Fulham Football Club completed a double for the day, and increased its current tally for the window to six, by adding striker David Healy to the squad. The 27 year-old has joined Lawrie Sanchez’ side on a 4 year deal from Leeds United.
Sanchez and Healy have worked closely together on the international stage in recent years and the striker’s record for Northern Ireland is nothing short of exceptional, having netted 29 times in 59 appearances, 18 of those with Sanchez as Manager.
A winning strike against England at Windsor Park in 2005, two hat-tricks against Spain and Liechtenstein, plus an exceptional brace against Sweden have landed Healy at the top of the Euro 2008 qualifying scoring charts ahead of Germany’s Lukas Podolski.
On the domestic scene Healy began his career with Manchester United but after three substitute appearances and a brief loan spell with Port Vale made the move to Preston North End in 2000. The striker scored 44 times during a four year spell with the club which also included a brief, yet succesful loan spell with Norwich City.
In October 2004 Healy joined Leeds United and finished as the club’s top scorer in his first season. In his second campaign at Elland Road, Healy’s strike rate was just shy of a goal every other game. He was handed the captaincy towards the end of last season, but the club could not halt its slide and was relegated to League 1 at the end of 2006/07.
Lawrie Sanchez spoke this morning about the striker’s move to Craven Cottage:
‘My interest in signing David Healy has been well documented in recent months and I am delighted that he has signed for the Club today. David has showcased his striking pedigree at the highest level with Northern Ireland in recent years, and I have every confidence that he will replicate the same form for Fulham in the Premiership. The signing of David Healy follows the addition of Diomansy Kamara and I am pleased with the quality in attack that will be at my disposal next season.’
David Healy added:
‘I knew of the Manager’s interest in bringing me to Fulham at the beginning of the summer and I’m glad, finally, to put pen to paper. Obviously I know Lawrie Sanchez well and through his time as Manager of Northern Ireland he has given me a lot of support, so I’m really looking forward to playing under him in the Premiership. It was a disappointing end to my time at Leeds with the club being relegated and I wish them well for the future. But I’m looking forward to joining the other lads that I know from the Northern Irish set-up and, of course, the lads already here and I’m really excited about the future.’
