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David McGoldrick just before kick-off claimed the Players’ Player of the Year award as that just proved how influential his goals were this season.
The Nottingham-born forward secured his eighth league goal of the season after his fantastic effort from outside the box found the back of the net in the 24th minute.
Starting his senior career all the way back in 2003, McGoldrick was a product of the Notts County youth academy and made his professional debut for the Magpies in a Second Division clash against Swindon Town.
At the age of 16, he left the Midlands and re-located to the South Coast as Southampton snapped up the young forward.
The ex-Republic of Ireland international did not feature in the senior team but was a member of the young Saints side that reached the FA Youth Cup, losing to Ipswich Town on aggregate.
In September 2005, he made a brief return to the club where it all started as Notts County welcomed the forward on a one month loan. Making six appearances, the forward returned back to the Saints and he featured in the reserve and under-18’s sides.
McGoldrick did feature once for Southampton’s senior team in a home match against Millwall where he was substituted off for Ricardo Fuller in the 61st minute.
His first senior goal for the Saints came in the League Cup during the 2006/07 campaign. Funnily enough, it came during a game against the Lions with the team from the South Coast running out 4-0 victors.
Another two loans followed with AFC Bournemouth and Port Vale as the forward looked to get game time under his belt. Making a total of 29 appearances for the two sides, McGoldrick scored eight and assisted three in his two brief spells showing the Saints what he can do when he is given a chance to do what he does best.
Signing a three-year deal at St. Mary’s, the forward was ever-present during the 2008/09 campaign. Scoring 14 goals and assisting three times in 50 appearances, the Irishman left the South Coast and sealed his move back to Nottingham in June 2009.
He joined Forest and spent four years at the Garibaldi amassing 79 appearances. Only scoring five goals in his best season for the Reds proved he was slightly out of his depths in the Championship.
During the 2012/13 season, the forward dropped down to League One with Coventry City as he joined the Sky Blues on loan until January 2013.
For the West Midlands outfit, he would score 17 goals in 25 appearances in all competitions as he definitely left the Ricoh Arena satisfied with his contributions.
January rolled around and McGoldrick was on the move again as he joined Ipswich Town on loan with a view of the move being permanent in the summer.
He made 13 appearances in the second tier for the Tractor Boys, scoring four goals and assisting once in the league.
In the summer of 2013, the forward signed a two-year deal with the club but remained with the club for the next five seasons.
The 2013/14 campaign was the best for him as he scored 14 goals in the Championship and helped the club to a ninth-place finish.
159 appearances later, McGoldrick departed Ipswich as he joined Sheffield United on a one-year contract after impressing then manager Chris Wilder during a one-week trial period.
He came straight out of the blocks at Bramall Lane as 15 goals in the Championship alongside the 23 goals of Billy Sharp saw the Blades promoted to the Premier League as runners-up of the second-tier.
Two goals in the top-flight the next season saw the Irishman only feature 28 times, but Sheffield United stayed up and finished the season in ninth.
This season was a bad one for the Yorkshire outfit as they finished bottom, however, McGoldrick personally ended the season as the Blades’ top goalscorer, Players’ Player of the Year, winning Goal of the Season after his strike against Arsenal and was named Rainbow Blades Player of the Year.
As Sheffield United return to the second-tier, his goals and experience in the Championship could prove vital if the Blades are wanting to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The Yorkshire outfit will now look to hold onto their players from this season and build a side that will be able to make a swift return to the top-flight.
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