Tony Warner

Anthony Randolph Warner (born 11 May 1974) is a football coach and former professional footballer who is the goalkeeping coach at Reading.

Warner notably played in the Premier League for Fulham, having also being contracted to Liverpool and Hull City without playing.

He has also played in the Scottish Premier League for Celtic and Aberdeen and in the Football League with Swindon Town, Millwall, Cardiff City, Leeds United, Norwich City, Barnsley, Leicester City, Charlton Athletic, Scunthorpe United and Tranmere Rovers.

At international level, he was capped twice by Trinidad and Tobago.

Tony Warner began his career at Liverpool in 1994.

He never played a first team game, but made 120 appearances on the bench and earned the nickname Tony Bonus due to receiving many win bonuses.

Warner had a spell on loan at Swindon Town in 1997.

The following year he had a brief spell on loan at Celtic due to injuries to both of their first-team goalkeepers Jonathan Gould and Stewart Kerr.

He made his debut for Celtic on 14 November 1998 in a 2–1 defeat away against St Johnstone.

A week later he kept goal in Celtic's 5–1 win over Rangers at Parkhead, and made his final appearance on 28 November in a 2–0 win over Motherwell.

Warner returned to Liverpool, but headed back north to Scotland in March 1999 for a two-week trial with Hibernian.

After his fortnight at Hibs, he instead joined Aberdeen on loan.

He played six games for The Dons in April and May 1999.

His career at Anfield never really took off and he found himself playing as the permanent understudy to David James in his earlier years with the club, but by the time of his departure he was the club's third choice keeper following the signing of Brad Friedel as the new second choice shot stopper.

He moved to Millwall on a free transfer in July 1999.

Warner made his competitive debut on 7 August in a 1–1 draw away against Cardiff.

Millwall finished fifth in Division Two in 2000, but finished top the following season and won promotion to what is now known as the Championship.

Warner earned the nickname Denzil, because he looked and sounded like the character Denzil from the television sitcom Only Fools and Horses.

He became a firm fan favourite which, combined with his prolific penalty saves, earned him his own chant from the Lions fans of, "Denzil, Denzil what's the score? Denzil, what's the score?"

Warner was voted Player of the Year 2002–03 by the Millwall fans.

Despite being injured and unable to keep goal for Millwall at their 2004 FA Cup Final appearance, Millwall manager Dennis Wise, insisted that he be presented with a medal.

During five seasons at Millwall, Warner made 225 competitive appearances for the club.

Warner left Millwall in July 2004 to sign for Cardiff City where he spent two years unable to hold down a first team spot due to some poor performances and eventually lost his place to Neil Alexander.

Due to a goalkeeping crisis at Fulham, they signed Warner on loan in August 2005.

Warner's career at Fulham started well, he kept a clean sheet on his debut against Birmingham City and in a match against Arsenal at Highbury he saved a penalty from Lauren with the score at 0–0.

However Arsenal went on to win 4–1.

In January 2006 the loan move was made permanent.

However, on 4 August 2006, Leeds United signed Warner on a one-month loan, as cover for the injured Neil Sullivan.

He made his debut in a 1–0 victory over Norwich City the following day.

Upon his return to Fulham he played against Leicester City in the FA Cup, but then signed on loan for Norwich City until the end of the 2006–07 season as a replacement for the previous loan goalkeeper; Celtic's David Marshall.

His initial loan period was due to end on 4 September, but on 31 August the loan deal was extended until 1 January 2007.

Warner started nearly every match for Leeds up to the sacking of manager Kevin Blackwell when new manager Dennis Wise witnessed a poor performance by Warner in the League Cup against Southend United and brought in a new goalkeeper on loan, Graham Stack from Reading who kept Warner out of the side for several matches.

An injury to Stack gave Warner his place back in the Leeds side, but his loan spell at Leeds drew to an end on 1 January 2007.

On 12 August 2007, after an injury to first choice Fulham goalkeeper Antti Niemi in the warm-up before The Cottagers game at The Emirates against Arsenal, Warner was forced to be a last minute replacement for Niemi, but despite the circumstances Warner impressed and kept countless shots at bay, but two late goals denied Warner a clean sheet and Fulham lost the game 2–1.

In the following game against Bolton Wanderers on 15 August 2007, Warner dropped the ball after collecting it from a Nicky Hunt throw-in and gave former teammate Heiðar Helguson a goal for Bolton, but somewhat redeemed himself after pulling off a full-stretch save from Nicolas Anelka and Fulham won 2–1.

On 18 August against Middlesbrough, Warner gifted debutant Mido a goal, after Warner mistimed a shot from the Egyptian and the ball bounced off his chest and rolled into the back of the net, as in the Bolton game, he somewhat redeemed himself after pulling off a full-stretch save from central defender David Wheater.

Warner's mistake this time affected the score, with Middlesbrough winning 2–1.

With Niemi still injured and Warner regularly making mistakes, Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez, brought in Kasey Keller on 23 August 2007, to provide cover and competition for Warner and Niemi.

On 25 August 2007 Warner sat on the bench for the game at Aston Villa.

On 28 August 2007, Warner played and kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 victory over Shrewsbury Town at the New Meadow.