Chris Herd

Christopher Herd (born 4 April 1989) is an Australian former international footballer. Herd could be described as a utility player who was able to play in a number of positions, including central defence, full back and central midfield. He represented Australia at under-20 level, and won the first of his senior caps in September 2014.

A graduate of the Aston Villa Academy, he was loaned from Aston Villa out to Port Vale and Wycombe Wanderers in 2008, before spending the 2009–10 campaign on loan at Lincoln City. He made his Premier League debut in November 2010, and went on to become a regular first team player in the 2011–12 season. He was largely absent from the first team for the next two seasons, and was loaned out to Bolton Wanderers in September 2014, and then Wigan Athletic in January 2015. He signed with Chesterfield in September 2015, before signing a deal to join Australian side Perth Glory in April 2016, however, he decided to terminate the contract for family reasons and signed for Gillingham in October 2016. Following a spell with Western Sydney Wanderers, he signed with Thai club Buriram United in June 2018. He joined Indian club Chennaiyin in January 2019. In December 2019, he joined Bangladesh Premier League team Sheikh Russel and 12 months later signed for Malaysian club Terengganu FC.

Club career

Aston Villa

Born in Melbourne, Australia and raised in Perth, Western Australia, Herd started his youth career at ECU Joondalup, and frequently trained with English club Southampton, which had close links to Joondalup. However Southampton decided that he was too small and Joondalup released him at the age of 14. Herd signed for Aston Villa from Australian club Bayswater City SC in February 2005, along with fellow Australian Shane Lowry, initially in a deal that was made up of a two-year Youth Training Scheme followed by him signing a one-year professional contract with the club. He made 19 appearances and scored twice for Aston Villa Reserves during his Youth Training Scheme campaign, as well as 21 appearances and one goal for the academy. Herd was also part of the squad that won the HKFC Philips Lighting International Soccer Sevens in May 2007, and was rewarded with a two-year contract following the success. He played in a variety of positions in his early career, most notably in central-midfield and on the right-wing, although in the 2007–08 Reserve season, he was heavily deployed at right-back. In July 2008, Herd was awarded with a new two-year deal. On 17 December 2008, he was selected on the bench for Villa's UEFA Cup match against Hamburger SV in Germany.

In January 2008, Herd signed on a one-month loan deal (subsequently extended) for Port Vale, and made his debut in the following match against Millwall. Herd received the first red card of his career in early February 2008, as Vale lost to Bristol Rovers. On his return to the team after suspension he scored two early goals in the 3–2 defeat to Hartlepool United on 12 February. After returning from Vale Park, Herd then signed a one-month loan deal with Wycombe Wanderers in March 2008, with Wycombe needing to strengthen their midfield numbers following injuries and a suspension. Herd started three matches and made a substitute appearance in another, to play a total of four games during his spell. He returned to Villa after he was left on the bench for the match against Grimsby Town on 15 April.

Herd featured for Villa's first team during Villa's pre-season for the 2009–10 season, and despite missing a penalty in the shoot-out with Juventus in the Peace Cup final, he still finished on the winning side in 2009. On 27 November 2009, Villa allowed Herd to join League Two side Lincoln City on loan until the new year. Villa granted him permission to play in the FA Cup, clearing the way for him to make his Lincoln City debut against Northwich Victoria two days after joining. Herd scored his first Lincoln goal in a 3–1 defeat to Rochdale on 12 December. Having established himself in the first XI, Herd extended his loan with the "Imps" until the end of the season.

Through the previous season's loan stint, Herd had become a very popular player among "Imps" fans and he almost rejoined the club in August 2010, although the season-long loan fell through at the last minute. This allowed him to make his Aston Villa Premier League debut against Manchester United on 13 November 2010, when he came on as a late substitute in the 2–2 draw at Villa Park. On 21 November, he made a substitute appearance by coming on in the 81st minute for midfielder Jonathan Hogg in a 2–0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. A week later, he came off the bench late into a 4–2 loss to Arsenal at Villa Park. On 10 January 2011, Herd scored a hat-trick as the Aston Villa reserves recorded a 10–1 victory over Arsenal reserves. In January 2011 he signed a contract extension with Villa, tying him to the club until 2014. Herd made his first start for the "Villans" in a 3–0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup Fifth Round. Due to the injuries and suspensions of a few senior defenders at Villa, Herd then followed this making his first Premier League start for Villa, lining up in at right back, in the match against local rivals, Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on 19 March. At the end of the 2010–11 season, Herd made seven appearances in all competitions.

He played as a right-back against Wolverhampton Wanderers in his first Premier League game of the 2011–12; his performance earned him the man of the match award and special praise from boss Alex McLeish. He came back in to the side for the home game against West Bromwich Albion on 22 October, playing in a defensive midfield role. However, he was controversially sent off by referee Phil Dowd

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