Paul Henderson (soccer)
Paul Henderson | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 22, 1976 Australia |
| Occupation | Professional footballer |
| Known for | Goalkeeper for Sydney Olympic FC |
Paul John Henderson (born 22 April 1976) is an Australian professional footballer who serves as a goalkeeper for Sydney Olympic FC competing in the National Premier Leagues.
Club career
Henderson launched his football journey in Australia, initially representing Sutherland in the New South Wales Premier League. He later advanced to the NSL by joining Northern Spirit, where he remained until the club's dissolution in 2004.
Bradford City
In July 2004, Henderson ventured to England. Following an unsuccessful trial at Blackpool, he secured a one-year contract with Bradford City in August. His move was facilitated after a trial period at Ipswich Town, where a goalkeeper coach introduced him to an agent who helped arrange the Bradford deal.
Although Henderson drew attention from Nottingham Forest, a heavy loss to Milton Keynes Dons combined with concerns expressed by then-Bradford manager Colin Todd regarding his concentration ended that opportunity. Despite commendable performances, Henderson declined a three-year contract extension from Bradford and instead pursued trials with Leicester City starting on 6 May.
Leicester City
Henderson completed a free transfer to Leicester City in the summer of 2005, committing to a two-year contract. He joined compatriots Patrick Kisnorbo, James Wesolowski, and teammate Danny Tiatto. Initially serving as backup to first-choice goalkeeper Rab Douglas, Henderson made 15 appearances during the 2005–06 season under manager Rob Kelly.
During the 2006–07 season, Henderson earned the starting goalkeeper role, briefly losing it to Conrad Logan before reclaiming his position. Despite conceding 36 goals across 28 league matches, Leicester managed to avoid relegation. Interest from clubs such as Wigan Athletic, Aston Villa, and Norwich City emerged during the January transfer window; however, Henderson opted to sign a fresh two-year contract on 16 January.
In the subsequent 2007–08 season, Henderson found himself predominantly on the substitute bench following loan acquisitions of goalkeepers Márton Fülöp and Ben Alnwick. He featured in 14 league fixtures, conceding 16 goals and recording five clean sheets, as Leicester ultimately suffered relegation.
The 2008–09 season saw Henderson share goalkeeping responsibilities with loan signing David Martin. He began the campaign with a clean sheet contributing to a 2–0 victory over Milton Keynes Dons. On 23 September 2008, Henderson notably saved two penalties during a Football League Trophy shootout against Lincoln, aiding Leicester’s 3–1 triumph. Nevertheless, he conceded twice in a following 2–0 loss to Rotherham United, which manager Nigel Pearson labeled as their poorest performance of the season. After regaining his starting role in November, Henderson sustained a groin injury during a 2–1 win at Scunthorpe United, marking his final appearance for Leicester. Injuries affecting both him and Martin compelled the club to secure three goalkeepers on loan, including David Stockdale and Tony Warner. Despite limited game time, Henderson was awarded a medal when Leicester clinched the League One title on 24 April.
On 28 April, manager Nigel Pearson informed Henderson that he could depart alongside Patrick Kisnorbo ahead of Leicester's Championship campaign. He was subsequently released upon contract expiry on 29 May along with Marc Edworthy, Kisnorbo, Bruno Ngotty, and Barry Hayles.
North Queensland Fury
Following his departure from Leicester City, Henderson signed with the Australian club North Queensland Fury. Throughout the Fury's first season, his performances varied in consistency. A highlight came on 31 October 2009, when he significantly contributed to the Fury’s 2–0 triumph over Gold Coast United, a remarkable recovery after suffering a 5–0 defeat to the same opponent earlier that year. Goalkeeping responsibilities were shared between Henderson and Justin Pasfield during this period.
Sydney Olympic
Henderson agreed to a short-term deal with Sydney Olympic and subsequently played an instrumental role in guiding the team to their first NSW Premier League championship since their drop from the National Soccer League in 2011. The title-deciding match against Sydney United drew a crowd exceeding 10,000, with actual attendance estimated near 16,000 due to open gates and a delayed start. His exceptional form earned him the NSWPL Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2012. Henderson then committed to remain with Sydney Olympic for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, potentially marking the final chapters of his playing career.
Newcastle Jets
On 6 June 2010, Henderson secured a short-term contract with the Newcastle Jets, stepping in as cover for the injured goalkeeper Neil Young during the 2010–2011 A-League campaign.
Central Coast Mariners
Henderson joined the Central Coast Mariners on 27 August 2010 under a six-week contract, filling in temporarily for injured goalkeeper Jess Vanstrattan. This agreement was subsequently extended through the remainder of the season before Henderson returned to Sydney Olympic.
International career
Although Henderson has not been capped at international level, he was listed as a standby player for the Australia squad on 26 September 2006 ahead of fixtures against Paraguay and Bahrain.
Honours
- Leicester City
- League One champions: 2008–09
- Sydney Olympic