Stan Collymore came to Leicester City, given a lifeline by then Leicester City manager Martin O’Neill. A big gamble that looks as if it would be a magic one, but it all ended in a broken leg and some freak out situations.
The former Liverpool and Nottingham Forest player that had smashed the transfer record in British football and at the same time made his debut for England. By the time he joined Leicester City from Aston Villa, he had managed to destroy most hope for his future with different of and on the field episodes.
The start at Leicester City couldn’t have been worse with La Manga and Stan The Fireman actions as we all have the history heard. His life in a Leicester City shirt was short lived, but we will for always be remembering him for that stunning performance against Sunderland when everyone could see the talent of a player that really never flourished out in the great talent he was.
Despite being seen as an intelligent person and with some skills on the field you seldom experienced, he had his temper and demons to fight, and in fact his football life was a rare one, coming from non-league football with Stafford Rangers, then a bit overlooked at Crystal Palace, getting his real breakthrough while at Southend United and later Nottingham Forest.
The days with Southend and Forest might have been his best, as he at that time probably enjoyed his game the most. Progressing season by season, coming back and getting the right feedback that made him a player that once was the most valued forward in the country.
At Leicester he had a double faced act in a way with some great moments and of course breaking that leg v. Derby County. If he had stayed fit it might been a different story, despite being back for the opening game of the season, partnering Ade Akinbiyi up front in home draw v. Aston Villa.
The Telegraph, wrote in 2004: “until Wayne Rooney came along, Collymore was naturally talented and individual as British football has produced in 40 years. According to John Gregory, one of many former managers, he ‘had everything Thierry Henry has got and more’. His tragedy, as director John Moulson’s fascinating portrait of him revealed, was to be totally unsuited temperamentally to the business into which his enormous skills led him. The concept of being a team player was way beyond someone so self-absorbed.
Collymore played all his games for Leicester City in the year 2000, the first against Watford in February and the last v. Everton in September. After his time at Filbert Street, he left for Bradford and later Spanish club Real Oviedo. A short spell with Bradford was switched another even shorter spell in Spain, playing only 3 games in that stay, and from there announced his retirement at the age of 30.
Stan stated in his autobiography that he has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. He has since been working in media for BBC and Talk Sport and also featured as an actor in Hollywood movies.
- Full Name: Stanley Victor Collymore
- Position: Forward
- Date of Birth: 22.01.1971
- Birthplace: Stone, Staffordshire
- Nation: England
- Caps / Goals: 3/0
- Major League Career:
- 1990-92, Crystal Palace (20/1)
- 1992-93, Southend United (30/15)
- 1993-95, Nottingham Forest (65/41)
- 1995-97, Liverpool (64/28)
- 1997-00, Aston Villa (46/7)
- 1999, Fulham (6/0) Loan
- 2000, Leicester City (11/5)
- 2000-01, Bradford City (7/2)
- 2001, Real Oviedo (3/0)
- Links: Wikipedia
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