PLAYER PROFILE

Jason Koumas

Position: Midfield

Height: 5'10

Weight: 11st 0lbs

Date of Birth: 1979-09-25 Wrexham, Wales

Jason Koumas

Jason Koumas grew up the son of Cypriot chip shop owner in Wrexham, and had the choice to represent either Cyprus or Wales at international level, even getting call-ups from both teams. Thankfully for Wales, he chose the country of his birth and has grown into a very important member of the national team.

He started out at Tranmere Rovers, having worked his way through their youth system, and made his debut in a League Cup victory over Carlisle in August 1998 and was soon a regular and crucial part of the Rovers side, weighing in with some vital and occasionally spectacular goals.

Koumas first caught the eyes of the football community at large with an inspirational performance and goal as Tranmere shocked high-profile neighbours Everton with a 3-0 win at Goodison Park in the FA Cup fourth round in January 2001.

However, despite plenty of interest from Premiership clubs, Koumas stayed put at Prenton Park throughout the 2001/02 season, when he scored 13 goals. Before the start of that campaign he made his debut for Wales in a 1-1 draw in a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in June 2001 and his first international start came towards the end of the season in a friendly against Czech Republic in March 2002.

After scoring in both of Tranmere's opening games of the following season, Koumas was snapped up by Premiership side West Brom and he thrived in his first taste of the top flight as well as earning himself some more opportunities for Wales. After West Brom's relegation, he scored ten goals in 2003/04, as well as getting his first Welsh goal in a 2-1 friendly win over Hungary in April 2004.

In 2005/06, he spent the season on loan at Cardiff City and excelled for the Bluebirds, scoring 13 goals and showing the skills that had made him such an important player for all of the teams he had played for, but despite Cardiff's desire to keep him at Ninian Park, he returned to West Brom ready to prove himself again.

He certainly did that, starting 2006/07 in impressive fashion with goals for the Baggies and for Wales, and he was rewarded for those fine performances and for his work at Cardiff by being named as the Championship Player Of The Year at the Football League Awards in March 2007.

In July 2007 he finally left the Baggies, joining Wigan Athletic, where he enjoyed a solid first season.