Danny Graham

Daniel Anthony William Graham (born 12 August 1985) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Graham started his professional career at Middlesbrough in 2003, making his debut for the club in a Premier League match against Manchester United the following year.

He later represented England at under-20 level.

During his four years at Middlesbrough, Graham made just one first team start.

He started his career at Chester-le-Street Town, in the Northern League, before joining Middlesbrough on a permanent transfer in 2003.

In the 2003–04 season, he spent time on loan at Division Three side Darlington.

The move to Darlington on loan was initially unlikely, but thanks to supporters funded the move, allowing Graham joining Darlington on loan to happen.

Graham made his debut, where he came off the bench for Neil Teggart in the 79th minutes, in a 1–1 draw against Doncaster Rovers on 20 March 2004.

Graham made his full start on 3 April 2004, in a 1–0 loss against Boston United and score his first goal, in a 3–2 loss against Southend United on 12 April 2004.

Despite manager David Hodgson's outrage over a 3–2 loss, he praised Graham's performance and scoring his first goal.

Following this, Graham's loan spell with Darlington was later extended until the end of the season.

He would go on to score two goals in nine league appearances.

Despite assistant manager Martin Gray's hints of Graham rejoining Darlington on a season-long loan, Graham stayed and he made his Middlesbrough debut on 3 October 2004, as a late substitute in a 1–1 Premier League draw against Manchester United.

He scored his first goal for the club three weeks later, against Coventry City in the League Cup, and scored his first Premier League goal on 27 February 2005 against Charlton Athletic.

On 9 March 2005, Graham signed a new contract with Middlesbrough on a two-year deal, that would keep him until 2007.

The following season, Graham was loaned to Derby County and Leeds United, but did not score a league goal for either club.

Despite having played for Middlesbrough in both the Premier League and UEFA Cup, Graham was unable to secure a place in the starting lineup; his only league start for the club came in a 1–0 defeat to Fulham at the end of the 2005–06 season.

In July 2006, Middlesbrough confirmed they were willing to let the once-hot prospect leave the club.

Graham subsequently went on loan to Blackpool at the start of the 2006–07 season, scoring once in the league against Bristol City.

At the end of 2006, Graham moved to Carlisle United on loan.

He was loaned out to clubs in all three divisions of the Football League, before joining his final loan club Carlisle United on a two-year deal in 2007.

At the end of his contract, he joined Championship side Watford, who were subsequently ordered to pay compensation.

He returned to Middlesbrough on 5 February 2007, after playing only two matches due to a leg injury, but returned to Brunton Park after recovering to complete a three-month loan.

The final match of his loan was against Bristol City, where he scored Carlisle's only goal in a 3–1 defeat.

During two loan spells at Carlisle, he scored 7 league goals in 11 matches.

Graham was released by Middlesbrough on 10 May 2007, and signed a two-year deal with Carlisle United on 6 June 2007.

Graham started the 2007–08 season in good form, and was the division's top goalscorer from August until October, including one against his former loanee club Leeds United.

However, after his goal on 13 October 2007, Graham did not score again until 2 February 2008.

He made his 100th career appearance playing for Carlisle United against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on 3 March 2008, scoring the winning goal in a 1–0 victory, in a match broadcast live on Sky Sports.

Graham also started the 2008–09 season in goalscoring form, netting 13 goals between August and December, including scoring a hat-trick, in a 4–1 win over Yeovil Town on 30 August 2008.

Following this, Graham was awarded League One Player of the Month for August.

At the end of the season, Graham scored fifteen goals in the 2008–09 season despite the club managed to survive relegation.

Graham was Watford's top-scorer in both of his seasons at Vicarage Road, as well as the club's Player of the Season award and the Championship's overall top scorer in the 2010–11 season.

In July 2011, Graham transferred to newly promoted Premier League team Swansea City for £3.5 million, where in his first season he was their top goalscorer with 12 league goals.

In January 2013, he moved to Sunderland, but his stint at the Wearside club was mixed; his first and only goal came over two years after his arrival, and he was often loaned out to other clubs.

He was released in June 2016.

He moved to Blackburn Rovers permanently where he would win promotion as well as being named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2017–18 season.

He won the club's Player of the Season award in the following season.

Graham left Blackburn in 2020 and returned to Sunderland before retiring in 2021.

Born in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, Graham attended Heworth Grange Comprehensive School, and represented the Gateshead Schools FA team.