Keith Southern

Keith William Southern (born 24 April 1981) is an English former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder. He made 376 appearances in the Premier League and Football league, most notably representing Blackpool between 2002 and 2012.

Keith Southern
Keith Southern playing for Blackpool in January 2010
Personal information
Full name Keith William Southern
Date of birth (1981-04-24) 24 April 1981
Place of birth Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2002 Everton 0 (0)
2002 → Blackpool (loan) 16 (1)
2002–2012 Blackpool 314 (24)
2012–2014 Huddersfield Town 38 (5)
2014–2015 Fleetwood Town 2 (0)
2015 → Shrewsbury Town (loan) 6 (0)
Total 376 (30)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Early career: Everton and loan move to Blackpool

Born in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, Southern started his career at Everton where in the 2001–02 season he captained the club's reserve team. After playing in the Toffees pre-season friendlies against Wrexham and Shrewsbury Town, on 6 August 2002 he was signed by then Blackpool manager Steve McMahon, initially on loan for one month at the start of the 2002–03 season.[2][3] He made his league debut four days later in a 2–0 defeat to Bristol City at Ashton Gate.[4][5] He scored his first goal on 7 September in a 3–0 victory over Tranmere Rovers at Bloomfield Road.[6][7]

He made a total of sixteen appearances during a three-month loan spell. Then in early November, Blackpool tried to sign him on a season-long loan deal, however, Everton blocked the move, preferring it to be made permanent.[8]

Blackpool

On 8 November Southern signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Seasiders for an undisclosed fee.[9] On 22 March 2003 he was injured five minutes into a 2–2 draw with Stockport County at Edgeley Park and missed the rest of the season.[10] He had an operation on his right knee in April,[11] then on 1 May he was named the Blackpool Gazette Player of the Year, jointly with Martin Bullock.[12]

He returned to action on 13 September in a 2–0 defeat to Bournemouth.[13] On 9 December in a Football League Trophy match against Stockport County, Southern collapsed midway through the second half and he needed keyhole surgery on his knee later that month which revealed he had a slight tear in the medial cartilage, which was removed.[14] He returned to action on 31 January 2004 as a 68th-minute substitute in a 2–2 draw with Swindon Town at Bloomfield Road.[15] When Blackpool won the Football League Trophy at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 21 March, Southern was left out of the squad by Steve McMahon, who chose his son, Stephen, ahead of him.[16]

"I have been totally out of favour ever since my gran's funeral before the cup final, he totally didn't want to know me really and he didn't want to play me. He must have his reasons, but I was as bewildered as everybody else. I didn't lose much sleep when I found out he was going, I was delighted to be honest, it is a fresh start for me in the summer."

— Southern in an interview on the club's official website, following McMahon's departure as manager in May.[17]

Later that year he needed another operation on his knee after going down in the warm up before a pre-season friendly against Ballymena United in Northern Ireland in July.[18] He returned to action on 2 November in a 6–3 win over Huddersfield Town in the Football League Trophy.[19]

After scoring seven goals in the 2004–05 season, including both goals in a 2–1 win over Brentford on 22 March,[20] in April 2005 Southern signed a two-year extension to his contract with the Seasiders.[21]

On 21 April 2007, Southern scored an 85th-minute winning goal as Blackpool beat Cheltenham Town 2–1 to guarantee the club a play-off position in League One in the 2006–07 season. [22][23] On 28 April he was named the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year for League One in an online poll voted for by supporters.[24]

Promotion and Championship

Under the management of Simon Grayson, he also scored in the second leg of the play-off semi-final as Blackpool beat Oldham Athletic 3–1 at Bloomfield Road on 19 May.[25] He played in the play-off final at Wembley as Blackpool beat Yeovil Town 2–0 to secure promotion to the Championship.

Southern scored Blackpool's winning goal on 11 August 2007 in their first match back in the second tier of English football for 29 years as they beat Leicester City 1–0 at the Walkers Stadium on the opening day of the 2007–08 season.[26] On 1 December Southern suffered ankle ligament damage in a 1–0 win over Queens Park Rangers at Bloomfield Road, and had an operation later in the month.[27]

He was out for two months, returning on 12 February 2008 in a 0–0 home draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.[28]

Ian Holloway Era and successes

Southern signed a new two-year contract with Blackpool on 6 April 2009.[29] He made his 200th league start for the Seasiders in their first home match of the 2009–10 season, a 1–1 draw with Cardiff City on 15 August 2009 at Bloomfield Road. In his 300th career appearance, on 23 January 2010, he scored as Blackpool beat Watford 3–2 at home.[30] On 22 May 2010 he was named Man of the Match in the 2010 Football League Championship play-off Final at Wembley as Blackpool defeated Cardiff City 3–2 to secure promotion to the Premier League.[31]

After suffering a knee injury which ruled him out of the first round of Premier League fixtures, upon his return Southern found himself being used mainly as a substitute. He made his first start against his former club, Everton, on 6 November 2010.

During the first half of Blackpool's 2011–12 campaign, Southern was diagnosed with testicular cancer.[32] He was able to maintain his fitness during his treatment, and two months after his operation he returned to the side, as captain, on 28 January;[33] however, he had to leave the game before the hour mark after suffering a serious gash to his leg.

Huddersfield Town

After 10 years at Bloomfield Road, it was reported by the Blackpool Gazette and Huddersfield Examiner that Huddersfield Town and Blackpool had sealed a deal, thought to be around the £300,000 mark, on 25 July 2012. The terms allowed Southern to play the first and last 15 minutes of his testimonial match against Everton on 5 August.[34] The transfer was confirmed by Huddersfield Town, the following day, as their sixth signing for the 2012–13 season.[35] Southern made his Huddersfield début in the League Cup first round 2–0 away defeat at Preston North End on 13 August 2012 playing the full 90 minutes.[36] He made his league début in the 1–0 defeat by Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium on 17 August. He scored his first goal for the club in the 1–1 draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on 22 December. He was released by the club at the end of the 2013–14 season.[37]

Fleetwood Town

On 20 June 2014, he signed for newly promoted League One side Fleetwood Town for free.[38] He joined Shrewsbury Town on loan for the rest of the season in League Two on 19 January 2015.[39]

Career statistics
As of 15 April 2015.
Club performance League Cup League Cup Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
England League FA Cup League Cup Total
2002–03BlackpoolSecond Division3812010421
2003–042822121365
2004–05League One 27631-327
2005–064221010463
2006–073955010486
2007–08Championship303-20323
2008–093531010373
2009–104521010503
2010–11Premier League21010-200
2011–12Championship25110-271
2012–13Huddersfield Town2910010301
2013–141010010111
2014–15Fleetwood TownLeague One20100030
2014–15Shrewsbury Town (loan)League Two60--60
Career total 3772718211140630
Notes

a. 3 league play-off appearances for Blackpool in 2007 (included in 2006–07 total)
b. 3 league play-off appearances for Blackpool in 2010 (included in 2009–10 total)
c. 1 league play-off appearances for Blackpool in 2012 (included in 2011–12 total)
c. All Football League Trophy results are included in totals

Honours

Blackpool

  • League One play-off final winner: 2006–07
  • Championship play-off final winner: 2009–10

Personal

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References
  1. "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  2. "Transfer Update". Blackpool. 6 August 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  3. Oliver, Pete (7 August 2002). "McMahon raids Everton". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  4. "Bristol City vs Blackpool". Blackpool. 10 August 2002. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  5. "Bristol C 2–0 Blackpool". Soccerbase. 10 August 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  6. "Blackpool vs Tranmere". Blackpool. 7 September 2002. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  7. "Southern enjoying Blackpool". bbc.co.uk. 10 September 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  8. "McMahon eyes Everton deal". bbc.co.uk. 1 November 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  9. "Blackpool sign Southern". bbc.co.uk. 8 November 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  10. "Blackpool duo face surgery". bbc.co.uk. 1 April 2003. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  11. "We Speak To Keith Southern". Blackpool. 23 April 2003. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  12. "And The Winner Is". Blackpool. 23 April 2003. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  13. "We Speak To Keith Southern". Blackpool. 16 September 2003. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  14. "We Speak To Keith Southern". Blackpool. 23 December 2003. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  15. "Blackpool vs Swindon Town". Blackpool. 31 January 2004. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  16. "Blackpool vs Southend". Blackpool. 21 March 2004. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  17. "We Speak To Keith Southern". Blackpool. 12 May 2004. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  18. "We Speak To Keith Southern". Blackpool. 5 September 2004. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  19. "Blackpool vs Huddersfield". Blackpool. 2 November 2004. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  20. "Blackpool 2–1 Brentford". bbc.co.uk. 22 March 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  21. "Southern pens new Blackpool deal". bbc.co.uk. 6 April 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  22. "Cheltenham vs Blackpool". Blackpool. 21 April 2007. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  23. "Cheltenham 1–2 Blackpool". bbc.co.uk. 21 April 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  24. "Lampard is handed PFA fans' award". bbc.co.uk. 28 April 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  25. "Blackpool vs Oldham". Blackpool. 19 May 2007. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  26. "Leicester City vs Blackpool". Blackpool. 11 August 2007. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  27. "We Speak to Keith Southern". Blackpool. 18 December 2007. Archived from the original on 19 December 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  28. "Blackpool vs Wolves". Blackpool. 12 February 2008. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  29. "Southern signs new Blackpool deal". bbc.co.uk. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  30. "Blackpool 3 – 2 Watford". BBC Sport. 23 January 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  31. "Blackpool set for boom – Holloway". BBC News. 23 May 2010.
  32. "Blackpool's Keith Southern recovers after tumour op" – BBC Sport, 5 December 2011
  33. "Blackpool 1 – 1 Sheff Wed" – BBC Sport, 28 January 2012
  34. http://www.examiner.co.uk/huddersfield-town-fc/huddersfield-town-news/2012/07/26/86081-31478810/?
  35. http://www.htafc.com/news/article/first-team-news-keith-southern-signing-271880.aspx?
  36. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19144704
  37. "TOWN'S RETAINED LIST CONFIRMED". Huddersfield Town FC. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  38. "Keith Southern: Fleetwood Town sign experienced midfielder". BBC Sport. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  39. "Keith Southern: Shrewsbury Town sign Fleetwood Town midfielder". BBC Sport. 19 January 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  40. http://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10432~379118,00.html Archived 14 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
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