Huntington: Paul

2007- 2010 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Central Defender

Born: Carlisle: 17-09-1987

Debut: v Hartlepool United (h) (substitute): 08-09-2007

6’3” 12st 8lb (2007)

Huntington joined the Newcastle United School of Excellence on 1st July 1964 from Trinity School in Cumbria. As a schoolboy he played at Wembley Stadium and also won the England Under-Eighteen National Cup for his school in 2004. After impressing in the youth teams he was promoted to the reserve squad in late 2004 to play tougher opposition and gain experience. He made his reserve debut for the club on 7th December 2004 in a 3-0 home win over rivals Middlesbrough and made his official England Under-Eighteen debut against Scotland fifteen days later in a 1-0 win. He signed his first professional contract at the club in July 2005. His first involvement in the first team at Newcastle was when he appeared on the bench for the club's Inter-Toto games against ZTS Dubnic and Deportivo La Coruna in July 2005. In the summer of 2005 he was awarded the prestigious 'Wor Jackie Milburn' trophy, given each year to the rising star of North-East football. He was also named in the first team squad at Newcastle for the FA Cup Third-Round tie against Mansfield Town, in which Alan Shearer scored his two-hundredth goal for the club. He came close to making a first team appearance on 23rd November 2006 when a defensive crisis left the club with only three fit senior defenders. Huntington and fellow youth defender David Edgar made the substitutes bench for a UEFA Cup match against Celta Vigo. On 9th December 2006 he made his first Newcastle United appearance as a late substitute against Blackburn Rovers in the unfamiliar role of right-back. The following match, on 14th December 2006 Huntington started his first ever game for Newcastle, again appearing at right back in the midst of an injury crisis engulfing the club. Huntington had represented Newcastle United in the League Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Cup and Premier League. He scored a goal for them in their 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in January 2007. His last match for Newcastle United was in March in the UEFA Cup at AZ Alkmaar where they lost 2-0 and went out on away goals (4-4). Huntington played eighty-six minutes of that game. In total he represented Newcastle sixteen times, including two substitute appearances. In what was quite a surprise, or unexpected move, Huntington had been playing for Newcastle Reserves in a 2-2 draw against Sunderland on 29th August 2007, with Leeds boss Denis Wise, and assistant Gus Poyet, in the crowd at the Stadium of Light. They moved in quickly and he was signed on deadline day, 31st August 2007, on a three year contract for Ł150,000. Huntington made his home debut for the Leeds as a substitute in the 2-0 victory on 8th September 2007 when Leeds entertained Harlepool United at Elland Road. On 9th October 2007 Huntington opened his Leeds goal-scoring account against Darlington in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Second Round to help Leeds go to the next stage. He notched his first League goal for Leeds against Luton Town on the 26th January 2008. He had to bide his time for a first team spot but took his chance well when Rui Marques was on African Nations Cup Final duty with Angola. Huntington established himself as Leeds' first-choice centre-back whem Marques was out with an injured hamstring, and showed good form in the run-in to the 2007-08 season. He was named Captain for the game at Shelbourne during United's pre-season tour of Ireland and started in central defence with Rui Marques when the 2008-09 season started. United failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their first four games and both were dropped and replaced by Lubomír Michalík and Paul Telfer. He had hamstring injury problems and could not get back into the team, but returned to training for the 2009/10 season. He made his first competitive appearance for Leeds for several months on 10th August 2009 in the Carling Cup game against Darlington. With Leeds well-stocked in central defence with the acquisition of Patrick Kisnorbo and the return from injury of club Captain Richard Naylor, on 10th September 2009 Huntington joined Stockport County on a month's loan. He made his Stockport debut in the 2-2 draw against Yeovil Town, two days later. On 9th October 2009 the loan was extended for a further twenty-eight days. After he had been there two months Stockport wanted to extend it for a further month and Huntington was told to return to Leeds. On transfer deadline day, 1st February 2010, Huntington requested his contract be paid out. It allowed him to seek another club to get first team exposure before his contract was due to run out at the end of the season. He signed for Stockport on a free transfer. By the end of the 2009-10 season Huntington had made twenty-sixLeague appearances in total. On 16th July 2010 Huntington signed for Yeovil Town on a two year contract. He soon settled into the Glovers first-team and was appointed Captain. He opened his scoring account on 11th September 2010 in a 3-1 home win over Tranmere Rovers. He won the League One "Player of the Month" in January 2011, he was also runner-up in the club's "Player of the year" award. He was relieved of the club's captaincy for the 2011-12 season but became vice-captain, but was later given the captaincy back by new Manager Gary Johnson. As the season approached ita conclusion he had scored six goals in seventy-five starts, and also made four starts in the F.A. Cup, two in the League Cup and two in the Johnstone Paints Trophy.