Wayne Hennessey

Wayne Robert Hennessey (born 24 January 1987) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Crystal Palace and the Wales national team.

Wayne Hennessey

Hennessey playing for Wales in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Wayne Robert Hennessey[1]
Date of birth	(1987-01-24) 24 January 1987[2]
Place of birth	Bangor, Wales
Height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)[3]
Playing position(s)	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team	Crystal Palace
Number	13
Youth career
0000–2003	Manchester City
2003–2006	Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2014	Wolverhampton Wanderers	152	(0)
2006	→ Bristol City (loan)	0	(0)
2007	→ Stockport County (loan)	15	(0)
2013	→ Yeovil Town (loan)	12	(0)
2014–	Crystal Palace	110	(0)
National team^‡
	Wales U17	6	(0)
	Wales U19	7	(1)
2005–2009	Wales U21	6	(0)
2007–	Wales	89	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:06, 24 June 2020 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 November 2019 (UTC)

Hennessey's first professional games saw him set a new League Two record for consecutive clean sheets while on loan at Stockport County. He played 166 times for Wolverhampton Wanderers over eight seasons, including three years at Premier League level. After several injury setbacks, he moved to join Crystal Palace in 2014.

A full international since 2007, Hennessey has earned more than 80 caps for Wales.

Early life and career

Hennessey is related to Terry Hennessey, who earned 39 caps for Wales from 1962 to 1972.[4] Born in Bangor, Gwynedd and raised in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Hennessey speaks Welsh[5] and was educated at Ysgol David Hughes but switched to Connah's Quay High School as it was easier to travel to Manchester.[6] Hennessey began as a trainee at Manchester City but was released in 2003, whereupon he joined the youth academy at Wolverhampton Wanderers. After progressing through the ranks, he signed his first professional contract in April 2005.

After remaining in Wolves' reserve and youth teams during the 2005–06 season, Hennessey was sent on trial with Bristol City in July 2006[7] with a view to a loan move to gain first team experience but was recalled to Wolves after an injury to their first-choice goalkeeper Matt Murray. He did go back to Bristol City in August 2006, however, on a one-month loan deal,[8] but he did not make an appearance and returned to his parent club early due to an arm injury.[9]

Club career

Stockport County

To gain first-team football, Hennessey joined League Two side Stockport County in January 2007 on a one-month loan.[10] On his senior debut against Boston United, he kept a clean sheet and after keeping another five clean sheets in successive matches, his loan spell was extended by an extra month.[11]

He went on to set a Football League record of nine successive clean sheets and wins.[12] Stockport broke the 119-year-old record,[12] when they beat Swindon Town 3–0 on 3 March 2007.[12] After this accomplishment, he was named the League Two Player of the Month for February 2007.[13] His feat also means he now holds County's record for the longest period without conceding a goal, beating Harry Hardy's 85-year-old record. His record now stands at 857 minutes, from the start of his competitive club debut, against Boston United on 13 January 2007, until Oliver Allen of Barnet scored on 10 March 2007. He therefore did not concede in his first nine-and-a-half matches of competitive club football.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Hennessey was recalled by Wolves in April 2007 after another injury to first-choice Matt Murray,[14] and found himself on the substitutes bench for several games. When Murray broke his shoulder on the eve of Wolves' Championship play-off semi-final first leg against local rivals West Bromwich Albion, Hennessey stepped in to make his Wolves debut.[15]

With Murray sidelined for the whole of the 2007–08 season with yet another injury, Hennessey became firmly established at the club's number one, being an ever-present in the league and signing a new extended contract.[16] At the end of the season he was named in the 2007–08 PFA Championship Team of the Year as well as being named Wolves' Player of the Season.[17] FourFourTwo magazine ranked him 22nd in their Top 50 Football League Players list.[18]

The 2008–09 season saw a strong start for Hennessey and Wolves with eight victories out of the first nine league games. This fine run ended against promotion rivals Reading with a 0–3 loss begun by an own goal from Hennessey.[19] Soon after manager Mick McCarthy dropped him to the bench, citing mental fatigue as the reason.[20] Reserve keeper Carl Ikeme deputised and impressed enough to leave Hennessey on the sidelines until an injury ruled him out for the majority of the season. Hennessey then regained and kept his place in goal for the remainder of the season which culminated with promotion to the Premier League as champions after a five-year absence.[21]

Hennessey began the club's 2009–10 Premier League campaign as first choice goalkeeper, making his 100th senior appearance for the club in a 2–2 draw at Stoke City in October 2009.[22] However, after conceding four goals in two successive games, he was replaced by the more experienced Marcus Hahnemann and remained on the bench for the rest of the season as the club finished 15th.

In July 2010, Hennessey extended his contract with Wolves to run until the summer of 2015.[23] The following season began with Hahnemann retaining the number one spot until his own loss of form saw Hennessey return to the starting line-up in November 2010. He then held on to the spot for the remainder of the campaign as the club narrowly avoided relegation on the final day.

During the 2011–12 season, Hennessey was part of the Wolves defence that went a club record of 30 consecutive league games without a clean sheet. They finally ended this with a goalless draw at Sunderland in April 2012, but by then the team was rooted to the bottom of the table.[24] Despite the game halting this run, it brought bad news for Hennessey as he suffered a torn cruciate knee ligament during it that was due to keep him sidelined until Autumn 2012.[25] After completing several reserve games during his comeback he re-injured the knee during training in November 2012 which kept him out of action for the remainder of the 2012–13 season.[26][27]

He made his return to the Wolves goal during pre-season ahead of their 2013–14 campaign – with the club now in League One having suffered two relegations since Hennessey's initial injury – but he was not selected to start the club's opening fixtures.[28] On 12 August 2013 it was agreed for the goalkeeper to spend a month on loan at Yeovil Town as he recovers from his long-term injury problems.[29] However, before this deal was officially concluded Hennessey suffered a hamstring problem while on international duty with the Welsh national team and so the proposed loan was scrapped.[30] Although, on 21 August 2013, after an injury to Yeovil's replacement goalkeeper Sam Johnstone Hennessey officially joined Yeovil Town on an initial one-month loan which was eventually extended until 17 November 2013.[31][32] He made his Yeovil debut in a 0–3 loss to Derby County on 24 August 2013.[33] In his penultimate home match Hennessey received the man of the match award after the Glovers achieved their first ever home win at Championship by defeating Nottingham Forest.[34]

After his loan spell at Yeovil ended, Hennessey returned to Wolves but did not displace Carl Ikeme in goal. When Ikeme suffered an injury in January 2014, Hennessey declined to play in the following fixture against Gillingham, launching speculation that he wanted a move away from the club.[35] Although he subsequently apologised for his refusal to play,[36] he did not play again for Wolves and negotiations were later entered into with Premier League team Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace

On 31 January 2014, Hennessey joined Crystal Palace on a three-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee, with media speculation suggesting it to be an initial £1.6 million, with add-on clauses.[37][38] Hennessey made his debut for the Eagles in the team's final match of the Premier League season, a 2–2 draw with Fulham on 11 May 2014.[39]

Hennessey's first appearance of the 2014–15 season came a 3–0 win at Walsall in the Football League Cup second round.[40] On 25 October, he made his first Premier League appearance of the season as a substitute for injured first choice goalkeeper Julián Speroni in a 2–2 draw at West Bromwich Albion.[41] He ended the season starting in Palace's final two league fixtures, wins against Liverpool and Swansea City, keeping his first Premier League clean sheet for the club in the latter match.[42][43]

After starting in Crystal Palace's 2015–16 Football League Cup second and third round matches, Hennessey was selected to start the Premier League fixture against Watford in place of Alex McCarthy. He kept a clean sheet as Palace won 1–0 at Vicarage Road and has retained his place as the team's first choice goalkeeper, making five consecutive league appearances.[44]

In 2018–19, Hennessey competed with new signing Vicente Guaita to be the starting goalkeeper.[45]

International career

Hennessey was capped for Wales at under-17, under-19 and under-21 level. He once scored for the under-19 side with a 40-yard free kick against Turkey.[46]

He made his full international debut for Wales in a 2–2 friendly draw against New Zealand on 26 May 2007 and has since established himself as his country's first-choice goalkeeper.[47] Hennessey made his 50th appearance for Wales on 3 September 2015, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 away win over Cyprus in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying.[48]

Hennessey played in all ten of Wales' qualifying matches for UEFA Euro 2016, conceding just four times, as they reached their first major international tournament since the 1958 FIFA World Cup. He was named in Wales' 23-man squad for the tournament as first choice goalkeeper but was forced to miss the opening game of the tournament, a 2–1 victory over Slovakia, after suffering a back spasm prior to the match, being replaced by Danny Ward.[49]

Personal life

In January 2019, an investigation was launched by the FA after Hennessey was pictured making what appeared to be a Nazi salute in a group photo posted on Instagram by teammate Max Meyer. Hennessey denied making the salute, claiming that "any kind of resemblance to that kind of gesture is absolutely coincidental" and provided photographs of him making similar gestures during matches to attract the attention of team-mates.[50] In April 2019, the FA said there would be no further action after the charge was "not proven".[51] Hennessey argued that he did not know what a Nazi salute was and the FA panel noted that "when cross-examined about this Mr Hennessey displayed a very considerable - one might even say lamentable - degree of ignorance about anything to do with Hitler, Fascism and the Nazi regime".[52]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 24 June 2020

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Wolverhampton Wanderers	2006–07[53]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	2[lower-alpha 1]	0	2	0
	2007–08[54]	Championship	46	0	3	0	0	0	—		49	0
	2008–09[55]	Championship	35	0	2	0	1	0	—		38	0
	2009–10[56]	Premier League	13	0	3	0	0	0	—		16	0
	2010–11[57]	Premier League	24	0	0	0	3	0	—		27	0
	2011–12[58]	Premier League	34	0	0	0	0	0	—		34	0
	2012–13[59]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2013–14[60]	League One	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		152	0	8	0	4	0	2	0	166	0
Bristol City (loan)	2006–07[53]	League One	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Stockport County (loan)	2006–07[53]	League Two	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15	0
Yeovil Town (loan)	2013–14[60]	Championship	12	0	0	0	1	0	—		13	0
Crystal Palace	2013–14[60]	Premier League	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2014–15[61]	Premier League	3	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	7	0
	2015–16[62]	Premier League	29	0	6	0	3	0	0	0	38	0
	2016–17[63]	Premier League	29	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	31	0
	2017–18[64]	Premier League	27	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	29	0
	2018–19[65]	Premier League	18	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	20	0
	2019–20[66]	Premier League	3	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	5	0
	Total		110	0	13	0	8	0	—		131	0
Career total			289	0	21	0	13	0	2	0	325	0

1. Appearances in Championship play-offs

International

As of match played 19 November 2019.[67]

International statistics

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Wales
	2007	7	0
	2008	7	0
	2009	9	0
	2010	6	0
	2011	9	0
	2013	3	0
	2014	6	0
	2015	7	0
	2016	12	0
	2017	6	0
	2018	7	0
	2019	10	0
Total		89	0

Honours

Wolverhampton Wanderers

• Football League Championship: 2008–09[68]

Crystal Palace

• FA Cup runner-up: 2015–16[69]

Individual

• PFA Team of the Year: 2007–08 Championship[70]
• Football League Two Player of the Month: February 2007[13]
• Wolverhampton Wanderers Player of the Year: 2007–08[17]

References

1. "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
2. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0.
3. "Crystal Palace FC Player Profiles Wayne Hennessey". Crystal Palace F.C. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
4. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/super-hennesseys-rise-continues-1001507
5. "Wales players told to learn words of national anthem". The Guardian. 22 March 2011.
6. Welton, Blake (5 June 2016). "Where it all began for Wales' Euro 2016 goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey". North Wales Daily Post.
7. Alex Dunn (28 July 2006). "Stockport Robins admit McAllister interest". Sky Sports. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
8. Mark Buckingham (11 August 2006). "Robins to sign young keeper". Sky Sports. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
9. "Johnson eager to bring in keeper". BBC Sport. 21 August 2006.
10. "Hatters sign goalkeeper Hennessey". BBC Sport. 11 January 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
11. "Stockport extend Hennessey loan". BBC Sport. 13 February 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
12. Jason Tomas (4 March 2007). "Leeds deeper in gloom as Nicholls says he wants away". The Observer. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
13. "Hennessey's heroics secure award". BBC Sport. 4 March 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
14. "County lose Hennessey". Sportbox.tv. 10 April 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 16 April 2007.
15. "Murray out with broken shoulder". BBC Sport. 13 May 2007. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
16. "New Deals For Young Duo". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 18 January 2008. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
17. "Hennessey Scoops Player of the Season Titles". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 2 May 2008. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
18. "FourFourTwo 50 Best Football League Players". FourFourTwo. 2 March 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
19. "Wolves 0–3 Reading". BBC Sport. 30 September 2008.
20. "Hennessey needs a rest – McCarthy". BBC Sport. 6 October 2009.
21. "Wolves 1–0 Doncaster". BBC Sport. 3 May 2009.
22. "Wayne Hennessey is one appearance away from Wolverhampton Wanderers landmark". Birmingham Mail. 30 October 2009.
23. "Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey signs new deal at Wolves". BBC Sport. 5 July 2010.
24. "Sunderland 0–0 Wolves". BBC Sport. 14 April 2012.
25. "Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey out for six months". BBC Sport. 18 April 2012.
26. "Crushing blow for keeper". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 14 November 2012. Archived from the original on 17 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
27. "Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey ruled out for the season". BBC Sport. 16 November 2012.
28. "Wolves and Wales keeper Wayne Hennessey makes comeback". BBC Sport. 17 July 2013.
29. "Gloveman to Glovers?". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 12 August 2013. Archived from the original on 14 August 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
30. "Wayne Hennessey: Wolves keeper's injury halts Yeovil loan". BBC Sport. 15 August 2013.
31. "Wayne Hennessey: Wolves keeper cleared for Yeovil Town loan". BBC Sport. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
32. "Wayne Hennessey: Yeovil Town keep Wolves goalkeeper on loan". BBC Sport. 25 October 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
33. "Yeovil 0–3 Derby". BBC Sport. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
34. "Yeovil 3–1 Nottingham Forest". BBC Sport. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
35. "League One: Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey declines to play against Gillingham". Sky Sports. 4 January 2014.
36. "Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey apologises for no-show". BBC Sport. 7 January 2014.
37. "Hennessey Signs For Palace". Crystal Palace FC. 31 January 2014.
38. "Wolves' Wayne Hennessey joins Palace". BBC Sport. 31 January 2014.
39. "Fulham 2–2 Crystal Palace". The Bolton News. 12 May 2015.
40. "Walsall 0–3 Crystal Palace". BBC. 26 August 2014.
41. "West Brom 2–2 Crystal Palace". BBC. 25 October 2015.
42. "Liverpool 1–3 Crystal Palace". BBC. 16 May 2015.
43. "Crystal Palace 1–0 Swansea". BBC. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
44. "13 Wayne Hennessey". Premier League. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
45. Malyon, Ed (17 December 2018). "Roy Hodgson says Vicente Guaita and Wayne Hennessey are now competing for number 1 jersey". The Independent. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
46. Stuart Brennan (16 January 2007). "Hennessey puts County strikers in shade". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
47. "Wayne Hennessey out to establish himself as Wales' No 1 goalkeeper". South Wales Echo. 9 October 2009.
48. Gwilym, Andrew (3 September 2015). "Cyprus vs Wales match report: Gareth Bale's bullet header has Welsh on brink of Euro 2016". The Independent. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
49. "Euro 2016: Hennessey ruled out of Wales opener with back spasm". BBC Sport. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
50. "Wayne Hennessey: Football Association looking into alleged Nazi salute". BBC Sport. 8 January 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
51. "Wayne Hennessey: FA charge for Crystal Palace goalkeeper's alleged Nazi salute 'not proven'". BBC Sport. 5 April 2019.
52. "Wayne Hennessey did not know what Nazi salute was - FA panel". BBC Sport. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
53. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
54. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
55. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
56. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
57. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
58. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
59. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
60. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
61. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
62. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
63. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
64. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
65. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
66. "Games played by Wayne Hennessey in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
67. "Wayne Hennessey". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
68. Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2009). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2009–2010. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 44, 416–417. ISBN 978-0-7553-1948-0.
69. McNulty, Phil (21 May 2016). "Crystal Palace 1–2 Manchester United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
70. "Ronaldo named player of the year". BBC Sport. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2018.

External links

• Crystal Palace profile
• Wales profile
• Wayne Hennessey at Soccerbase