Kris Commons
Encyclopedia
Kris Commons is an English-born Scottish
footballer who currently plays as a left winger for Scottish Premier League
club Celtic
and the Scotland national team
. His younger brother Spencer was also a footballer, but his career was ended after he suffered a horrific knee injury in 2002.
on his 17th birthday and made his debut in a 3–2 Football League Trophy
defeat away to Blackpool
on 16 October 2001. However, shortly after making his first team debut, he was out injured for a year due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament
. Commons managed to come back from this and made a total of 46 appearances for the club in all competitions (22 of which were starts), scoring five goals, the first of which came in a 1–1 draw against Norwich City
on 26 August 2002. His good form and promise led to him to being offered a new contract by Stoke, but he rejected it and joined Nottingham Forest
on 1 July 2004.
Commons made his Nottingham Forest debut as a substitute for Eoin Jess
in a 2–0 League Cup
victory over Scunthorpe United
on 25 August 2004 and scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 away win at QPR
in the FA Cup. The FA Cup
proved to be a successful competition for Commons, as during his time in Nottingham as he was named the FA's Player of the round for round one of the FA Cup, with over 60% of the votes, after his hat-trick and match-winning display against Yeading
. In doing so, he became the first player to win the award twice in different seasons having also won it in 2005 after his performance in the fifth round against Tottenham Hotspur
.
Commons endured an injury plagued 2006–07 season, but still managed to hit 14 goals in all competitions in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to keep the club's dream of promotion to the Championship
alive, which including a vital goal against league leaders . He had a particularly productive last six matches scoring six and chipping in with a further four assists, though Forest ultimately came unstuck in the playoff semi-finals against Yeovil Town
. Despite rumours that he was going elsewhere on a Bosman deal
, Commons signed a new one year deal with Forest on 2 July 2007 and made his 100th league appearance for Forest in the opening game of the 2007–08 campaign which finished 0–0 at home to Bournemouth
. Forest eventually won promotion back into the second tier as runners up to Swansea City
, following a 3–2 home victory against , the team who had denied them promotion 12 months earlier. Commons was named in the League One Team of the Year.
on a free transfer, penning a three-year contract with the club. He made his full league debut against Doncaster Rovers
on the opening day of the 2008–09 season
, which Derby lost 1–0, and played in Derby's opening five league fixtures before injury forced him to miss much of the next six weeks. He made his return at the end of October and scored his first goal for the club from a free kick in a 3–2 defeat away to Blackpool
. Under Paul Jewell
's management, Commons played predominantly as a wide midfielder but, following Jewell's resignation on 28 December following a 1–0 home defeat to Ipswich Town
he was moved into a supporting striker role by caretaker manager
David Lowe
for the first leg of the 2008–09 League Cup Semi Final against Manchester United
. Commons scored the only goal of the game, a 25 yard strike, as Derby ran out surprising 1–0 winners and was awarded the Man of the Match Award. Jewell's permanent successor, Nigel Clough
, kept Commons in his new role and he played alongside Rob Hulse
in Derby's attack for the rest of the season. Commons enjoyed his best form of the season in Clough's first few months in charge, scoring the winner against Coventry City
, and netting twice in a 4–1 rout of Blackpool
. He also scored the winner in a 3–2 win over Nottingham Forest
in an FA Cup Fourth Round replay, as Derby came from 2–0 down to claim a first win at The City Ground
for over 30 years. Derby fans named the goal the seventh greatest in the club's history, behind Commons' goal against Manchester United in the League Cup in joint fifth, in a poll as part of the club's 125th Anniversary celebrations. Commons' rich vein of form was curtailed when injury ruled him out for six weeks at the end of February before returning to the side for the final eight games of the season. He ended his first season at Derby with five goals from 30 league starts.
Commons began the 2009–10 season alongside Hulse as Derby beat Peterborough United
2–1. Commons grabbed his first of the season in the following match, as Derby lost 3–2 away to Scunthorpe United
but, once again, injury curtailed Commons productivity as he appeared in just one match between 20 October and 2 January, a 0–0 draw away to eventual champions Newcastle United
, where he came on as a 69th minute substitute. An extended run in the first team followed and Commons once again approached his best from and helped revive Derby's stuttering campaign and dragged them away from the relegation zone, netting in a 3–0 home win over Newcastle and a 5–3 victory over Preston North End
, as well as providing the assist for Rob Hulse
's winner as Derby beat Nottingham Forest 1–0 and ended their rivals' 19 match unbeaten streak. However, an injury sustained in the first half of a 1–0 home defeat to Swansea City
on 20 February ruled Commons out until the final game of the season, against Cardiff City
on 2 May, as Derby avoided relegation for the second time in two seasons. Commons completed a full 90 minutes on just one occasion and managed just 11 league starts and a further nine substitute appearances, scoring three times.
Commons started the 2010–11 season playing as one of the three advanced midfielders behind the main striker in Derby's new 4–2–3–1 formation and managed his best run of games for almost 18 months when he started seven of Derby's opening eight games, appearing as substitute in the other, and scored two goals, including the winner in a 2–1 opening day victory at Leeds United
. Despite this, Nigel Clough voiced his concerns over Commons' early season form, saying after a 1–1 draw with Barnsley
; "For the amount of good possession we got to Kris Commons on Saturday, we didn’t get anything from it and I said that to him after the game. We got the ball to him in decent areas, running at the back four, 10 yards outside the box, and we didn’t get a cross, shot or save from the goalkeeper. If he is going to play in there he must start producing something." Commons responded with seven goals in his next nine games, including braces in a 3–1 win over Middlesbrough
(in which he also missed a penalty), a 3–2 win at Doncaster Rovers
and a 2–0 win at Ipswich Town
to take his goal tally to nine from 15 league starts.
In October 2010, the final year of his contract, Commons expressed his desire to stay at Derby, though the club stated he would have to maintain his form if he hoped to earn a new deal. He entered into contract negotiations with the club towards the end of October, stating his desire that contract negotiations be concluded as swiftly as possible. Commons hit his 10th goal of the season, the first time he had reached double figures in league goals in a single campaign, with a first half penalty in a 3–2 win over Scunthorpe United
. His performance earned him a place in the Championship Team of the Week.
, Commons signed a three and a half-year deal with Celtic for a fee of around £300,000 and was given squad number 15. The following day, he made an immediate impact, scoring the opening goal on his debut in Celtic's 4–1 League Cup semi-final win against Aberdeen
with a lob from outside the box. On 6 February, Commons scored against Rangers in a Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox
. The match ended 2–2. On his home debut at Celtic Park
, he again scored against Rangers to add Celtic's third goal. In his next home league game, Commons scored both goals, including a volley from 25 yards, as the Bhoys won 2–0 against Hamilton
.
On 9 April, Commons came off the bench to score the winning goal in a 1–0 SPL win over St Mirren. On 17 April, he scored from the penalty spot in Celtic's 4–0 victory over Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park
, and then netted twice in a 4–0 league win against at Rugby Park
three days later. On 4 May, Commons notched yet another brace as Celtic lost 3–2 away to . Five days later, Commons scored in a 2–0 victory against Kilmarnock with a 30-yard strike into the top right hand corner of the net. On 11 May, Commons scored the final goal of Celtic's 3–0 win against Hearts
. After scoring, he was sent off for the first time in his entire career after receiving a second yellow card for celebrating with the fans; resulting in him missing the last game of the season through suspension.
On 2 October in the second half of Celtic's 2-0 defeat against Hearts
Commons was issued with a straight red card for a dangerous studs-up tackle. Celtic manager Neil Lennon
commented after the match "He has let himself down and he's let us down, so he will be dealt with accordingly in house. One player lost his discipline and let us down badly. He has come in and held his hand up but it's too late."
through his Scottish grandparents. On 12 August 2008, he was named in the Scotland squad for a friendly against Northern Ireland
on 20 August. He made his international debut in that game, coming on as a 62nd-minute substitute for James Morrison
. He made his competitive debut for Scotland in a 2010 World Cup qualifier
against Macedonia
on 6 September, again coming on as a substitute, this time for Paul Hartley
. Commons' first full 90 minutes in international football came in Scotland's 1–0 home defeat to Argentina
on 19 November 2008.
His form for Derby in the 2010–11 season led to speculation of a Scotland
recall, with Commons stating "They're well aware that I can play for Scotland. All I can do is concentrate on playing well and scoring goals for Derby and hope that I grab their attention." The following month he was recalled to the squad.
His first international goal came in a 3–0 victory over the Faroe Islands
on 16 November 2010. Commons was also awarded the Sky Sports
man of the match
.
! Season !! Club !! Division !! Apps !! Goals !! Apps !! Goals !! Apps !! Goals !! Apps !! Goals !! Apps !! Goals !! Apps !! Goals !! 
!! 
>
! colspan=2|League
! colspan=2|FA Cup
! colspan=2|League Cup
! colspan=2|FL Trophy
! colspan=2|Play-offs
! colspan=2|Total
! colspan=2|Discipline>Stoke City
Division Two
> 0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
> 0 0
Division One
| 8
1
0
0
1
0
–
–
–
> 0 0
| 33 > 4
1
0
2
0
–
–
–
> 11 0
! 41 !! 5 !! 1 !! 0 !! 3 !! 0 !! 1 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 46 !! 5 !! 11 !! 0>Nottingham Forest
Championship
> 30
6
3
1
3
0
–
–
–
> 5 0
League One
| 37
8
0
0
1
0
0
0
–
> 4 0
| 32 > 9
3
3
0
0
3
0
2
> 5 0
| 39 > 9
3
1
2
0
1
0
–
> 2 0
! 138 !! 32 !! 9 !! 5 !! 6 !! 0 !! 4 !! 0 !! 2 !! 1 !! 159 !! 38 !! 16 !! 0>Derby County
Championship
| 34
5
4
1
7
1
–
–
–
> 3 0
| 20 > 3
4
1
0
0
–
–
–
> 1 0
| 26 > 13
0
0
1
0
–
–
–
> 4 0
! 80 !! 21 !! 8 !! 2 !! 8 !! 1 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 96 !! 24 !! 8 !! 0>
! colspan=2|League
! colspan=2|Scottish Cup
! colspan=2|League Cup
! colspan=2|Europe
! colspan=2|–
! colspan=2|Total
! colspan=2|Discipline>
>Celtic
SPL
| 14
11
5
2
2
1
0
0
–
> 2 1
| 9 > 0
0
0
0
0
3
0
–
> 0 1
! 23 !! 11 !! 5 !! 2 !! 2 !! 1 !! 3 !! 0 !! – !! – !! 33 !! 14 !! 2 !! 2>
! 282 !! 69 !! 23 !! 9 !! 19 !! 2 !! 8 !! 0 !! 2 !! 1 !! 334 !! 81 !! 37 !! 2>
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...
footballer who currently plays as a left winger for 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 Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
and the Scotland national team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. His younger brother Spencer was also a footballer, but his career was ended after he suffered a horrific knee injury in 2002.
Stoke City
Commons signed a professional contract with Stoke CityStoke 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...
on his 17th birthday and made his debut in a 3–2 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...
defeat away to Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
on 16 October 2001. However, shortly after making his first team debut, he was out injured for a year due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
. Commons managed to come back from this and made a total of 46 appearances for the club in all competitions (22 of which were starts), scoring five goals, the first of which came in a 1–1 draw 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...
on 26 August 2002. His good form and promise led to him to being offered a new contract by Stoke, but he rejected it and joined 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...
on 1 July 2004.
Nottingham Forest
Eoin Jess
Eoin Jess is a former Scottish football player. He was capped 18 times by Scotland, scoring two goals.His career started at Aberdeen, helping the Dons to finish second in the Scottish Premier League in the 1993–94 season...
in a 2–0 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...
victory over 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 25 August 2004 and scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 away win at QPR
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...
in the FA Cup. 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...
proved to be a successful competition for Commons, as during his time in Nottingham as he was named the FA's Player of the round for round one of the FA Cup, with over 60% of the votes, after his hat-trick and match-winning display against Yeading
Yeading F.C.
Yeading F.C. were an English football club from Yeading in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London.-Club history:Their roots trace to a youth club formed in Yeading in 1960. However, there was a Victorian amateur team by the same name which folded in the 1920s, so the club's history can be...
. In doing so, he became the first player to win the award twice in different seasons having also won it in 2005 after his performance in the fifth round 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....
.
Commons endured an injury plagued 2006–07 season, but still managed to hit 14 goals in all competitions in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to keep the club's dream of promotion to 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...
alive, which including a vital goal against league leaders . He had a particularly productive last six matches scoring six and chipping in with a further four assists, though Forest ultimately came unstuck in the playoff semi-finals against Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
. Despite rumours that he was going elsewhere on a Bosman deal
Bosman ruling
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
, Commons signed a new one year deal with Forest on 2 July 2007 and made his 100th league appearance for Forest in the opening game of the 2007–08 campaign which finished 0–0 at home to Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
. Forest eventually won promotion back into the second tier as runners up to Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
, following a 3–2 home victory against , the team who had denied them promotion 12 months earlier. Commons was named in the League One Team of the Year.
Derby County
In June 2008 it was announced that Commons had signed for Derby CountyDerby 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...
on a free transfer, penning a three-year contract with the club. He made his full league debut 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 the opening day of the 2008–09 season
2008–09 in English football
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
, which Derby lost 1–0, and played in Derby's opening five league fixtures before injury forced him to miss much of the next six weeks. He made his return at the end of October and scored his first goal for the club from a free kick in a 3–2 defeat away to Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
. Under Paul Jewell
Paul Jewell
Paul Steven Jewell is a former English footballer who is currently the manager of Ipswich Town.His playing career started with Liverpool before moving to Wigan Athletic and then a ten-year spell with Bradford City...
's management, Commons played predominantly as a wide midfielder but, following Jewell's resignation on 28 December following a 1–0 home defeat to 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....
he was moved into a supporting striker role by caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
David Lowe
David Lowe (footballer)
David Anthony Lowe is an English former footballer. He made almost 600 appearances in the Football League in a career spanning seventeen years.-Playing career:...
for the first leg of the 2008–09 League Cup Semi Final 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...
. Commons scored the only goal of the game, a 25 yard strike, as Derby ran out surprising 1–0 winners and was awarded the Man of the Match Award. Jewell's permanent successor, Nigel Clough
Nigel Clough
Nigel Howard Clough is an English former footballer and the current manager of Derby County. Playing predominately as a striker, but later in his career was used as a midfielder, Clough was capped by England 14 times in the early 1990s....
, kept Commons in his new role and he played alongside Rob Hulse
Rob Hulse
Robert William "Rob" Hulse is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers as a striker.He had primarily spent his career at second tier level, playing there with Crewe Alexandra. West Bromwich Albion, Leeds United, Sheffield United and Derby County...
in Derby's attack for the rest of the season. Commons enjoyed his best form of the season in Clough's first few months in charge, scoring the winner 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 netting twice in a 4–1 rout of Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
. He also scored the winner in a 3–2 win over 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...
in an FA Cup Fourth Round replay, as Derby came from 2–0 down to claim a first win at The City Ground
City Ground
The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 ....
for over 30 years. Derby fans named the goal the seventh greatest in the club's history, behind Commons' goal against Manchester United in the League Cup in joint fifth, in a poll as part of the club's 125th Anniversary celebrations. Commons' rich vein of form was curtailed when injury ruled him out for six weeks at the end of February before returning to the side for the final eight games of the season. He ended his first season at Derby with five goals from 30 league starts.
Commons began the 2009–10 season alongside Hulse as Derby beat Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
2–1. Commons grabbed his first of the season in the following match, as Derby lost 3–2 away to 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....
but, once again, injury curtailed Commons productivity as he appeared in just one match between 20 October and 2 January, a 0–0 draw away to eventual champions 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...
, where he came on as a 69th minute substitute. An extended run in the first team followed and Commons once again approached his best from and helped revive Derby's stuttering campaign and dragged them away from the relegation zone, netting in a 3–0 home win over Newcastle and a 5–3 victory over Preston North End
Preston 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...
, as well as providing the assist for Rob Hulse
Rob Hulse
Robert William "Rob" Hulse is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers as a striker.He had primarily spent his career at second tier level, playing there with Crewe Alexandra. West Bromwich Albion, Leeds United, Sheffield United and Derby County...
's winner as Derby beat Nottingham Forest 1–0 and ended their rivals' 19 match unbeaten streak. However, an injury sustained in the first half of a 1–0 home defeat to Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
on 20 February ruled Commons out until the final game of the season, 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 2 May, as Derby avoided relegation for the second time in two seasons. Commons completed a full 90 minutes on just one occasion and managed just 11 league starts and a further nine substitute appearances, scoring three times.
Commons started the 2010–11 season playing as one of the three advanced midfielders behind the main striker in Derby's new 4–2–3–1 formation and managed his best run of games for almost 18 months when he started seven of Derby's opening eight games, appearing as substitute in the other, and scored two goals, including the winner in a 2–1 opening day victory at 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...
. Despite this, Nigel Clough voiced his concerns over Commons' early season form, saying after a 1–1 draw with Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
; "For the amount of good possession we got to Kris Commons on Saturday, we didn’t get anything from it and I said that to him after the game. We got the ball to him in decent areas, running at the back four, 10 yards outside the box, and we didn’t get a cross, shot or save from the goalkeeper. If he is going to play in there he must start producing something." Commons responded with seven goals in his next nine games, including braces in a 3–1 win over Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
(in which he also missed a penalty), a 3–2 win at 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...
and a 2–0 win at 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....
to take his goal tally to nine from 15 league starts.
In October 2010, the final year of his contract, Commons expressed his desire to stay at Derby, though the club stated he would have to maintain his form if he hoped to earn a new deal. He entered into contract negotiations with the club towards the end of October, stating his desire that contract negotiations be concluded as swiftly as possible. Commons hit his 10th goal of the season, the first time he had reached double figures in league goals in a single campaign, with a first half penalty in a 3–2 win over 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....
. His performance earned him a place in the Championship Team of the Week.
Celtic
On 28 January 2011, despite interest from RangersRangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, Commons signed a three and a half-year deal with Celtic for a fee of around £300,000 and was given squad number 15. The following day, he made an immediate impact, scoring the opening goal on his debut in Celtic's 4–1 League Cup semi-final win against Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
with a lob from outside the box. On 6 February, Commons scored against Rangers in a Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox
Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
. The match ended 2–2. On his home debut at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
, he again scored against Rangers to add Celtic's third goal. In his next home league game, Commons scored both goals, including a volley from 25 yards, as the Bhoys won 2–0 against Hamilton
Hamilton Academical F.C.
Hamilton Academical Football Club, often known as Hamilton Academical, or Accies, are a Scottish football club from Hamilton in South Lanarkshire. They were established in 1874 from the school football team at Hamilton Academy. They remain the only professional club in British football to have...
.
On 9 April, Commons came off the bench to score the winning goal in a 1–0 SPL win over St Mirren. On 17 April, he scored from the penalty spot in Celtic's 4–0 victory over Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
, and then netted twice in a 4–0 league win against at Rugby Park
Rugby Park
Rugby Park is a football stadium situated in the Scottish town of Kilmarnock. It was first used in 1899 and is the home of Kilmarnock F.C..It underwent a major redevelopment in 1994–95, becoming an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 18,128...
three days later. On 4 May, Commons notched yet another brace as Celtic lost 3–2 away to . Five days later, Commons scored in a 2–0 victory against Kilmarnock with a 30-yard strike into the top right hand corner of the net. On 11 May, Commons scored the final goal of Celtic's 3–0 win against 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...
. After scoring, he was sent off for the first time in his entire career after receiving a second yellow card for celebrating with the fans; resulting in him missing the last game of the season through suspension.
On 2 October in the second half of Celtic's 2-0 defeat against 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...
Commons was issued with a straight red card for a dangerous studs-up tackle. Celtic manager Neil Lennon
Neil Lennon
Neil Francis Lennon is a former footballer from Northern Ireland. He is the current manager and former captain of Celtic....
commented after the match "He has let himself down and he's let us down, so he will be dealt with accordingly in house. One player lost his discipline and let us down badly. He has come in and held his hand up but it's too late."
International career
Despite being born in England, Commons qualifies to play for ScotlandScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
through his Scottish grandparents. On 12 August 2008, he was named in the Scotland squad for a friendly against Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
on 20 August. He made his international debut in that game, coming on as a 62nd-minute substitute for James Morrison
James Morrison (footballer)
James Clark Morrison is a Scottish international footballer who currently plays for West Bromwich Albion. His ability to run with the ball at pace makes him an effective option through the middle, as an attacking midfielder, or more often as a right winger...
. He made his competitive debut for Scotland in a 2010 World Cup qualifier
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 9
The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 9 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised the Netherlands, Scotland, Norway, Iceland and Macedonia. This group had one team fewer than the other eight....
against Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia national football team
The Macedonia national football team is the national football team of the Republic of Macedonia and is controlled by the Football Federation of Macedonia. Due to an ongoing name dispute, it enters international competitions under its country's provisional appellation as "FYR Macedonia"...
on 6 September, again coming on as a substitute, this time for Paul Hartley
Paul Hartley
Paul James Hartley is a Scottish professional footballer. He is currently player and manager at Alloa Athletic. Hartley began his career as a right winger, but was moved into a central midfield position in 2002...
. Commons' first full 90 minutes in international football came in Scotland's 1–0 home defeat to Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
on 19 November 2008.
His form for Derby in the 2010–11 season led to speculation of a Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
recall, with Commons stating "They're well aware that I can play for Scotland. All I can do is concentrate on playing well and scoring goals for Derby and hope that I grab their attention." The following month he was recalled to the squad.
His first international goal came in a 3–0 victory over the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands national football team
The Faroe Islands national football team represents the Faroe Islands in association football and is controlled by the Faroe Islands Football Association, the governing body for football in the Faroe Islands. The Faroe Islands became a member of FIFA in 1988 and UEFA in 1990 and are the third...
on 16 November 2010. Commons was also awarded the Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
man of the match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
.
International goals
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 November 2010 | Aberdeen Aberdeen Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of .... , Scotland |
2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly 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... |
|
| 2 | 9 February 2011 | Dublin, Ireland | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2011 Nations Cup | |
Career statistics
! colspan=2|League
! colspan=2|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...
! colspan=2|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...
! colspan=2|FL 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...
! colspan=2|Play-offs
Football League Play-Offs
The Football League play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine some of the promotion places within the Football League. Essentially, each division of the league offers a certain number of automatic promotion places to the top two or three clubs. A further promotion place is...
! colspan=2|Total
! colspan=2|Discipline>
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...
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....
> 0
> 0
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...
| 8
> 0
| 33 >
> 11
! 41 !! 5 !! 1 !! 0 !! 3 !! 0 !! 1 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 46 !! 5 !! 11 !! 0>
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...
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...
> 30
> 5
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....
| 37
> 4
| 32 >
> 5
| 39 >
> 2
! 138 !! 32 !! 9 !! 5 !! 6 !! 0 !! 4 !! 0 !! 2 !! 1 !! 159 !! 38 !! 16 !! 0>
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...
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...
| 34
> 3
2009–10 Football League Championship
The Football League Championship season 2009–10 is the sixth season of the league under its current title and eighteenth season under its current league division format...
| 20 >
> 1
2010–11 Football League Championship
The 2010–11 Football League Championship was the seventh season of the league under its current name and nineteenth season under its current league division format...
| 26 >
> 4
! 80 !! 21 !! 8 !! 2 !! 8 !! 1 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 96 !! 24 !! 8 !! 0>
! colspan=2|League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
! colspan=2|Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
! colspan=2|League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
! colspan=2|Europe
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
! colspan=2|–
! colspan=2|Total
! colspan=2|Discipline>
2010–11 Scottish Premier League
The 2010–11 Scottish Premier League was the thirteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football. It commenced on 14 August 2010 and ended on 15 May 2011...
>
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
| 14
> 2
2011–12 Scottish Premier League
The 2011–12 Scottish Premier League is the fourteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football, since its inception in 1998. The season started on 23 July 2011....
| 9 >
> 0
! 23 !! 11 !! 5 !! 2 !! 2 !! 1 !! 3 !! 0 !! – !! – !! 33 !! 14 !! 2 !! 2>
! 282 !! 69 !! 23 !! 9 !! 19 !! 2 !! 8 !! 0 !! 2 !! 1 !! 334 !! 81 !! 37 !! 2>
External links
- Official website
- Kris Commons ESPN Soccernet
- Kris Commons Celtic FC
- "Kris Commons Column" – Football Association
- Taxi for Commons TheFA.com, 23 March 2007
- Bristol, beards and birdies TheFA.com, 30 March 2007
- Maximum security TheFA.com, 5 April 2007
- Put the pressure on TheFA.com, 13 April 2007
- Gone to the dogs TheFA.com, 20 April 2007
- Goal of the season? TheFA.com, 27 April 2007
- We need a helping hand TheFA.com, 4 May 2007
- Dreaming of Wembley TheFA.com, 17 May 2007
- Signing off TheFA.com, 29 May 2007