(VIDEO) Ex-Reggae Boy McAnuff Rewarded For His Staying Power In England
Sky TV pundit and former midfielder is honoured for his esteemed playing career that spanned 21 years
Jobi McAnuff, a former Jamaican international, has been recognised for his long-term commitment to football in England.
The London-born 40-year old, who now works as a football analyst with British broadcaster Sky, has received the prestigious Sir Tom Finney Award and will be inducted into the English Football League’s Hall of Fame.
McAnuff, who tackled 757 matches over 21 years in England, retired at the end of the 2020-21 season. He hung up his boots as player/coach after being released as interim manager by London-based Leyton Orient.
The creative midfielder qualified to represent the Reggae Boyz through his Jamaica-born father, but experienced a stop-start international career.
McAnuff kicked off his international career against Nigeria in the 2002 Unity Cup exhibition game held in London, appearing as a 55th-minute substitute for winger Omar Daley.
But he was constantly overlooked by Jamaica for international duty until 2013, when he was plying his trade with Reading in the English Championship.
He had been spotted by scouts who were monitoring club team-mates Adrian Mariappa and Garath McCleary, and went on to make 32 appearances for the Boyz – scoring just once.
McAnuff was part of the Jamaican squad that captured the 2014 Caribbean Cup on home soil, slotting home a penalty in the shootout at the Montego Bay Sports Complex after the final ended goalless against Trinidad & Tobago.
He was also a member of the Jamaican team that finished second at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2015. McAnuff also made appearances in the trio of Jamaica’s group game at the 2016 Copa América in the United States.
McAnuff made 38 English Premier League appearances for Reading during the 2012-13 campaign, but those were his only club matches in the top flight.
His career was primarily spent his time competing in the Championship, League One and League Two. He kicked off his senior career in the First Division with Wimbledon for the 2002-03 season.
After three years he moved to West Ham United and then joined a plethora of sides to captivate fans at Cardiff City, Crystal Palace, Watford, Reading, Stevenage and Leyton Orient.
McAnuff did cross the Pond in 2016, the same year that he had played his last international game, for trials with North American Soccer League outfit Minnesota United FC. He only made one appearance for the side, against Mexican top-tier team Club Léon, before returning to England to represent Stevenage prior to his impressive swansong at Leyton Orient.
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