Jay BOTHROYD

Number 37

D.O.B.

05/05/1982

Birthplace

Islington

Height

1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)

Position

SC

Fee

Free Transfer

Former Clubs

Arsenal, Coventry City, Perugia, Blackburn Rovers (L), Charlton Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Stoke City (L), Cardiff City

International

England

Pen Pic

Jay Bothroyd started his career and will remain infamous for an incident at Arsenal. When withdrawn he threw his shirt at youth coach and ex-QPR manager Don Howe, prompting his departure from Highbury.


Despite this, Coventry City paid £1m for his services. He scored 17 goals in three years for the relegated Sky Blues, whose financial traumas caught up with them and Bothroyd left for Perugia.


It was a bizarre period when he played alongside Colonel Gaddafi's third son, Al-Saadi Gaddafi. He scored only a handful of goals before being loaned back to England and Blackburn Rovers.


His time at Blackburn was largely uneventful apart from the flashpoint of kicking Matthias Jonson up in the air unprovoked, further underlining his questionable temprament.


Bothroyd scored a couple of goals after moving to Charlton Athletic before Iain Dowie released him and Mick McCarthy made him his first capture at Wolverhampton Wanderers.


Three goals in six for Wolves marked a good start that soon petered out - 13 goals in 60 appearances for them in sum. A loan spell at Stoke City ensued but failed to yield any goals.


It was at Cardiff that his stock truly rose. 45 goals in 133 appearances helped the Bluebirds to numerous challenges for promotions and even an FA Cup final - only for the Welshman to fall at the final hurdle at every attempt.


Bothroyd scored a pearler against QPR in a fixture where Rangers were inches away from securing their promotion - eventually sealed at Watford a few games later - Bothroyd himself joined the champions and scored against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

He fell out of favour under new boss Mark Hughes and was left out of training sessions before being sent out on loan to Sheffield Wednesday in 2012. He was given a chance by Harry Redknapp upon his return from a poor loan spell, he scored two goals in the Carling Cup before also netting a winner against Southampton.

It proved fruitless as Rangers were relegated in 2013.