Paul Ifill
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Ifill | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Crystal Palace | ||
| Number | 27 | ||
| ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27/11/2006 | |||
Paul Ifill (born October 20 1979 in Brighton, England) is an English/Barbadian football player, who currently plays in the midfield for Crystal Palace, where he wears the number 27 shirt.
Personal
Ifill is the son of English and Barbadian parents, Everton and Christine.
Club career
After rejection from Watford's youth team as a 16-year-old, Ifill went back to his home town, Brighton. He enrolled on a physical education course at college and played non-League football in the same Saltdean United team as his father. He was scouted there and signed by Millwall as a centre-forward.
After suffering injury at a crucial time between contracts he was given just one month to prove himself by manager Billy Bonds. Ifill responded by scoring four on the next Saturday and two more the following week.
Injuries led to Millwall switching him to midfield, but a recurring back injury prevented him from sprinting, a basic requirement for a winger. Despite seeing a number of different specialists, he was out for three months, and was in danger of having to end his career. Fortunately, a Harley Street consultant diagnosed a pelvic flaw pressing on a nerve, the day after treatment he was able to sprint again.
He signed for Sheffield United in May 2005 for £800,000, having previously played over 250 times for Millwall.
In his first season at Bramall Lane, United raced into a large lead, and despite falling behind eventual champions Reading, the Blades finished as runners-up, securing promotion to the Premiership in the process.
In the top flight, Ifill fell out of favour, and boss Neil Warnock placed him on the transfer list. During the January transfer window, Ifill left the Blades and was unveiled by Crystal Palace, having signed for a reported £750,000 fee, after having made just shy of 50 appearances for the Bramall Lane club.
Ifill then made his Crystal Palace debut on Saturday 13th January 2007, where he came on as 65th minute substitute, in The Eagles 4-2 thrashing of Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena.
International career
Ifill plays internationally for Barbados due to parental nationality and played in two World Cup qualifying games for Barbados in June 2004 against St Kitts & Nevis. He has recently been recalled to the squad for three Caribbean Nations Cup 2007 Group B fixtures against St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda and Anguilla at the Antigua Recreation Ground. On September 24 2006, He scored a hat-trick for Barbados during their 7-1 Gold Cup qualifying victory over Anguilla at the Antigua Recreation Ground.
Ifill was also recalled for Barbados' semifinal Group G, he scored twice in three games as the hosts advanced to the finals in Trinidad and Tobago in January 2007.
External links
- Paul Ifill at Soccerbase