Ishmael Miller
Encyclopedia
Ishmael Anthony Miller (born 5 March 1987) is an English
footballer who plays for Nottingham Forest
. A striker, he has a large, muscular build and is known for his powerful left foot.
, Manchester
, Miller signed professionally with Manchester City
at the beginning of the 2005–06 season, and featured in a number of pre-season games for the first team. A number of impressive displays for the reserve team led to a competitive first team debut, as a substitute in an Premier League match against Wigan Athletic
on 18 March 2006. Miller made no further first team appearances that season, but was leading goalscorer for the reserves.
Miller featured regularly in Manchester City's first team pre-season matches in July and August 2006, including a goal in a friendly against Wrexham. He then proceeded to make substitute appearances in four of Manchester City's first six games of the season, and made his full debut on 23 September 2006 in a 2–0 victory over West Ham
, and started the move which led to the opening goal. Although known as a striker in youth and reserve football, Miller first played for the Manchester City first team as an attacking midfielder.
. On 13 August 2007, West Bromwich Albion
manager Tony Mowbray
confirmed that he was interested in taking Miller on a season-long loan. On 15 August Miller completed a season long loan to West Brom with a view to a permanent transfer. "Ishmael will give us a different option up front," Mowbray predicted. "He's a big, quick, powerful lad who is looking for an opportunity to play more regularly. He will increase competition for places with the other strikers we've already got at the club." He scored on his debut for West Bromwich Albion with an individual effort in their 2–0 home win against Preston North End on 18 August. He had been on the pitch for only seven minutes, having replaced Kevin Phillips
, the other scorer in the game, in the 66th minute. He scored on his first start for Albion against Ipswich Town
and helped the team to a 4–0 victory, before scoring twice in Albion's 4–2 home loss to Cardiff City
. Miller's form during October led to his nomination for Championship
player of the month, but the award went to Stoke City
's on-loan defender Ryan Shawcross
. He was further recognised later in November, when he received his first call-up to the England under-21s
.
confirmed that Miller was still part of his long-term plans. Amongst other things, Eriksson said, "We talked about it and we could not see why he should not have a new contract with us, but we were very keen that he go out on loan and it’s working out very well for him" (referring to Miller's new three year contract signed with Manchester City just as he went on loan), and "I saw the game (Queens Park Rangers
) on TV last Sunday, and I thought he was fantastic. When he scored he went looking for someone, which I thought it would be his family or his girlfriend – but then they showed Micah Richards
jumping up and down in the crowd!" .
in Albion's 5–1 win at Bristol Rovers
in the FA Cup
quarter-final. He scored his first Premier League goal in the 2–1 loss to Newcastle on 28 October 2008. His goal in the following game, a 2–2 draw against Blackburn Rovers
, earned him the West Bromwich Albion Goal of the Season award. In December 2008, Miller sustained a serious injury to his knee (cruciate ligament
) in a collision with Portsmouth
goalkeeper David James
and missed the rest of the 2008–09 season. On 8 January 2010, he made his long-awaited comeback after almost 14 months out as a second half substitute against .
leaders on a 93-day loan. At the end of the loan period, he returned to West Bromwich Albion and made a substitute appearance in their defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 8 May 2011.
indicated that Ishmael Miller was poised to sign for Nottingham Forest
and acknowledged the player's need for regular first team football. However, although confirming initial negotiations had occurred with West Brom, Forest stressed that there had been no contact or talks as at that time with either the player or his agent.
On 13 August 2011, Nottingham Forest announced that Miller would sign a three-year contract with the club the following Monday. Miller's transfer from West Brom to Forest was finalised on Monday 15 August. The transfer fee was an initial £1.2 million. West Brom's Sporting & Technical Director, Dan Ashworth, stated: "This move is probably in the best interests of all parties because we can't guarantee Ishmael first-team football and this is a great opportunity for him to hopefully play regularly". Miller said about the transfer: "I have got a point to prove. I've had a few injury problems over the last few years...I need to go out there and show what I can do. I'm relishing the new challenge at this stage of my career".
Miller made his first appearance for Forest as a substitute on 16 August 2011 in an away 1-0 win against Doncaster Rovers
. On 24 August 2011, Miller scored his first goal for the club in the League Cup
match against Wycombe Wanderers
.
In October 2011, Miller was charged with misconduct by the Football Association
, and admitted the charge. It related to a post on his Twitter
account.
Coca Cola Championship winners: 2007-2008
Queens Park Rangers:
Npower Championship winners: 2010-2011
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who plays for Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
. A striker, he has a large, muscular build and is known for his powerful left foot.
Manchester City
Born in MostonMoston, Greater Manchester
Moston is a district of Manchester, in North West England, approximately 3 miles north east of the city centre. Historically a part of Lancashire, Moston is a predominantly residential area, with a population of about 12,500 and covering approximately .-History:The name Moston may derive...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Miller signed professionally with Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
at the beginning of the 2005–06 season, and featured in a number of pre-season games for the first team. A number of impressive displays for the reserve team led to a competitive first team debut, as a substitute in an Premier League match against 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...
on 18 March 2006. Miller made no further first team appearances that season, but was leading goalscorer for the reserves.
Miller featured regularly in Manchester City's first team pre-season matches in July and August 2006, including a goal in a friendly against Wrexham. He then proceeded to make substitute appearances in four of Manchester City's first six games of the season, and made his full debut on 23 September 2006 in a 2–0 victory over West Ham
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...
, and started the move which led to the opening goal. Although known as a striker in youth and reserve football, Miller first played for the Manchester City first team as an attacking midfielder.
West Bromwich Albion (loan)
On 18 July 2007, Miller had been linked with a move to Preston North EndPreston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
. On 13 August 2007, West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
manager Tony Mowbray
Tony Mowbray
Anthony Mark "Tony" Mowbray is an English former professional football player, who is currently the manager of Middlesbrough...
confirmed that he was interested in taking Miller on a season-long loan. On 15 August Miller completed a season long loan to West Brom with a view to a permanent transfer. "Ishmael will give us a different option up front," Mowbray predicted. "He's a big, quick, powerful lad who is looking for an opportunity to play more regularly. He will increase competition for places with the other strikers we've already got at the club." He scored on his debut for West Bromwich Albion with an individual effort in their 2–0 home win against Preston North End on 18 August. He had been on the pitch for only seven minutes, having replaced Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
, the other scorer in the game, in the 66th minute. He scored on his first start for Albion against 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....
and helped the team to a 4–0 victory, before scoring twice in Albion's 4–2 home loss to 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...
. Miller's form during October led to his nomination for 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...
player of the month, but the award went to Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke 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...
's on-loan defender Ryan Shawcross
Ryan Shawcross
Ryan James Shawcross is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Stoke City.He previously was on the books of Manchester United, and had loan spells at Royal Antwerp and Stoke City respectively, before joining the latter permanently during January 2008. He was appointed as Stoke's captain...
. He was further recognised later in November, when he received his first call-up to the England under-21s
England national under-21 football team
England'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....
.
Return to City
In a 5 October interview, City manager Sven-Göran ErikssonSven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
confirmed that Miller was still part of his long-term plans. Amongst other things, Eriksson said, "We talked about it and we could not see why he should not have a new contract with us, but we were very keen that he go out on loan and it’s working out very well for him" (referring to Miller's new three year contract signed with Manchester City just as he went on loan), and "I saw the game (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...
) on TV last Sunday, and I thought he was fantastic. When he scored he went looking for someone, which I thought it would be his family or his girlfriend – but then they showed Micah Richards
Micah Richards
Micah Lincoln Richards is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national team. A versatile defender, Richards is equally adept at centre back and right back or in centre midfield...
jumping up and down in the crowd!" .
West Bromwich Albion
On the last day of the January 2008 transfer window, Miller signed on a permanent deal to West Brom on a 3½ year contract, for a fee that could rise to £1.4 million. On 9 March 2008 he scored a hat-trickHat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in Albion's 5–1 win at 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....
in the 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...
quarter-final. He scored his first Premier League goal in the 2–1 loss to Newcastle on 28 October 2008. His goal in the following game, a 2–2 draw against Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, earned him the West Bromwich Albion Goal of the Season award. In December 2008, Miller sustained a serious injury to his knee (cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...
) in a collision with Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth 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...
goalkeeper David James
David James (footballer)
David Benjamin James is an English footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Bristol City.On 14 February 2009, he achieved the all-time Premier League appearance record with 536 appearances, overtaking Gary Speed. He held this record until being overtaken by Ryan Giggs on the 14th May 2011...
and missed the rest of the 2008–09 season. On 8 January 2010, he made his long-awaited comeback after almost 14 months out as a second half substitute against .
Queen's Park Rangers (loan)
The arrival of Peter Odemwingie and Marc-Antoine Fortune, plus West Brom's preference to operate with a lone striker, restricted Miller's chances of first team football at West Brom. On 21 January 2011, Miller joined Football League ChampionshipFootball 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...
leaders on a 93-day loan. At the end of the loan period, he returned to West Bromwich Albion and made a substitute appearance in their defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 8 May 2011.
Nottingham Forest
On 6 August 2011, West Brom manager Roy HodgsonRoy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified...
indicated that Ishmael Miller was poised to sign for Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
and acknowledged the player's need for regular first team football. However, although confirming initial negotiations had occurred with West Brom, Forest stressed that there had been no contact or talks as at that time with either the player or his agent.
On 13 August 2011, Nottingham Forest announced that Miller would sign a three-year contract with the club the following Monday. Miller's transfer from West Brom to Forest was finalised on Monday 15 August. The transfer fee was an initial £1.2 million. West Brom's Sporting & Technical Director, Dan Ashworth, stated: "This move is probably in the best interests of all parties because we can't guarantee Ishmael first-team football and this is a great opportunity for him to hopefully play regularly". Miller said about the transfer: "I have got a point to prove. I've had a few injury problems over the last few years...I need to go out there and show what I can do. I'm relishing the new challenge at this stage of my career".
Miller made his first appearance for Forest as a substitute on 16 August 2011 in an away 1-0 win against Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
. On 24 August 2011, Miller scored his first goal for the club in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The 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...
match against Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
.
In October 2011, Miller was charged with misconduct 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...
, and admitted the charge. It related to a post on his Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account.
Honours
West Bromwich Albion:Coca Cola Championship winners: 2007-2008
Queens Park Rangers:
Npower Championship winners: 2010-2011
External links
- Ishmael Miller player profile at the Nottingham Forest website
- Ishmael Miller player profile at the West Bromwich Albion website