Stuart Atkiss
From Tekken City
| Stuart Atkiss | |
|---|---|
| No Picture Availiable | |
| Birthplace | Birmingham, England 
|
| Current Club | Aston Villa (loan) |
| Birth Date | October 7, 1983 (23) |
| Position | Defender |
| Previous Clubs | West Bromwich Albion (ENG) |
| W.A.G | Sarah McKay |
Stuart Atkiss (born October 7, 1983 in Birmingham, England) is an English football player, who currently plays defender for Aston Villa of the FA Premier League. His previous club known to date is West Bromwich Albion, whom he played in his youth days and only for a single season professionally before being relased in the summer by Then-manager, Bryan Robson.
West Brom
Atkiss signed up for local team West Bromwich Albion in 2002 as a young talent, and played for the Albion youth squad. He impressed at right back, keeping 7 cean sheets out of a possible 20 games in a season. The following two seasons he stayedin the youth team, enabling him to develop as a first team player. He eventually gained his first big break in the 2005-2006 season, where he would go on to play 17 senior games in the Premiership and scoring 1 goal. Argueably his best performance came against Chelsea at the Hawthorns where he would set up three great chances in the game. Chelsea won 2-1 however.
Unfortunately for Atkiss, West Brom were relegated from the Premiership, and he was one of many players Axed from the team. He was released by mutual consent, but a clause in his contract stated that any team atempting to aquire his services would still have to pay money for him.
Tekken City
During the summer of 2006, Atkiss spent most of his time working hard with the ball, and he attempted to impress clubs doing it by going on trial. He spent trials at both Everton and Tottenham, but his abilities did not impress the scouts. At Tekken City however, he was an instant success, and manager, Ronald Koeman decided to offer him a professional contract at the club, offering him the Number 3 shirt. Tekken then paid West Bromwich Albion £3.5 million to cover the clause in his contract.
For a majority of the 2006-2007 Premiership season, Atkiss had to play second-fiddle to Steven Cherundolo, Tekken City's first choice right back, although Ronald Koeman had classed him as a more "defensive option" compared to Cherundolo's attacking approach to games. However, Cherundolo's strength as a first team regular in the side week-in-week-out proved too impecular for Atkiss, making it difficult for him to settle in properly.
On August 31, 2007, in an attempt to at least keep hopes of playing for England alive, Atkiss joined Aston Villa on a season long loan deal. Koeman believed that with Stuart playing regularly at a club nearer to his home area, he would endure a possible string of form, and thus a possible return for the 2008-09 season would allow him to fight harder for a first team place at the Buzzards, and with it; a regular place in Steve McClaren's England squad.
England National Team
Atkiss made his debut for England during the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifer against Israel when he came on as a substitue for Phil Neville. He currently possesses 2 International caps, his other appearance coming against Andorra in a 3-0 win where he would play for the full 90 minutes at right back.
There is currently however, huge competition for the right back spot in the England team. Gary Neville (Manchester United), Micah Richards (Manchester City) and Luke Young (Charlton Athletic) are candidates to play in his position, and Steve McClaren, England's head coach believes that players like Atkiss would need to boast a full season of playing right back at Tekken City if he was to be given the opportunity to play regularly for England. However, this is not possible for him at the current time since Steven Cherundolo is Tekken's first choice right back.
Personal Life
Atkiss is engaged to long-term partner, Sarah McKay, whom he proposed to during a summer vacation in Paris.
