Emile Heskey

Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey (born 11 January 1978) is an English former professional footballer who currently serves as head of football development of Leicester City Women.

Playing as a striker, he made more than 500 appearances in the Football League and Premier League over an 18-year career, and represented England in international football.

He also had a spell in Australia, playing for the A-League club Newcastle Jets.

Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first-team debut in 1995.

Progressing through their youth system, he made his first-team debut at the age of 17 while still a first-year trainee in a Premier League match against Queens Park Rangers on 8 March 1995.

Leicester were relegated to the First Division following the end of the 1994–95 season and he signed his first professional contract with the club on 3 October 1995.

He became a first-team regular in the 1995–96 season, making 30 league appearances.

During this season, Heskey scored his first goal, which came in a 1–0 victory over Norwich City, in a season he managed to score seven goals.

He helped Leicester earn promotion back to the Premier League, starting in the 1996 First Division play-off final on 27 May as they beat Crystal Palace 2–1.

During the 1996–97 season, his first in the Premier League, Heskey scored 10 goals in 35 appearances, and scored the equaliser in the 1997 League Cup Final against Middlesbrough, which Leicester won in a replay.

Heskey was runner-up to David Beckham for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

The following season saw interest from Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur for Heskey, as he again scored 10 Premier League goals, making him Leicester's top scorer that season.

After winning the League Cup in 1997 and 2000 he made an £11 million move to Liverpool in 2000, which, at the time, was the record transfer fee paid by the club.

However, the 1998–99 season saw Heskey score only six top-flight goals, and he was criticised for not scoring enough goals and going to ground too easily.

During this season however, he forged an effective strike partnership with Tony Cottee, who benefited from Heskey's unselfish style of play, which manager Martin O'Neill claimed kept the club in the Premier League.

He made his England debut against Hungary in a 1–1 draw in 1999.

Heskey started for Leicester in the 1999 League Cup Final on 21 March, in which they were beaten 1–0 by Tottenham Hotspur.

He finished the 1999–2000 season with 12 appearances and 3 goals for Liverpool.

He went on to win the League Cup again with a 2–1 win against Tranmere Rovers in the 2000 final on 27 February.

Heskey signed for Liverpool on 10 March 2000 in a long-anticipated £11 million move, which, at the time, set the record transfer fee paid by the Merseyside club.

Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier looked forward to working with him, but stated that "at his age he is not the finished product".

The press saw the move as expensive and risky as Heskey was relatively inexperienced and was not a prolific goalscorer.

However, he was held in high regard by both the England under-21 manager, Peter Taylor, and England and Liverpool teammate Michael Owen.

Veteran Liverpool striker Ian Rush approved of the signing, noting that Heskey would "give Liverpool a different dimension", bringing strength to the Liverpool strikeforce and complementing Owen and Robbie Fowler's pacey play.

Heskey made his debut in an Premier League clash with Sunderland on 11 March 2000 and scored his first goal in a 3–0 victory over Coventry City on 1 April.

At Liverpool, he won multiple honours, including the FA Cup in 2001.

He started in the 2001 League Cup Final on 25 February, in which Liverpool beat Birmingham City 5–4 on penalties after a 1–1 extra-time draw.

He moved to Birmingham City in 2004 and after their relegation from the Premier League signed for Wigan Athletic for a club record £5.5 million fee in 2006.

He lost his place in the squad after UEFA Euro 2004, during which he failed to shine and was the subject of much criticism.

After a long lay-off from international duty, Heskey was recalled to the England squad for UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers in September 2007.

In England and Liverpool, Heskey formed a successful strike partnership with Michael Owen.

He signed for Aston Villa in 2009 and was released in 2012 before signing for A-League club Newcastle Jets.

After two years, he returned to England, finishing his career with Championship club Bolton Wanderers.

Heskey was an England international at under-16, under-18, under-21, B and senior levels.

He retired from international football following the 2010 FIFA World Cup, having attained 62 caps and scored 7 goals for his country.

In 2021, Heskey was announced as the head of women's football development at Leicester City Women.

Heskey was born in Leicester, Leicestershire, to a family of Antiguan descent, and his father, Tyrone Heskey, ran the security of nightclubs in Leicester.

He attended City of Leicester School, Evington.

Heskey was a keen footballer in his childhood and played for Ratby Groby Juniors, a local youth team in Leicester.

He stood out amongst his peers and at the age of nine accepted a place at Leicester City's football academy.