Rich Wilcock takes a look at how Warrington's professional footballers have been faring since the start of the 2022/23 season, featuring Adam Davies, David Brooks, Jesse Lingard, Luke Cundle, Josh Brownhill, James Chester, Jordan Thorniley, Jack Robinson, Jensen Weir, Matthew Pennington, Tommy Smith, George Cooper, Alex Macdonald and Sam Tickle...
FORMER Great Sankey High School student Adam Davies has been in Qatar for his first World Cup finals with Wales.
He featured on the bench but did not take to the field in Wales’ three group games, with the nation's first finals campaign for 64 years ending with the 3-0 defeat to England on Tuesday night.
Five-cap Sheffield United shot-stopper Davies, 30, made his debut for Wales in 2019 in a 1-0 win against Trinidad & Tobago.
He was crowned Warrington Under 16s Sports Personality of the Year in 2007, rewarding his efforts as the England Schoolboys under 16s goalkeeper.
After starting out at Everton, moving to Barnsley for the 2014/15 season and going on to make 184 appearances, he settled at Stoke City in 2019 until joining the Blades in the summer.
He did make his United debut in a 1-0 away defeat against Coventry City, but after managing to keep one clean sheet in three games, the 30-year-old returned to the bench as Wes Foderingham’s understudy.
Bournemouth's David Brooks has also been with Wales in Qatar, having been invited by manager Rob Page to train alongside the nation's World Cup squad.
The Warrington-born right winger was diagnosed with Hodgkinson’s Lymphoma in October, 2021, and spent the season fighting the disease.
He revealed in May that he had successfully battled the potentially fatal illness and had been given the all-clear.
The 25-year-old former Birchwood Community High School student has since embarked on a mission to get fit for Bournemouth’s Premier League relegation battle but his return to competitive action suffered a setback when he was sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Davies’ Sheffield United teammate Jack Robinson has recently returned from a long injury lay-off, leading to him making his first appearance of the season against West Bromwich Albion in October and has remained manager Paul Heckingbottom’s first choice in the centre of defence since then.
The 29-year-old Warrington-born defender will be hoping that the Blades' Championship promotion push will continue once the season resumes in December.
Also plying his trade in the second tier is former Warrington Town junior Luke Cundle, who has been turning out for Swansea City on loan from Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Having made his Premier League debut for the Old Gold earlier this year, the 20-year-old midfielder was loaned out to the Welsh side, for whom he has scored once in 11 appearances.
It’s been a season of ups and downs for Longford native Jesse Lingard, who, after spending most of his career at Manchester United, left for a free transfer to Premier League newcomers, Nottingham Forest.
The former William Beamont High School student started the first four games for Forest but found himself benched in the 6-0 away defeat to Manchester City in August.
Lingard scored his first goal for Forest in the 2-0 Carabao Cup win against Tottenham Hotspur in November and has showed glimpses of his talent since for a Forest side who find themselves 18th during the World Cup break.
Ex-Helsby High student Tommy Smith, who was born in Warrington, left Stoke City in the summer after an inconsistent season in 2021/22 and joined Middlesbrough on a free transfer.
The right-back struggled to break into Chris Wilder's starting XI initially but has firmly cemented himself as a regular since Michael Carrick took over the Riverside Stadium reins in November.
His ex-Stoke City teammate James Chester – another former Birchwood High student – also sought pastures new and joined Derby County for the new campaign.
The Welsh international has struggled, first suffering an Achilles' tendon injury which meant he missed most of pre-season as Derby County began the new campaign under Liam Rosenior in League One after relegation.
Chester, who started as a junior at Winwick Athletic, finally made his league debut for the Rams in their 2-1 home win against Wycombe Wanderers.
But the 33-year-old’s return to fitness was shortlived as he suffered a calf injury in the 36th minute in the October 0-0 draw against Exeter City and has yet to return.
It has been a complete change of fortunes for former Warrington Town youth player Josh Brownhill.
After Burnley’s five-year stay in the Premier League came to an end last season, they have found themselves under Vincent Kompany as early frontrunners in the Championship.
The ex-Birchwood Community High student has only missed one game in the league against Sheffield United due to suspension.
He has contributed five goals and three assists, including a crucial assist in the fiercely contested East Lancashire derby against Blackburn.
The Warrington-born player has captained Burnley for the first time this season as well.
Jordan Thorniley, the son of former Warrington Wolves centre Tony, has featured in the defence of a struggling Blackpool side 16 times so far in his fifth season with the club – one of which was spent on loan with Oxford United.
The Warringtonian previously played at Championship level with Sheffield Wednesday.
Jensen Weir, the Warrington-born son of former Scotland international David Weir, has had a great start to life at Morecambe.
The 20-year-old ex-student of The Grange School in Hartford, who is on loan at the League One strugglers from Wigan Athletic, has been a firm favourite of manager Derek Adams in central midfield, making 11 starts and scoring four goals.
Ex-St Gregory’s High School student Matthew Pennington has had a mixed season so far with Shrewsbury Town.
The central defender has been a regular in Steve Cotterill’s side, but Salop’s form has recently dipped, failing to pick up a win in the last six matches.
Pennington will likely make his 100th appearance for the Shropshire side this season as they hope to turn their fortunes around.
George Cooper left Plymouth Argyle in the summer and is now plying his trade with National League side Chesterfield, but has been troubled by niggling injuries and his eight appearances so far include only two starts.
Warrington-born Alex Macdonald came off the bench to score the only goal against Sutton United in October as struggling Gillingham registered one of only two victories this season so far.
The 32-year-old midfielder has made 17 appearances, four of them as starts.
Goalkeeper Sam Tickle, 20, who hails from Culcheth, is back with Wigan Athletic after a loan period with Warrington Rylands.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel