Kenny Miller
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| Kenny Miller | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kenneth Miller | |
| Date of birth | 23 December 1979 | |
| Place of birth | Edinburgh, Scotland | |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | |
| Playing position | Striker | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Rangers | |
| Number | 18 | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1996–2000 1998–1999 2000–2001 2001 2001–2006 2006–2007 2007–2008 2008– |
Hibernian → Stenhousemuir (loan) Rangers → Wolves (loan) Wolves Celtic Derby County Rangers |
45 (12) 11 (8) 33 (8) 5 (2) 162 (50) 33 (7) 30 (4) 18 (7) |
| National team2 | ||
| 200-2001 2003 2001– |
Scotland under-21 Scotland B Scotland |
7 (2) 1 (0) 40 (11) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Kenneth "Kenny" Miller (born 23 December 1979 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish professional footballer playing for Scottish Premier League side Rangers and the Scottish national team. He is a centre forward.
Contents |
[edit] Club career
[edit] Hibernian
Miller's big break came when he signed for Hibernian, and made his debut during the end of the 1997/98 season. A loan spell at Stenhousemuir saw Miller score five doubles - 10 goals - in 11 league and Scottish Cup games, before he returned to Hibernian to establish himself as a regular player. Highlights of his four years at the club included being top scorer in season 1999/00 and receiving the Scottish Young Player of the Year crown in 2000.
[edit] Rangers
Miller signed for Rangers at a cost of £2 million in June 2000.[1] He made his debut against in a 4-1 win over FBK Kaunas on 26 July during a Champions League qualifier.[2] His first goal came on 5 August 2000 during an SPL match away to Kilmarnock, scoring the third in a 4-2 win.[3]
Three months later, Miller netted five goals (a Scottish Premier League record) during a 7-1 home defeat of St Mirren.[4] More goals followed against AS Monaco and Aberdeen and helped him to a tally of ten goals from just fourteen games. However, chances became limited thereafter and as the season came to a close he was to net only once more, against Brechin City in the Scottish Cup.
In September 2001, he went to Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves) on a three-month loan, scoring two goals in his first two games. However, during his third appearance, Miller broke his collarbone in a fall. During the next two months, Wolves and Rangers had lengthy discussions over his future. Wolves finally secured him on a permanent transfer at a cost of £3 million, on a four and a half year deal.[5] Miller had made a total of 38 appearances and scored 11 goals for Rangers.
[edit] Wolverhampton Wanderers
In 2002/03 Miller found himself back in the starting 11, but he had only managed six goals in 19 starts. However, during the final six months of the season he scored 18 goals in his final 24 appearances of that campaign. He equalled a club record of scoring in six consecutive games. That helped Wolves gain promotion into the Premier League.
In the 2003/04 season, Miller started off the season in the physiotherapy room; it was not until October that he made his first Premiership start. He went on to play in a 4-5-1 formation for the following few months, situated in a right-wing role. This led to frustration on Miller's part, and his only goals up until January came in the League, and FA Cup, against Burnley, and a double against Kidderminster. The next Saturday, Wolves beat Manchester United 1-0 with Miller hitting the winner in the 65th minute. Miller then grabbed a last minute equalizer against Liverpool the following Wednesday. Despite starting many games from then on in a striker's role, those were to be Miller's only Premier League goals and Wolves were relegated at the end of the season.
In the summer of 2004, Miller handed in a transfer request over lack of first team opportunities. Despite having a tense relationship with the Wolves manager at the time, Dave Jones, he started the 2004/05 season in good form for the club scoring seven goals in his first 10 games at Wolves. The appointment of Glenn Hoddle signalled a new start for Miller, and he formed a successful partnership with Carl Cort, ending the 2004/05 season with 21 goals.
In the summer of the 2005/06 season, his form attracted the attention of the newly promoted Premiership team Sunderland, but Wolves rejected their £1m and £1.2m offers[6] and Miller began the new season as a Wolves player. Despite only playing in his natural position on few occasions, Miller still ended the season with 12 goals, and ended the season as top scorer - the third time in Wolves last three Championship campaigns. Miller played more than 190 games for Wolves and scored more than 60 goals during his five years with the club.
[edit] Celtic
When Miller's contract expired at the end of that season, he transferred to Celtic for free under the Bosman ruling. He signed a pre-contract agreement in January after refusing to sign a new deal at Wolves a month earlier.[7] Miller became only the third player since the war to have played for both sides of the Old Firm - following Alfie Conn and Maurice Johnston.
He was handed the number nine jersey upon his arrival and, despite being praised by many for his overall performances, failed to score in his first nine games for Celtic. He finally scored his first goal, against Old Firm rivals and former employers Rangers at Celtic Park in September 2006.[8] He proceeded to score in Celtic's 1–0 UEFA Champions League win against Copenhagen from the penalty spot[9] and netted two in the 3–0 win over Benfica.[10] By scoring in the 2006/07 Champions League season, Miller became the first player to score goals in the Champions League proper for both Rangers and Celtic. However, he ended the season with only four league goals. He did play in the 2007 Cup Final, before being substituted because of an injury. Despite hints from the player himself that he would leave to get more first-team opportunities, Miller vowed to stay at the club and fight for his place at the club. Miller scored his first goal in his first appearance of the 2007/08 season in a 4–1 victory over Falkirk and added to his collection the following week by scoring a brace against Aberdeen. He netted 11 goals in total for the club in 46 appearances.
[edit] Derby County
After days of speculation he would leave Celtic, Miller signed a three year deal with newly promoted Premier League club Derby County on 31 August 2007 for an undisclosed fee, rumored to be around £3 million, but later confirmed by Derby County manager Paul Jewell to be closer to £2.25m. [11]
Miller started well at his new club, scoring in his first two home matches, including the winner on his league debut for the Rams against Newcastle in a 1–0 win on 17 September 2007, a strike which won the club's Goal Of The Season award. However, following this initial success Miller netted just twice in his next 28 league fixtures.
With Derby looking likely candidates for relegation Miller expressed a desire to move just over 6 months after joining the club - with a return to Rangers his preferred destination [12], though his manager Jewell insisted any move would have to be financially fair for Derby. [11]
[edit] Return to Rangers
A fee of £2m was agreed between Rangers and Derby allowing Miller to enter into discussions about a transfer back to Ibrox on 10 June 2008.[13] The deal was completed on 13 June.[14] Miller's return to Ibrox means he is one of only a few players to cross the Old Firm divide twice. The first player was not Willie Kivlichan in the early 1900s, as had been reported.[15]
Miller made his second debut for the club on 30 July 2008 in a UEFA Champions League qualifier gainst FBK Kaunas.[16] He netted a brace in the first Old Firm game of the season on 31 August 2008. [17] He followed this up with a further two goals against former employers Hibernian at Easter Road on 28 September 2008, then adding his sixth goal back in a Rangers shirt at Rugby Park in a 4-0 win over Kilmarnock.
[edit] International career
Since making his Scottish international debut in 2001, Miller has remained a constant presence in the Scotland team under the management of Berti Vogts, Walter Smith and Alex McLeish, often playing as part of a two-man attack or as a lone striker.
He has scored goals in crucial games against several teams, including Germany and Ukraine. In 2005, Miller scored in three consecutive internationals, with goals against Austria, Italy and Norway.
[edit] International goals
- Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 March 2003 | Glasgow, Scotland |  Iceland |
1–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying |
| 2 | 7 June 2003 | Glasgow, Scotland |  Germany |
1–1 | 1–1 | UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying |
| 3 | 17 August 2005 | Graz, Austria |  Austria |
1–0 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 4 | 3 September 2005 | Glasgow, Scotland |  Italy |
1–0 | 1–1 | FIFA World Cup 2006 qualifying |
| 5 | 7 September 2005 | Oslo, Norway |  Norway |
1–0 | 2–1 | FIFA World Cup 2006 qualifying |
| 6 | 7 September 2005 | Oslo, Norway | Norway |
2–0 | 2–1 | FIFA World Cup 2006 qualifying |
| 7 | 1 March 2006 | Glasgow, Scotland |  Switzerland |
1–2 | 1–3 | Friendly |
| 8 | 2 September 2006 | Glasgow, Scotland |  Faroe Islands |
4–0 | 6–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 9 | 6 September 2006 | Kaunas, Lithuania |  Lithuania |
2–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 10 | 13 October 2007 | Glasgow, Scotland |  Ukraine |
1–0 | 3–1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 11 | 26 March 2008 | Glasgow, Scotland |  Croatia |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
[edit] Club career statistics
- (correct as of 21 December 2008)
| Club | Season | League | Cup[18] | Europe | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Hibs | 1997-98 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 2004-05 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | |
| Total | 13 | 0 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 15 | 1 | |
| Stenhousemuir | 1997-98 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 10 |
| Total | 11 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 10 | |
| Hibs | 1997-98 | 31 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 13 |
| Total | 31 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 13 | |
| Rangers | 2000-01 | 30 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 38 | 11 |
| 2001-02 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 33 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 41 | 11 | |
| Wolves | 2001-02 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 2 |
| 2002-03 | 46 | 20 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 24 | |
| 2003-04 | 25 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 5 | |
| 2004-05 | 44 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 20 | |
| 2005-06 | 35 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 12 | |
| Total | 167 | 52 | 19 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 186 | 62 | |
| Celtic | 2006-07 | 31 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 44 | 8 |
| 2007-08 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
| Total | 33 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 46 | 11 | |
| Derby | 2007-08 | 30 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 6 |
| Total | 30 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 6 | |
| Rangers | 2007-08 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 7 |
| Total | 16 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 7 | |
| Career Totals | 331 | 97 | 41 | 19 | 14 | 4 | 386 | 120 | |
[edit] Honours
With Wolves
English First Division playoff: 1
With Celtic
Scottish Cup : 1
[edit] References
- ^ "Rangers conclude Miller deal", BBC Sport website (26 June 2000).
- ^ "Rangers 4-1 FBK Kaunas", Soccerbase (26 July 2000).
- ^ "Kilmarnock 2-4 Rangers", Soccerbase (5 August 2000).
- ^ "Rangers 7-1 St Mirren", Soccerbase (4 November 2000).
- ^ "Wolves seal Miller deal", BBC Sport website (13 December 2001).
- ^ "McCarthy drops interest in Miller", BBC Sport website (6 July 2005).
- ^ "Celtic sign ex-Rangers man Miller", BBC Sport website (19 January 2006).
- ^ "Celtic 2-0 Rangers", BBC Sport website (23 September 2006).
- ^ "Celtic 1-0 Copenhagen", BBC Sport website (26 September 2006).
- ^ "Celtic 3-0 Benfica", BBC Sport website (17 October 2006).
- ^ a b "Jewell Demands Fair Miller Price". BBC Sport. Retrieved on Mar 06, 2008.
- ^ "Miller would relish Ibrox return". BBC Sport. Retrieved on Mar 06, 2008.
- ^ "Rangers close in on Miller deal", BBC Sport website (2008-06-10).
- ^ "Miller makes way back to Gers", BBC Sport website (13 June 2008).
- ^ "Miller to follow in 100-year-old footsteps" DailyRecord.co.uk (28 May 2008)
- ^ "Rangers 0-0 FBK Kaunas" BBC Sport website (30 July 2008)
- ^ "Celtic 2-4 Rangers" BBC Sport website (31 August 2008)
- ^ Includes FA Cup, League Cup and FA Community Shield
[edit] External links
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Miller, Kenneth |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Miller, Kenny |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 23 December 1979 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
