Adam le Fondre

Glenville Adam James Le Fondre (born 2 December 1986), known as Adam Le Fondre, is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Scottish Premiership club Hibernian.

He previously played for his hometown club Stockport County as well as Rochdale, Rotherham United, and Reading.

He is also known by the nicknames ALF or, subsequently, Alfie, derived from his initials.

As of 2021, Le Fondre owns the fourth-best career minutes-per-goal ratio in Premier League history, at 124.4.

He made his debut against Bury in 2004, scoring the third goal in a 3–1 victory.

Le Fondre joined Rochdale on loan from Stockport during the 2007 January transfer window, scoring twice on his debut in the 5–0 defeat of MK Dons.

Earlier that term, he scored four goals in one game for County as they beat Wrexham 5–2.

Having impressed everyone at the club during his loan spell, manager Keith Hill made Le Fondre's move permanent in the summer, and on 2 July 2007, Rochdale agreed an undisclosed fee for Le Fondre with Stockport, and signed a three-year deal the day after.

He featured in every game as the side made it all the way to the Wembley Play Off Final at the end of a season where he was the club's leading marksman.

He continued his form into the 2008–09 season and finished the season as leading scorer with 21 goals and a series of Player of the Season awards.

On 8 August 2009, Rotherham United agreed a fee with Rochdale for the striker, but the deal was thought to have fallen through due to Le Fondre wanting a longer contract.

However, on 11 August, Le Fondre signed for the club on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

Le Fondre made his first start in a 2–1 victory at Grimsby Town in August, opening the scoring from the penalty spot.

He scored again on his home debut, which came against former club Rochdale.

His workrate and obvious talent endeared him to the Rotherham faithful and he quickly became a huge fans favourite.

Le Fondre was nominated for the League Two Player of the Month award four times throughout the course of the 2009/10 season (August, September, November and February ) though he failed to win the award and, was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Year, alongside fellow Rotherham players Ian Sharps and Nicky Law Jnr, as Rotherham finished fifth in Football League Two and qualified for the playoffs.

Le Fondre scored once in each leg of the semi-finals against Aldershot Town as Rotherham ran out 3–0 winners on aggregate, before they lost 3–2 in the final against Dagenham & Redbridge.

Le Fondre finished the season with 30 goals and was linked with moves to Championship clubs Derby County and Leicester City, though Rotherham denied a deal had been agreed with either club.

He scored four in one game for the second time in his career on 21 August 2010 in a remarkable 6–4 home victory over Cheltenham Town in the league.

Huddersfield Town had a bid rejected for Le Fondre in January 2011.

Le Fondre scored his 50th goal for the Millers in just 87 games with the second goal in a 2–0 win against Accrington Stanley on 15 February 2011.

Le Fondre revealed in May 2011 that although he was happy to stay with Rotherham he revealed he was looking to sign for a club at a higher level.

On 27 August 2011, Le Fondre signed a three-year contract with Championship side Reading for a fee believed to be around £350,000.

He scored his first goal for Reading in a 2–0 win against Doncaster Rovers on 17 September 2011 with a header from a Joseph Mills cross.

His second goal for the club came in a 3–2 win away to Bristol City.

He scored his first brace for Reading against Derby County on 18 October 2011 with a volley and then a close-range header from a Hal Robson-Kanu cross.

His next goal came on 29 November against Peterborough in a 3–2 win.

He netted 12 times in his only season in the English top flight in 2012–13.

Born in Stockport, Greater Manchester, Le Fondre began his career at Stockport County, where he progressed through the club's Centre of Excellence youth system.

He ended a run of seven games without a goal when he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 win away to Watford on 14 January 2012 with a flick with his back to goal.

On 3 March he came off the bench to score the winning goal against Millwall, giving Reading their sixth successive win.

On 6 April, he scored a late brace as Reading beat Leeds United 2–0, sending Reading to the top of the Championship table in the process.

On 13 April he scored twice as Reading beat promotion rivals Southampton 3–1, significantly boosting Reading's chances of promotion back to the Premier League.

This also increased their title hopes by pushing a 3-point margin with 3 games to go.

On 21 April, he came off the bench to score in a 2–2 draw against Crystal Palace, with the point helping to secure the Championship title.

On 18 August 2012, he scored on his Premier League debut during a 1–1 home draw with Stoke City at the Madejski Stadium, scoring a 90th-minute penalty to rescue a point for Reading.

On 17 November 2012 he helped Reading to their first Premier League win of the season, netting both goals in a 2–1 victory over Everton.

Le Fondre's next goal came in a 4–3 home defeat against his boyhood club Manchester United, after he headed home from a corner to make it 2–2.

Le Fondre also scored against Arsenal on 17 December, but Reading were defeated 5–2 and remained at the foot of the Premier League table.

He scored twice in a 3–1 win at Crawley Town in the FA Cup on 5 January 2013, and followed it up a week later, scoring a penalty in a 3–2 win over West Bromwich Albion, having been 2–0 down earlier in the game.