Gems of the lower leagues: Adam Le Fondre

Meet Adam Le Fondre, the man who’s got chins wagging and scouts in the lower leagues watching. Simon Godfrey has more.

Not much is certain in life but the one thing most League 2 fans, and indeed, most Rotherham United fans will tell you is that Adam le Fondre is destined for bigger and better things. That’s no disrespect to Rotherham United who, as last season, are currently enjoying life in the promotion places within League 2, but more of a recognition that Le Fondre’s goal scoring record means that a club higher up the footballing food chain is bound to come calling soon.

It was a surprise to most that Le Fondre didn’t move elsewhere in the summer where, having scored 30 goals last season, it was expected he’d be snapped up by a larger – likely Championship-level club. However, Rotherham managed to keep hold of their prized asset and the Stockport-born striker has already notched 16 goals again this season. All this indicates that the young striker will soon be off to pastures new, with Crystal Palace already showing signs of interest.

So, what do you need to know about Adam Le Fondre?

Le Fondre – the early years

Adam le Fondre began his career in 2004 with Stockport County having progressed through the club’s youth system and went on to score 18 goals in 64 appearances, including 4 in one game against Wrexham, over a three year period (and at an average of one goal every 3.5 games). In January 2007, Stockport loaned Le Fondre to Rochdale where the striker scored 4 goals in 7 appearances. This was enough to impress Rochdale’s manager Keith Hill and Rochdale signed Le Fondre permanently from Stockport for an undisclosed fee in July 2007.

Le Fondre – the Rochdale years

After joining League 2 side Rochdale in 2007, Le Fondre spent two successful years at Spotland where his successful goal scoring exploits fired Rochdale, a club who’d spent 36 consecutive years in the same division, into the playoff final. Unfortunately for Rochdale they lost the final, to Stockport ironically, but that didn’t stop Le Fondre continuing his scoring spree in his second season with ‘The Dale’ where he hit 18 goals as Rochdale finished the season in 9th.

Le Fondre – the Rotherham years

Having clearly felt that his opportunities to play at a higher level were limited at Rochdale and with The Dale facing an imminent tax bill, Le Fondre joined Rotherham in the summer of 2009 for an undisclosed fee. Rotherham, a club who had more recently enjoyed spells in higher divisions despite huge financial problems off the field, immediately reaped the rewards of signing one of the lower-league’s most prolific scorers as Le Fondre’s 30 goals fired Rotherham into the playoff final. Rotherham lost the playoff final to Dagenham & Redbridge but Le Fondre has once again been in fine goal-scoring form this season and his 16 goals for ‘The Millers’ has propelled them to 2nd in League Two.

What next for Adam Le Fondre?

Two things are clear from studying Adam Le Fondre’s career to date; the first is that he’s been loyal to any club he’s played with and the other is that he quite clearly enjoys playing at clubs which aren’t too far from his hometown of Stockport. You only need to type his name into Google to realise just how many clubs have been linked with the player in the past and we’re not just talking other League 2 or even League 1 clubs here. Championship clubs’ fan forums are full of supporters mentioning his name as that “one from the lower leagues” who could transform a mid-table finish into a playoff finish or a relegation battle into safety.

Watching Le Fondre’s goal scoring exploits will show you a player with natural scoring prowess, so whichever club comes in for him is certain to get a player who possesses the ability to score goals at a higher level. Perhaps not the Premiership, but a lower Championship side or upper League 1 side would certainly benefit from a player who has averaged 1 goal every 2.2 games over the past six seasons. One other thing is also certain; clubs do not get rid of goal scorers for free and therefore any potential suitor must be prepared to part with some serious cash if they want to get their hands on League 2’s hottest property.

Simon Godfrey is a new contributor to Just Football and can be found over at his coaching blog A coach’s journal.

(pic via Ingy the Wingy on Flickr).

Adam Le Fondre, English League Two, Football League, Gems of the Lower Leagues, Rotherham United