Andy Myers

A product of the Chelsea Centre of Excellence,[2] Myers made his bow in senior football with three first team appearances late in the 1990–91 First Division season and he was voted the club's Young Player of the Year.[3][4] Myers signed his first professional contract in July 1991 and despite injury trouble and never featuring regularly,[2] he would play for a further eight seasons as a professional for Chelsea and was a member of the 1996–97 FA Cup and 1997–98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup-winning teams.[5][6] After being made available for transfer,[7] Myers departed Stamford Bridge in July 1999 and made 106 appearances and scored two goals for the club.[8]

On 16 July 1999, Myers joined Premier League club Bradford City on a four-year contract for an £800,000 fee.[9] He missed most of the 1999–00 pre-season with a thigh strain and finally made his debut as a 66th-minute substitute for Wayne Jacobs in a 1–1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on 12 September 1999.[10][11] He then became the starting left back,[11] but lost his place in the team to Lee Sharpe in October, due to suspension and illness.[10] Myers returned to the team in November 1999 and featured regularly until mid-January 2000,[11] when he suffered a groin injury.[12] After returning to fitness, he joined First Division strugglers Portsmouth on loan until the end of the season.[13] He made eight appearances and helped Pompey finish clear of the relegation places.[11][14]

Myers began the 2000–01 season as a regular, making four appearances in Bradford's Intertoto Cup campaign and three Premier League appearances,[15] before missing 2+1⁄2 months of the season with successive injuries.[16][17] He returned to the struggling team in late November 2000 and thereafter managed to remain fit.[15] Myers scored his first goal for the club with a crucial early header versus Everton on 28 April 2001, but two missed penalties deflated the Bantams and the team succumbed to a 2–1 defeat, which sealed the club's relegation to the First Division.[15][18] In the penultimate game of the season and with Bradford 5–1 down in the West Yorkshire derby to Leeds United, Myers exchanged blows with captain Stuart McCall on the stroke of half time.[19] Both players remained on the pitch and were fined two weeks' wages.[20] Myers finished the 2000–01 season with 24 appearances and one goal.[15]

Myers had his best season with Bradford in 2001–02, making 32 appearances and scoring two goals before suffering a hamstring injury in March 2002.[21][22] He returned for two further appearances in April and was named the Bantams' Player of the Year.[21][23] The club entered administration in May 2002 and Myers was one of 19 players made redundant,[24] but he would remain at Valley Parade for the 2002–03 season.[25] He made 25 appearances during a season in which Bradford narrowly avoided relegation. He was released in May 2003.[25][26] In three seasons with the Bantams, Myers made 99 appearances and scored three goals.[8]

After attention from First Division club Rotherham United,[27] Myers signed a one-year contract with Second Division Colchester United on a free transfer.[28] He made 26 appearances before his season was ended by a back injury in December 2003.[29][30] Despite being invited back for the 2004–05 pre-season,[30] Myers elected to leave the club in June 2004.[31]

On 11 June 2004, Myers turned down an approach from Oxford United to sign a two-year contract with League One club Brentford on a free transfer.[31] He made just 13 appearances during the 2004–05 season and was given a free transfer in May 2005.[32][33] Myers retired at age 32, due to a recurring back injury that affected him throughout his career.[34]