Another loan spell for James Vaughan
Ten clubs and 79 league goals into his career, and the Birmingham-born striker James Vaughan arrives on loan at Portsmouth FC.
With 291 league appearances under his belt, James Vaughan is a vastly experienced forward. He started his career at Everton and made an instant impact. Subbed on in the second half of his debut game, he scored to become the Premier League’s youngest ever scorer, beating James Milner and fellow Evertonian Wayne Rooney.
Unlike Rooney, his time at Everton didn’t propel his footballing career in the same way. He was loaned out on three different occasions. In 2009, he joined Derby County on a three-month loan but managed to make only two appearances.
As a forward who broke onto the scene as Everton’s under-16s player of the season, Vaughan’s career was taking a disappointing turn. After an injury-ridden seven seasons at Everton, where he was in and out of the team, Vaughan hoped he could kickstart his career and in 2011 newly promoted Norwich City came calling.
He signed for £2.5 million and Norwich fans were hoping he could have a better spell in the Premier League. But once again injuries hindered any chances of succeeding at his new club. Despite staying for two seasons he made only five appearances. Norwich City manager Chris Hughton decided it was time for Vaughan to rehabilitate in the Championship.
As a forward scoring 17 league goals in eight years and finding you’re being loaned out again, it can be daunting. But the then Huddersfield manager Simon Grayson remained positive and wanted to give him a chance. Before his arrival in 2012, he described James Vaughan as a “determined character with a high work-rate and he is a player with something to prove.”
With a point to prove, he would go on to have his best season so far, managing to make 31 league appearances and scoring 14 goals. The club decided to make him a permanent signing and in 2013 a £1 million fee was agreed between Huddersfield and Norwich.
After an encouraging spell at Huddersfield, Vaughan went on to score 24 goals when he signed for Bury in 2017 and eventually he landed at Wigan at the start of 2018 for an unknown fee.
Now the 30-year-old finds himself loaned out once again in a lengthy career that has been ravaged with injuries. But James Vaughan still carries on in the hope he can land his second League One trophy with Portsmouth.
