton Orient (loan) | caps5 = 13 | goals5 = 4
| years6 = 2012 | clubs6 = → Huddersfield Town (loan) | caps6 = 7 | goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2013–2015 | clubs7 = Charlton Athletic | caps7 = 55 | goals7 = 5
| years8 = 2015–2016 | clubs8 = Milton Keynes Dons | caps8 = 19 | goals8 = 2
| years9 = 2016 | clubs9 = → Aberdeen (loan) | caps9 = 13 | goals9 = 6
| years10 = 2016–2017 | clubs10 = Roda JC Kerkrade | caps10 = 4 | goals10 = 0
| years11 = 2017–2018 | clubs11 = Scunthorpe United | caps11 = 4 | goals11 = 0
| years12 = 2018 | clubs12 = Plymouth Argyle | caps12 = 2 | goals12 = 0
| totalcaps = 248 | totalgoals = 41
| nationalyears1 = 2007–2010 | nationalteam1 = Wales U21 | nationalcaps1 = 15 | nationalgoals1 = 8
| nationalyears2 = 2009–2016 | nationalteam2 = Wales | nationalcaps2 = 38 | nationalgoals2 = 3
}}
Simon Richard Church (born 10 December 1988) is a retired footballer who last played as a striker for Football League One side Plymouth Argyle.{{cite web|url=https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/2018/january/church-notices/|title=Church Notices}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/wales/44053999|title=Simon Church: Wales striker retires aged 29 because of hip injury|date=9 May 2018|publisher=BBC Sport}}
He spent ten years at Reading after signing for their academy as a teenager. In six years as a professional, he scored 22 goals in 104 league appearances before moving to Charlton Athletic, MK Dons and finally Roda JC Kerkrade. He has also had several loan spells, including six goals in 13 games for Aberdeen.
Church represented the Wales national team at international level. He was capped 38 times, including two appearances at UEFA Euro 2016 where Wales reached the semi-final for the first time in the team's history.
Career
=Reading=
Born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, Church was spotted as a youngster while playing at a youth tournament and joined hometown club Wycombe Wanderers Centre of Excellence as a nine-year-old upon recommendation from the club scout.{{cite news|title=On-loan Blues striker remembers his roots|url=http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/sport/localsport/3647330.On_loan_Blues_striker_remembers_his_roots/|publisher=Bucks Free Press|date=4 September 2008}} Five years later, he joined Reading's Youth Academy at the age of 14, as part of the Nathan Tyson sale to Wycombe.{{cite news|title=Church lights the way for new-look Reading|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2010/01/church_lights_the_way_for_newl.html|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2 January 2010}} He was a regular in Reading's reserve side whilst still in the academy.{{cite news | date=6 July 2007 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1068670,00.html | title=Royals make six Academy signings | work=readingfc.co.uk | access-date=2007-08-22 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070711122129/http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10306~1068670%2C00.html | archive-date=11 July 2007 }} On 6 July 2007, he signed a one-year professional contract with Reading, but did not make a first team appearance that season due to stiff competition from the likes of Dave Kitson and Irish internationals Kevin Doyle and Shane Long.
==Loan moves==
Church joined Crewe Alexandra on loan for one month on 19 October 2007,{{cite news | date=19 October 2007 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crewe_alexandra/7053263.stm | title=Crewe sign Reading striker Church | publisher=BBC Sport | access-date=2007-10-21}} which was subsequently extended to 19 January 2008 following rave reviews.{{cite news |date=9 November 2007 |url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1164177,00.html |title=Striker's loan is extended |work=readingfc.co.uk |access-date=2007-11-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110161923/http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1164177,00.html |archive-date=10 November 2007 }} He was put into the starting XI for Crewe on 20 October 2007 against Luton Town, where he wore the number 31 shirt and assisted Ryan Lowe for Crewe Alexandra's second goal.{{cite news | date=20 October 2007 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/7043080.stm | title=Crewe 2–0 Luton | publisher=BBC Sport | access-date=2007-10-21}} He scored his first goal for Crewe in a 2–2 draw with Cheltenham on 27 October 2007.{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/7054054.stm
|title=Cheltenham 2–2 Crewe
|publisher=BBC
|date=27 October 2007 |access-date=2 January 2010}}
Church joined Yeovil Town on loan for the remainder of the 2007–08 season on 29 January 2008.{{cite news | date=29 January 2008 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1227743,00.html | title=Striker makes loan move | work=readingfc.co.uk | access-date=2008-01-29 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080204172005/http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10306~1227743%2C00.html | archive-date=4 February 2008 }} He followed this with a loan move to his hometown club Wycombe Wanderers at the start of the 2008–09 season.{{cite news |date=24 August 2008 |url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1374095,00.html |title=Church makes Wycombe loan move |work=readingfc.co.uk |access-date=2008-08-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015034924/http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1374095,00.html |archive-date=15 October 2008 }} His original month at the club was cut short due to a sending off and subsequent three match ban, but he later rejoined the club for a further two months on 20 October 2008.
On 17 February 2009 Church joined Leyton Orient, initially on a month's loan, but later extended to the end of the season.{{cite news |date=17 February 2009 |url=http://www.leytonorient.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10439~1559667,00.html |title=O's take Church on loan |work=leytonorient.com |access-date=2009-02-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219181701/http://www.leytonorient.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10439~1559667,00.html |archive-date=19 February 2009 }}
==First-team breakthrough==
Church made his full first team debut for Reading in the play-off semi-final second leg defeat to Burnley on 12 May 2009. With the departures of Doyle and Kitson, he became more of a regular in the first team and soon claimed a starting place at the expense of Long. On 19 September, he scored his first league goal in only his fourth start in a 3–2 defeat to Peterborough United and dedicated it to his father who died earlier that month.{{cite news|title=Simon Church dedicates first Reading FC goal to dad|url=http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/readingfc/s/2057687_simon_church_dedicates_first_reading_fc_league_goal_to_dad|work=Reading Evening Post|date=23 September 2009}} On 2 January 2010, he scored against Premiership side Liverpool in the FA Cup third round as the Royals took a shock lead and held the Merseyside club to a 1–1 draw at the Madejski Stadium.{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/8434010.stm
|title=Reading 1 – 1 Liverpool
|publisher=BBC Sport
|date=2 January 2010
|access-date=2 January 2010}} The Royals went on to win 2–1 in the replay. Four days later, he was offered a new deal and extended his contract until 2013.{{cite news|title=Simon Church pens new three-year Reading deal|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/reading/8441528.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=6 January 2010}} In February, he scored a brace against Crystal Palace in a 3–1 win, which lifted Reading out of the relegation zone.
Midway through the 2011–12 season, Church hit form with four goals in four matches, opening the scoring against Peterborough, getting a brace against promotion contenders West Ham and earning a 0–1 win away at Leeds United with a well taken lob over Andrew Lonergan.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/reading/results/default.stm |title=Reading results |publisher=BBC News |date=29 July 2009 |access-date=4 January 2012 |archive-date=25 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225181453/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/reading/results/default.stm |url-status=dead }} At the end of the 2012–13 season, Church was released by the club.{{cite news|title=Noel Hunt, Ian Harte, Nicky Shorey, Simon Church and Jay Tabb released by Reading|url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11673/8732385/Noel-Hunt-Ian-Harte-Nicky-Shorey-Simon-Church-and-Jay-Tabb-released-by-Reading|publisher=Sky Sports|date=24 May 2013|access-date=17 July 2013}}
=Huddersfield Town=
On 8 November 2012, Church joined Huddersfield Town on a one-month loan deal and made his Town debut two days later in Huddersfield's 1–0 win away at Oakwell, over Barnsley.{{cite web |url=http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/church-joins-terriers-071112-474172.aspx |title=Church in Terriers loan |publisher=Reading F.C |date=8 November 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.footballfriendsonline.com/gossip/2012/11/8/grayson-goes-to-church-for-striking-options.html |title=Grayson goes to Church for striking options |publisher=FootballFriendsonline |date=8 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123091440/http://www.footballfriendsonline.com/gossip/2012/11/8/grayson-goes-to-church-for-striking-options.html |archive-date=23 January 2013 }} Church scored his first goal for Huddersfield Town in the 90th minute of his second game for them, a 1–2 defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20278404 |title=BBC Sport – Huddersfield 1–2 Brighton |publisher=BBC |date=17 November 2012 |access-date=2012-12-23}} Church returned to Reading after their game with Sheffield Wednesday game on 29 December, having made a total of seven appearances for Huddersfield.{{cite news|title=Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday shared a 0–0 draw in the Championship|url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/live/match/262591/report|publisher=Sky Sports|date=29 December 2012|access-date=17 July 2013}}{{cite news|title=Huddersfield Town target Chris Wood on verge of joining Leicester City|url=http://www.examiner.co.uk/sport/football/news/huddersfield-town-target-chris-wood-4937952|publisher=Huddersfield Examiner|date=29 December 2012|access-date=17 July 2013}}
=Charlton Athletic=
File:Simon Church 2.png in 2015]]
On 1 August 2013 Church joined Charlton Athletic on a two-year contract and was handed the number 9 shirt.{{cite news |title=Charlton complete double striker swoop |url=http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/20130801-charlton-complete-double-striker-swoop-959152.aspx |publisher=Charlton Athletic F.C |date=1 August 2013 |access-date=1 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130804034903/http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/20130801-charlton-complete-double-striker-swoop-959152.aspx |archive-date=4 August 2013 }}{{cite news |title=Simon Church & Marvin Sordell join Charlton Athletic |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23534618 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=1 August 2013 |access-date=1 August 2013}} He scored his first goals for the club in the League Cup against Oxford United five days later in a 4–0 home win for Charlton.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23499437 |title=Charlton Athletic 4–0 Oxford United |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=17 August 2013}}
On 12 May 2015, Church was released at the end of his contract.{{Cite news |title=Charlton announce list of released players |url=http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/charlton-released-players-2015-2452676.aspx |publisher=Charlton Athletic FC |date=12 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512194402/http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/charlton-released-players-2015-2452676.aspx |archive-date=12 May 2015 }}
=Milton Keynes Dons=
On 30 June 2015, Church signed for newly promoted Championship side Milton Keynes Dons on a two-year contract. Church scored his first goal for the MK Dons in a 2–1 defeat to Leeds United.{{cite web|url=http://www.mkdons.com/news/article/dons-make-triple-signing-mk-dons-signing-wales-simon-church-usa-cody-cropper-dale-jennings-bayern-munich-2513038.aspx|title=Dons make triple signing|publisher=Milton Keynes Dons}}
==Aberdeen (loan)==
On 1 February 2016, after finding limited first team opportunities, Church signed for Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen on loan for the remainder of the 2015–16 season.http://www.onemk.co.uk/8203-Simon-Church-MK-Dons-striker-leaves-loan/story-28648666-detail/story.html{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He scored on his debut in Aberdeen's 2–1 win over Celtic on 3 February 2016.{{cite web|title=Aberdeen 2–1 Celtic|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35416317|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Dowden|first=Martin|date=3 February 2016|access-date=3 March 2016}}
=Roda JC Kerkrade=
On 24 August 2016, Church joined Dutch Eredivisie side Roda JC Kerkrade on a one-year deal for an undisclosed fee.{{cite web|url=http://www.mkdons.com/news/article/2016-17/church-heads-to-holland-3270097.aspx|title=Church heads to Holland}}
=Scunthorpe United=
On 21 October 2017, Church joined English side Scunthorpe United on a short-term deal until January 2018,{{cite web|url=https://www.scunthorpe-united.co.uk/news/2017/october/iron-sign-simon-church/|title=Iron sign Simon Church|date=21 October 2017 }} with the club confirming his departure on 15 January 2018{{cite web|title=Church leaves the Iron|url=https://www.scunthorpe-united.co.uk/news/2018/january/church-leaves-the-iron/|website=scunthorpe-united.co.uk|publisher=Scunthorpe United F.C.|access-date=15 January 2018|date=15 January 2018}}
=Plymouth Argyle=
He signed for Plymouth Argyle later that month.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42748859|title=Simon Church: Wales international forward joins Plymouth Argyle|date=29 May 2018|publisher=BBC Sport}} A hip injury meant he was only able to make two appearances before being ruled out for the rest of the season. Church retired from professional football in May 2018.
International career
Born and brought up in England, Church qualifies to play for Wales through grandparents from Newport.{{cite news|title=Gwent pair are crucial|url=http://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/archive/2008/10/10/National+Football+%28swa_sport_football_national%29/3745962.Gwent_pair_are_crucial___Flynn/|work=Western Telegraph|date=10 October 2008}} He made his début for the Wales U21 team as a substitute in their 4–3 win over Sweden U21 on 21 August 2007.{{cite news |date=22 August 2007 |url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1097407,00.html |title=Church gets Wales U21 run-out in Sweden |publisher=Reading F.C |access-date=22 August 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015034919/http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1097407,00.html |archive-date=15 October 2008 }} On 10 October 2007, he scored twice as Wales U-21 lost 3–2 to England in the first leg of their European Championship qualifying match.{{cite web |date=21 August 2007 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_of_wales/6955612.stm |title=Sweden U21 3–4 Wales U21 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=22 August 2007}}
Church scored a brace for Wales under 21s against England under 21s as they lost 3–2 on 10 October 2008, in the 2009 European Championship play-offs. He also scored Wales's second goal in the first half of the second leg of the play-off against England, neatly lifting the ball over the on rushing Joe Hart but they lost 5–4 on aggregate to England, thus missing out on a spot in the final tournament. In March 2009, he was named captain of the U-21s.{{cite news|title=Church calls for more maturity|url=http://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/archive/2009/03/30/National+Football+%28swa_sport_football_national%29/4246167.Church_calls_for_more_maturity/|work=Western Telegraph|date=30 March 2009}}
On 29 May 2009 Church made his debut for the senior Wales international team in the friendly against Estonia. He received call-ups for the match against Italy U21 and a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Russia on 9 September but did not participate due to the death of his father.{{Cite news|title=News – Wales v Russia – Squad Additions – Football Association of Wales}}{{cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-in-wales/2009/09/04/wales-under-21s-boss-brian-flynn-has-warning-for-italians-91466-24603756/ |title=Wales Under-21s boss Brian Flynn has warning for Italians |date=3 September 2009 |publisher=Walesonline.co.uk |access-date=2012-12-23}} He scored his first senior goal on 14 November in friendly against Scotland that ended 3–0.
His final goal for Wales came from the penalty spot in 1–1 draw against Northern Ireland in March 2016.{{cite news|title=Simon Church delighted to have scored first senior Welsh international goal|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-in-wales/2009/11/16/simon-church-delighted-to-have-scored-first-senior-welsh-international-goal-91466-25174383/|publisher=South Wales Echo|date=16 November 2009|access-date=19 November 2009}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 5 May 2018.}}{{cite web |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=47175 |title=Simon Church career statistics |publisher=Soccerbase |access-date=24 August 2016}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
! rowspan=2|Season ! colspan=3|League ! colspan=2|FA Cup ! colspan=2|League Cup ! colspan=2|Other ! colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=7|Reading
| 2007–08 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|—
| 0 | 0 | |||
| 2008–09
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1Appearance(s) in the Championship play-offs | 0
| 2 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10
| Championship | 36 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|—
| 42 | 12 | |||
| 2010–11
| Championship | 37 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0
| 44 | 5 | ||
| 2011–12
| Championship | 31 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|—
| 33 | 7 | |||
| 2012–13
| Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|—
| 1 | 0 | |||
| colspan=2|Total
! 104||22||12||2||3||0||3||0 ! 122||24 | ||||||||||
| Crewe Alexandra (loan)
| 2007–08 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
| 14 | 1 | ||
| Yeovil Town (loan)
| 2007–08 | League One | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
| 6 | 0 | ||
| Wycombe Wanderers (loan)
| 2008–09 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
| 9 | 0 | ||
| Leyton Orient (loan)
| 2008–09 | League One | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
| 13 | 4 | ||
| Huddersfield Town (loan)
| 2012–13 | Championship | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|—
| 7 | 1 | |||
| rowspan=3|Charlton Athletic
| 2013–14 | Championship | 38 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | colspan="2"|—
| 44 | 7 | |||
| 2014–15
| Championship | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | colspan="2"|—
| 19 | 3 | |||
| colspan=2|Total
! 55||5||6||2||2||3||colspan="2"|— ! 63||10 | ||||||||||
| Milton Keynes Dons
| 2015–16 | Championship | 19 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|—
| 23 | 3 | |||
| Aberdeen (loan)
| 2015–16 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 13 | 6 | ||
| Roda JC Kerkrade
| 2016–17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 0 | ||
| Scunthorpe United
| 2017–18 | League One | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Plymouth Argyle
| 2017–18 | League One | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| colspan=3|Career total
! 248||41||23||5||7||3||5||0 ! 283||49 |
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Simon Church}}
- {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202205922/http://www.cafc.co.uk/team/player-profile/index.aspx?playerid=265986&tcmuri=963817 |date=dmy |title=Simon Church profile at Charlton Athletic F.C }}
- {{Soccerbase}}
- {{ESPN FC|105009}}
{{Wales squad UEFA Euro 2016}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Church, Simon}}
Category:Sportspeople from Amersham
Category:English people of Welsh descent
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:Wales men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Wales men's international footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Wycombe Wanderers F.C. players
Category:Crewe Alexandra F.C. players
Category:Yeovil Town F.C. players
Category:Leyton Orient F.C. players
Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players
Category:Charlton Athletic F.C. players
Category:Milton Keynes Dons F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Plymouth Argyle F.C. players
Category:Aberdeen F.C. players
Category:Scottish Professional Football League players
Category:Roda JC Kerkrade players
Category:Scunthorpe United F.C. players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands
Category:Welsh expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands
Category:Welsh expatriate men's footballers
Category:UEFA Euro 2016 players