DOB: 22.4.1976, Sydney, NSW
From: Free
To: Leicester City (free)
BCFC: 1.8.2004 to 26.5.2005
Signed by: Colin Todd
Sold by: Colin Todd
Now: Central Coast Mariners
Former Northern Spirit goalkeeper Paul Henderson earned himself a contract with the Bantams after impressing in a 2-1 victory over Bolton in Wayne Jacobs’ testimonial match.
Henderson, who had previously trained with Bolton and Ipswich, had a short spell with Blackpool and went on their tour of Northern Ireland, but City moved quickly and snapped him up on a one-year deal.
After sitting out the first two games of the 2004-05 season waiting for a work permit, Henderson made his debut in a 2-0 home win against Doncaster Rovers and never looked back.
He made 43 consecutive – and indeed, impressive – appearances for the Bantams, and only lost his place in the first team when he turned down City’s offer of a new three-year contract.
Resigned to losing him for free at the end of the season, Colin Todd turned instead to Jamaica international Donovan Ricketts, who had been sat on the sidelines all season waiting for his chance.
While City fans were desperate for Henderson to stay, he instead signed for Leicester. Unfortunately for him, two weeks later Leicester signed Scotland international Robert Douglas, and Henderson played second fiddle to him in 2005-06, only gaining a starting spot towards the end of the season.
On January 17, 2007, Leicester announced that Henderson had signed a new two-and-a-half year deal which would keep him at the club until June 2009.
The Foxes released Henderson following their successful 2008-09 campaign, which saw them promoted from League One back into the Championship.
On August 4, 2009, new A-League club North Queensland Fury confirmed the signing of Henderson. No contract details were disclosed.
After one season with the Fury, which saw the team finish a respectable seventh in the 10-team league, financial difficulties meant a number of players were released, with reports suggesting Henderson was among them.
That was officially confirmed on April 30, 2010, when the club issued a list of retained players, with Henderson’s name missing – earlier in the month he signed a ‘short-term contract’ with NSW Premier League side Sydney Olympic.
Henderson signed a short-term deal with Newcastle Jets on July 7, 2010. The deal would keep him at the club until August 27, 2010.
On the day his deal with the Jets expired, he joined Central Coast Mariners on a six-week injury replacement deal.
Despite only spending one season at Bradford City, Henderson is third in both total and league appearances for Australian-born players at BCFC, behind only Kyle Nix and fellow goalkeeper John Roberts on both lists.
BCFC Stats:
Appearances: 43 Goals 0
League appearances: 40 League goals: 0
Cup appearances: 3 Cup goals: 0
Links:
Sky Sport profile
Soccerbase profile
Wikipedia entry
