Joey Gudjonsson

8

D.O.B.

May 25, 1980

Birthplace

Akranes, Iceland

Height

5 ft 8 in

Position

Midfielder

Signed

January 2007

Fee

£150,000

Former Clubs

ÍA Akranes,Racing Genk, MVV Maastricht.(loan), RKC Waalwijk,Real Betis, Aston Villa(loan), Wolves(loan), Leicester City and AZ Alkmaar

International

Iceland

Pen Pic

Joey Gudjonsson was signed by Steve Cotterill in January 2007 and penned a three-and-a-half year deal.

He failed to impress under Cotterill but his career at the club was resurrected when Owen Coyle arrived.

In his three year spell with the club Joey made a total of 109 appearances, scoring seven goals; his most memorable coming from long range in the Lancashire derby with Preston North End in the promotion winning season

In 2009-10 our first season in the Premier League, Gudjonsson found opportunities limited in the first team. The 29 year old was last named in the eighteen as an unused substitute against Chelsea for the match at Turf Moor at the end of January and his last appearance was in the FA Cup defeat at Reading when he made the starting eleven in Laws second game in charge earlier that month.

He has not played at all since that time amidst rumours strongly denied by Laws at the time that the two of them had had a bust-up.

The Icelandic international midfielder had supposedly been upset by not being in the eighteen that faced Bolton at the Reebok in January. In all the previous games, Gudjonsson was always named in the eighteen albeit mainly on the bench.

It was clear that things were not well between the two when Gudjonsson made an alleged statement to an Icelandic football website in early April quoted by Sky Sports as follows:

'He (Laws) lost the dressing room long ago.I think all the players have lost faith in him, the performances say all that has to be said.'

That astonishing outburst led to Gudjonsson being suspended by the club whilst they carried out an investigation.

It was clear though that Gudjonsson's days were numbered at Turf Moor following comments by the manager and with his current contract running out in the summer it was only a matter of time before he would be leaving for pastures new.

Gudjonsson left Turf Moor by mutual consent on Wednesday May 5th 2010