Taxus Baccata

by | Mar 15, 2018 | Taxus Baccata

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Vimal Yoganathan (born 13 January 2006) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League One club Barnsley.[1] He is the first footballer of Sri Lankan Tamil descent to play for a professional club in the United Kingdom.[2][3]

Club career

Yoganathan was raised in Trelawnyd, Wales and began his career with local side Connah's Quay Nomads.[4] He then move to Prestatyn Town. At age six he was scouted by Liverpool and joined the club's shadow squad the following year. At age eight he was officially signed to the club's academy in the presence of Brendan Rodgers.[5]

Yoganathan later joined the under-16 side of Barnsley.[2] In 2023 he won the U18 division with the club.[6] That season he took part in twenty-nine of thirty-four matches.[7] Yoganathan made his professional debut with the club on 8 August 2023 in a 2023–24 EFL Cup match against Tranmere Rovers. He entered the match as a 65th-minute substitute for Herbie Kane.[8] With the appearance, he became the first player of Tamil heritage to play a professional senior game in English football.[3]

International career

Yoganathan is of Sri Lankan Tamil descent and grew up in Trelawnyd.[9] As a schoolboy, Yoganathan was called up for Wales at the youth level to participate in training camps.[6][7] On 22 March 2024, he made his debut for Wales under-19s as a substitute against Belgium.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Soccerway profile". Soccerway. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "17 year old Tamil footballer Yoganthan makes his professional UK debut for Barnsley FC". Thamarai. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Gibbs, Thom. "Vimal Yoganathan: From four-year-old tantrums to England's first Tamil footballer". The Telegraph. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  4. ^ Mesney, Nik. "Academy trio make Football League moves". Connah's Quay Nomads F.C. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  5. ^ Jones, Dean. "Vimal signs for Liverpool FC academy". The Rhyl, Prestatyn, and Abergele Journal. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Ravenhill, Rogan. "Barnsley's title-winning under 18s squad". The Barnsley Chronicle. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Jones, John. "Young Guns". draggonsoccer.co.uk. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  8. ^ "Vimal Yoganathan on Making Reds Debut". Barnsley FC. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  9. ^ "Vimal Yoganathan: The Tamil footballer from Trelawnyd". tamil Guardian. January 14, 2024.
  10. ^ "Wales' Under 19s squad (U18s)". dragonsoccer.co.uk. March 25, 2024.

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