Wayne Hennessey

Early life and career

Hennessey is a cousin of Terry Hennessey, who earned 39 caps for Wales from 1962 to 1972. Hennessey, born in Bangor, Gwynedd, and raised in Beaumaris, Anglesey, was educated at Ysgol David Hughes but switched to Connah's Quay High School as it was easier to travel to Manchester. Hennessey began as a trainee at Manchester City but was released in 2003, whereupon he joined the youth academy at Wolverhampton Wanderers. After progressing through the ranks, he signed professional forms in April 2005.

After remaining in Wolves' reserve and youth teams during the 2005–06 season, Hennessey was sent on trial with Bristol City in July 2006 with a view to a loan move to gain first team experience but was recalled to Wolves after an injury to their first-choice goalkeeper Matt Murray. He did go back to Bristol City in August 2006, however, on a one-month loan deal, but he didn't make an appearance and returned to his parent club early due to an arm injury.

Stockport County

To gain first-team football, Hennessey joined League Two side Stockport County in January 2007 on a one-month loan. On his senior debut against Boston United, he kept a clean sheet and after keeping another five clean sheets in successive matches, his loan spell was extended by an extra month.

He went on to set a Football League record of nine successive clean sheets and wins. Stockport broke the 119-year-old record, when they beat Swindon Town 3–0 on 3 March 2007. After this accomplishment, he was named the League Two Player of the Month for February 2007. His feat also means he now holds County's record for the longest period without conceding a goal, beating Harry Hardy's 85-year-old record. His record now stands at 857 minutes, from the start of his competitive club debut, against Boston United on 13 January 2007, until Oliver Allen of Barnet scored on 10 March 2007. He therefore did not concede in his first nine-and-a-half matches of competitive club football.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Hennessey was recalled by Wolves in April 2007 after another injury to first-choice Matt Murray, and found himself on the substitutes bench for several games. When Murray broke his shoulder on the eve of Wolves' Championship play-off semi-final first leg against local rivals West Bromwich Albion, Hennessey stepped in to make his Wolves debut.

With Murray sidelined for the whole of the 2007–08 season with yet another injury, Hennessey became firmly established at the club's number one, being an ever-present in the league and signing a new extended contract. At the end of the season he was named in the 2007–08 PFA Championship Team of the Year as well as being named Wolves' Player of the Season. FourFourTwo magazine ranked him 22nd in their Top 50 Football League Players list.

The 2008–09 season saw a strong start for Hennessey and Wolves with eight victories out of the first nine league games. This fine run ended against promotion rivals Reading with a 0–3 loss begun by an own goal from Hennessey. Soon after manager Mick McCarthy dropped him to the bench, citing mental fatigue as the reason. Reserve keeper Carl Ikeme deputised and impressed enough to leave Hennessey on the sidelines until an injury ruled him out for the majority of the season. Hennessey then regained and kept his place in goal for the remainder of the season which culminated with promotion to the Premier League as champions after a five-year absence.

Hennessey began the club's 2009–10 Premier League campaign as first choice goalkeeper, making his 100th senior appearance for the club in a 2–2 draw at Stoke City in October 2009. However, after conceding four goals in two successive games, he was replaced by the more experienced Marcus Hahnemann and remained on the bench for the rest of the season as the club finished 15th.

In July 2010, Hennessey extended his contract with Wolves to run until the summer of 2015. The following season began with Hahnemann retaining the number one spot until his own loss of form saw Hennessey return to the starting line-up in November 2010. He then held on to the spot for the remainder of the campaign as the club narrowly avoided relegation on the final day.

During the 2011–12 season, Hennessey was part of the Wolves defence that went a club record of 30 consecutive league games without a clean sheet. They finally ended this with a goalless draw at Sunderland in April 2012, but by then the team was rooted to the bottom of the table. Despite the game halting this run, it brought bad news for Hennessey as he suffered a torn cruciate knee ligament during it that was due to keep him sidelined until Autumn 2012. After completing several reserve games during his comeback he re-injured the knee during training in November 2012 which kept him out of action for the remainder of the 2012–13 season.

He made his return to the Wolves goal during pre-season ahead of their 2013–14 campaign – with the club now in League One having suffered two relegations since Hennessey's initial injury – but he was not selected to start the club's opening fixtures. On 12 August 2013 it was agreed for the goalkeeper to spend a month on loan at Yeovil Town as he recovers from his long-term injury problems. However, before this deal was officially concluded Hennessey suffered a hamstring problem while on international duty with the Welsh national team and so the proposed loan was scrapped. Although, on 21 August 2013, after an injury to Yeovil's replacement goalkeeper Sam Johnstone Hennessey officially joined Yeovil Town on an initial one-month loan which was eventually extended until 17 November 2013. He made his Yeovil debut in a 0–3 loss to Derby County on 24 August 2013. In his penultimate home match Hennessey received the man of the match award after the Glovers achieved their first ever home win at Championship by defeating Nottingham Forest.

After his loan spell at Yeovil ended, Hennessey returned to Wolves but did not displace Carl Ikeme in goal. When Ikeme suffered an injury in January 2014, Hennessey declined to play in the following fixture against Gillingham, launching speculation that he wanted a move away from the club. Although he subsequently apologised for his refusal to play, he did not play again for Wolves and negotiations were later entered into with Premier League team Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace

On 31 January 2014, Hennessey joined Crystal Palace on a three-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee, with media speculation suggesting it to be an initial £1.6 million, with add-on clauses. Hennessey made his debut for the Eagles in the team's final match of the Premier League season, a 2–2 draw with Fulham on 11 May 2014.

Hennessey's first appearance of the 2014–15 season came a 3–0 win at Walsall in the Football League Cup second round. On 25 October, he made his first Premier League appearance of the season as a substitute for injured first choice goalkeeper Julian Speroni in a 2–2 draw at West Bromwich Albion. He ended the season starting in Palace's final two league fixtures, wins against Liverpool and Swansea City, keeping his first Premier League clean sheet for the club in the latter match.

After starting in Crystal Palace's 2015–16 Football League Cup second and third round matches, Hennessey was selected to start the Premier League fixture against Watford in place of Alex McCarthy. He kept a clean sheet as Palace won 1–0 at Vicarage Road and has retained his place as the team's first choice goalkeeper, making five consecutive league appearances.

International career

Hennessey was capped for Wales at Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 level. He once scored for the Under-19 side with a 40-yard free kick against Turkey.

He made his full international debut for Wales in a 2–2 friendly draw against New Zealand on 26 May 2007 and has since established himself as his country's first-choice goalkeeper. Hennessey made his 50th appearance for Wales on 3 September 2015, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 away win over Cyprus in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying.

Club

International

Honours

Wolverhampton Wanderers