Members News: Ex Sky Blue & England Striker Hits 32 Today. ‘Happy Birthday’, Callum!!
England scorer Callum with Wayne watching
CCFPA would like to send its best Birthday greetings to our member, ‘Cov Kid’ Callum Wilson! Born in Coventry on 27th February 1992 our former Sky Blue striker is therefore celebrating his 32nd birthday today! Callum has proved something of a scoring sensation for all three of his professional clubs so far, only hampered by injury, and CCFPA were exceptionally pleased to see Callum make his full England debut in a friendly against the USA on 15th November 2018 when he scored in the 77th minute! He now has nine full caps to his name (plus one at U21 level) and has netted twice.
Callum Wilson at Coventry City
A product of the famed Sky Blue Academy system Callum eventually made his Sky Blues first team debut (as a sub) in August 2009 in our 0-1 League Cup reverse at Hartlepool United. His professional deal was renewed for a further season in March 2010, the month he became the first CCFC junior to win the national award for ‘Apprentice of the Month‘. Callum’s League debut (again as sub) came in the game against Queen’s Park Rangers in December 2010.
The start of the 2013–14 season saw the pacey young striker established in the Sky Blues’ starting line-up and he formed an especially lethal understanding fellow forward Leon Clarke. After just eleven League games Callum had netted ten times, topping the League One scoring charts.
Former CCFPA committee man Frank Pritchard welcomed Callum to CCFPA in 2014
Despite being out for two months in early 2014 with a dislocated shoulder Callum finished the season on 22 goals (third top) earning a place in the League One PFA ‘Team Of The Year‘. A CCFC ‘Player of the Season‘ award followed (voted for by Sky Blue fans). By the end of his Sky Blue career Callum had an impressive strike ratio, 23 goals in his 55 appearances (plus two in twenty at short loan spells with Kettering Town (2011) and Tamworth FC during 2012).
After five years with the City, Callum was sold to Championship Club AFC Bournemouth in July 2014 for reportedly £3m and scored twice on his debut! Callum also joined the Association in 2014.
Callum & Gary at the game
In his first season with the Cherries they were promoted to the Premier League for the first time ever and Callum’s twenty goals (top scorer) had a lot to do with it! In all he got 23 goals in 53 appearances in all competitions in his first season on the South coast. Callum looked all set to take the Premier League by storm, when in September 2015 he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee which put him out for the rest of the season. In 2015-16 and 2016-17 Callum nevertheless contributed eleven goals in 34 appearances for the Cherries.
In his five and a half seasons at Bournemouth Callum scored 67 goals in his 187 appearances for the Premier League outfit. In September 2020 Callum agreed to a massive £20m move to Premier League outfit Newcastle United and has helped the north east side to gain decent positions in the Premier League. Commiserations are due to him, however, as the year before last he was part of the Magpies side that lost to Manchester United at Wembley for the League Cup final. At the time of writing Callum has notched a very decent 46 goals in his 104 appearances for the Magpies.
Callum last visited the Ricoh in CCFC’s last season before their Birmingham exile when he also caught up with former Sky Blue colleagues and met our matchday ‘special guest’ for the game, fellow CCFPA member, striker and ‘Cov Kid’ Gary McSheffrey (above left).
All at the Association hope you have a great day today, Callum (and that your career continues to go well). Come back and see us again soon.
