Journeymen players whose next transfer was never far away

01 September 2010 10:33
Marcus Bent's loan move from Birmingham to Wolverhampton will see him pull on the 14th different club shirt in his career which has spanned 15 years.[LNB]It is the striker's third loan move away from St Andrew's since signing for the club in 2008 and he has struggled to establish himself in Alex McLeish's squad.[LNB]With this in mind Sportsmail, looks at some of our favourite journeyman footballers and how they compare when it comes to getting itchy feet. [LNB] Premier class: Bent's last top flight appearance was for Wigan in 2008[LNB]Marcus BentA career that has bounced between spells in the top flight and the second tier of English football, Bent has never been prolific in either league but has been far from goal shy.[LNB]His best spell came in 1999-00 during his Sheffield United days in Division One where he scored 15 League goals at a rate of nearly one every other game.[LNB]14 Clubs: Brentford, Crystal Palace, Port Vale, Sheffield United, Blackburn, Ipswich, Leicester, Everton, Charlton, Wigan, Birmingham, Middlesbrough, QPR, Wolves.[LNB] Career highlight: Claridge celebrates scoring the winning goal in the 1997 League Cup final replay against Middlesbrough[LNB]Steve ClaridgeNot one to pledge loyalty to a club, Claridge never spent longer than three years at one side. A spell at Leicester City between 1996 and 1998 being the pinnacle of his long career.[LNB]Claridge played the majority of his 24 playing years in the lower reaches of the football league before retiring in 2009 having made 1,000 professional appearances.[LNB]20 Clubs: Fareham Town, Bournemouth, Weymouth, Crystal Palace, Aldershot, Cambridge United, Luton Town, Birmingham, Leicester, Portsmouth, Wolves, Millwall, Brighton, Brentford, Wycombe, Gillingham, Bradford, Walsall, Worthing, Harrow Borough.[LNB] First team: Benjamin was a key part of Leicester's promotion success in 2003[LNB]Trevor BenjaminNothing about Benjamin's first five years of his career suggested he would become a journeyman footballer.[LNB]But after arriving at Leicester City in 2000, the striker was then sent on seven loan deals before arriving at Northampton in 2005.[LNB]His career from then has included four more loan deals and appearances at a spate of non-League clubs where he now plays for Bedlington Terriers.[LNB]22 Clubs: Cambridge United, Leicester, Northampton, Coventry, Peterborough, Crystal Palace, Norwich, West Bromwich, Watford, Swindon Town, Walsall, Boston United,  Hereford, Gainsborough Trinity, Woking, Kidsgrove Athletic, Northwich Victoria, Tamworth, Harrogate, Wellingborough, Hednesford Town and Bedlington Terriers.[LNB] Euro kings: Andy Cole (right) celebrates winning the 1999 Champions League[LNB]Andy ColeA successful career that hit its peak in 1999 when he was a key player in Manchester United's Treble success, having earlier scored goals for fun at Newcastle.[LNB]Never hit the same form after leaving the Red Devils, but found the back of the net regularly at Blackburn, Fulham and Manchester City, before appearances and goals started to dry up.[LNB]12 Clubs: Arsenal, Fulham, Bristol City, Newcastle, Manchester United, Blackburn, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Birmingham, Sunderland, Burnley, Nottingham Forest.[LNB] Hot shot: Vieri (second left) averaged a goal every game in La Liga[LNB]Christian Vieri Proof that it's just not England where the journeyman exists. The former Italy striker has made his way round a host of famous clubs in Europe.[LNB]His longest spell was with Inter in Italy where he spent six years of his career following his then world-record transfer for £32m from Lazio in 1999.[LNB]Vieri has been touted round several clubs, particularly in South America, since his third spell at Atalanta finished last year.[LNB]12 Clubs: Torino, Pisa, Ravenna, Venezia, Atalanta, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Inter, AC Milan, Monaco and Fiorentina. [LNB] Wolves become Bent's 14th club as striker seals loan from BirminghamThe good, the bad and the ugly! Club-by-club verdict to every Premier League club's ins and outs in the transfer windowBetter late than never! Clubs go to the wire in bid to land deadline bargains[LNB]  

Source: Daily_Mail