Scott Malone

1. Overview

Scott Liam Malone (born March 25, 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays primarily as a left-back or left-sided midfielder. Malone began his career at the Wolverhampton Wanderers academy, turning professional in 2009. Though he didn't make a senior appearance for Wolves, he gained experience through several loan spells before making a permanent move to AFC Bournemouth in January 2012. He subsequently played for numerous clubs across the English Football League, including two stints at Millwall, Cardiff City, Fulham, Huddersfield Town, Derby County, and Gillingham, and most recently Crawley Town, where his contract was terminated by mutual consent. Malone has also represented England at the youth international level.

2. Early Life and Youth Career

Born in Rowley Regis, England, on March 25, 1991, Scott Liam Malone began his football journey by joining the Wolverhampton Wanderers academy at the age of nine. He developed through their youth system and signed his first professional contract with the club in February 2009, when he was 18 years old. During the 2008-09 season, he was recognized with the Wolves' Academy Player of the Season Award. Malone stands at approximately 74 in ^{(188 cm)}.

3. Club Career

Scott Malone's professional football career spans over a decade, with extensive experience playing for various clubs across the English Football League and a brief loan spell in Hungary. His journey has seen him contribute significantly as a left-back and left-sided midfielder, often making immediate impacts upon joining new teams.

3.3. Millwall (First Stint)

On May 30, 2012, Scott Malone joined Millwall as part of a swap deal that saw former Bournemouth player Josh McQuoid return to Bournemouth. Malone's departure from Bournemouth was reportedly met with discontent from some supporters due to a comment he made. Upon his arrival at Millwall, he was assigned the number 28 shirt for the upcoming 2012-13 season.

Malone made his Millwall debut in the first round of the League Cup against Crawley Town on August 14, 2012. He played the entire 120 minutes, including extra time, but Millwall were eliminated after a 5-2 penalty shoot-out loss. His league debut came in the season's opening game, an August 18, 2012, 2-0 defeat against Blackpool. Three days later, on August 21, 2012, Malone scored his first Millwall goal in a 2-1 victory over Peterborough United. However, he struggled to secure a consistent first-team spot, spending much of the season on the substitute bench and also dealing with injury concerns. He finished his first season at Millwall with 16 appearances and one goal across all competitions.

For the 2013-14 season, Malone continued to face periods on the sidelines at the beginning of the campaign. He made his first appearance of the season as a left-back in a 3-1 win over Blackpool on September 17, 2013. Two weeks later, on September 28, Malone scored his second Millwall goal in a 2-0 victory over Leeds United. On November 2, 2013, during a 2-2 draw against Burnley, he suffered an injury that forced his substitution after just seven minutes, though a subsequent scan confirmed no ligament damage. After weeks out, Malone returned to the first team on November 23, 2013, in a 1-0 win over Barnsley. He continued to experience injury issues throughout the season. A week after one of his returns, on April 5, 2014, Malone scored his third goal for the club in a 2-1 win against Nottingham Forest. At the close of the 2013-14 Championship season, Scott Malone finished as runner-up for the club's "Player of the Year" award, following a series of impressive performances. Notably, he scored a 91st-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Queens Park Rangers on April 26, 2014, a moment later ranked as the ninth key highlight of Millwall's 2013-14 campaign. Despite his injuries, Malone made 33 appearances and scored two goals that season.

In the 2014-15 season, Malone maintained his status as a first-team regular. He scored his first goal of the season on August 30, 2014, in a 2-1 victory over Blackpool. Despite further injury concerns, he recovered and regained his place in the starting lineup. Although Millwall faced struggles, Malone's performances drew the attention of Cardiff City, who successfully made a bid for him.

3.4. Cardiff City

Scott Malone signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with fellow Championship club Cardiff City on January 8, 2015. Prior to this move, Malone was reportedly linked with a transfer to Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, who had submitted a bid for him.

Two days after signing for the club, Malone made his Cardiff City debut, starting in a 1-0 win over Fulham on January 10, 2015. On February 7, 2015, he provided an assist for Kenwyne Jones to score the opening goal in a 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday. However, Malone experienced several injuries as the 2014-15 season progressed. He concluded the latter half of the season with Cardiff City, having made 13 appearances.

In the 2015-16 season, Malone had a strong start, scoring an equalizer against Queens Park Rangers in a 2-2 draw on August 15, 2015. His performance, particularly his tireless running on the left flank, earned him the Man of the Match award from fans. This was followed by his second goal of the season in a 3-2 away victory over Bolton Wanderers on December 5. Malone established himself firmly in the left-back position, making 41 appearances and scoring twice. He missed five games during the season due to four appearances on the substitute bench and one absence due to illness.

With his contract nearing its end at the close of the 2015-16 season, Malone's future at Cardiff City became uncertain, especially with the appointment of new manager Paul Trollope. Ahead of the 2016-17 season, it was anticipated that Malone might not be a first-team regular due to the strong pre-season form of Declan John.

4. International Career

In late August 2009, Scott Malone received his first call-up to the England U19 squad. He made his England U19 debut on September 10, 2009, in a 3-1 victory over Russia U19. He went on to make a total of six appearances for the England U19 team. In February 2011, Malone was called up by the England U20 squad, but he was forced to withdraw from the team due to tonsillitis.

5. Career Statistics

6. Honours

• Wolverhampton Wanderers Academy Player of the Season: 2008-09