 Lansbury withNottingham Forest in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Henri George Lansbury[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1990-10-12)12 October 1990 (age 35)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Enfield, London, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[3] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–1999 | Norwich City | ||
| 1999–2007 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2012 | Arsenal | 3 | (0) |
| 2009 | →Scunthorpe United (loan) | 16 | (4) |
| 2009–2010 | →Watford (loan) | 37 | (5) |
| 2010–2011 | →Norwich City (loan) | 23 | (4) |
| 2011–2012 | →West Ham United (loan) | 22 | (1) |
| 2012–2017 | Nottingham Forest | 145 | (32) |
| 2017–2021 | Aston Villa | 41 | (2) |
| 2021 | Bristol City | 16 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Luton Town | 44 | (1) |
| Total | 347 | (49) | |
| International career | |||
| 2005–2006 | England U16 | 5 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | England U17 | 14 | (4) |
| 2007–2009 | England U19 | 11 | (4) |
| 2009–2013 | England U21 | 16 | (5) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Henri George Lansbury (born 12 October 1990) is an English former professionalfootballer who played as amidfielder. Throughout his career, he played forArsenal, where he ascended from the club's academy, in addition to spells with sidesScunthorpe United,Watford,Norwich City, Aston Villa FC,West Ham United andNottingham Forest,Bristol City andLuton Town. He achieved consecutive promotions to thePremier League in2010–11 with Norwich and2011–12 with West Ham. Lansbury also played for England as a youth international.
Lansbury was born inEnfield,Greater London and grew up inPotters Bar. In 1999, he joinedArsenal as a schoolboy from the books ofNorwich City.[4] As such Lansbury featured as a regular for the club's academy sides.[5] He finally made his first-team debut on 31 October 2007, in Arsenal's 3–0 League Cup win overSheffield United, when he was brought on to replaceTheo Walcott in the 83rd minute.[6] Lansbury missed the second half of the 2007–08 season due toglandular fever but returned to fitness in time to participate in pre-season training and the 2008 pre-season friendly games.
He was described by former Arsenal strikerAlan Smith as having "huge potential".[7] On 1 July 2008 he signed his first professional contract with Arsenal.[8] but was restricted to cup games at the club. On 31 January 2009, Lansbury went onloan toScunthorpe United inLeague One for a month.[9][10] He scored on his full debut againstSwindon Town in the league,[11] adding three further goals during his loan campaign. Lansbury featured in theFA Youth Cup Final for Arsenal, helping them win the trophy overLiverpool, assistingGilles Sunu on the first goal andJay Emmanuel-Thomas on the fourth goal in the first leg 4–1 victory.[12]
On 21 August 2009, Lansbury joinedWatford on loan until 31 December 2009. He scored his first goals for them with a brace against Sheffield Wednesday on 23 October 2009.[13][14]
On 31 December 2009, Lansbury signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal.[15] After signing a new deal, manager Arsène Wenger said that Lansbury "will be a big player".[16] He made his Premier League debut for Arsenal on 9 May 2010 against Fulham on the last day of the season, after returning from his loan spell at Watford.[17] Arsenal won the match 4–0. His first goal for the club came againstTottenham Hotspur in the 3rd round of theLeague Cup, on 21 September 2010. Lansbury played the full 90 minutes and 30 minutes extra time, as the Gunners ran out 4–1 winners against their bitterNorth London rivals. It was a goal which he said was like a dream.[18]
After impressing against Spurs, Lansbury went on to be named in the Arsenal squad for theirUEFA Champions League game againstShakhtar Donetsk but did not make an appearance off the bench. After a successful loan spell at Norwich City for much of the 2010–11 season, making 23 appearances and being involved in nine goals, he returned to his parent club. He made two substitute appearances for Arsenal at the beginning of the season before joiningWest Ham United at the end of August 2011 on a season long loan for rest of the 2011–12 season. On 13 September 2011, Lansbury signed a contract extension, for an undisclosed period of time, with Arsenal.[19]
On 22 November 2010, Lansbury joined Norwich City on a 28-day emergency loan deal to cover for injuries in the City squad.[20] He was given the number 12 shirt and made his debut in theEast Anglian derby victory againstIpswich Town on 28 November, setting up a goal forGrant Holt in the process.[21] Lansbury sustained a hamstring injury in the 2–1 away victory overCoventry City.[22] After briefly returning to Arsenal in mid-January, he soon rejoined Norwich on loan until the end of the season.[23] He scored his first two goals for the club in consecutive home games againstMillwall andReading – the former being a stoppage time winner.[24][25] He became a cult hero after his goal againstLeeds United when he celebrated by doing the Dougie made famous by the songTeach Me How to Dougie.[26]
Lansbury missed out on the 2010–11 Football League Championship Young Player of the Year award after fierce competition fromConnor Wickham who at the time was playing forIpswich Town.
On 31 August 2011, Lansbury joinedWest Ham United on a season-long loan from Arsenal.[27] He made his debut on 10 September 2011 in a 4–3 home win againstPortsmouth scoring West Ham's second goal, eventually finishing with the Man of the Match accolade.[28] In October 2011, Lansbury was ruled out until Christmas with a knee injury. On 21 February 2012, Lansbury was brought on to play in goal againstBlackpool afterRobert Green had been sent off for aprofessional foul with West Ham leading 2–1. ManagerSam Allardyce had not named a goalkeeper amongst his substitutes. West Ham went on to win the game 4–1, and fans chanted "England's Number 1" at the final whistle in tribute to Lansbury's second-half goalkeeping debut, keeping a clean-sheet in the process.[29][30] West Ham's travellingfans also sang 'Are you Ludo (Hammers favouriteLudek Miklosko) in disguise?' to Lansbury in honour of his emergency shot-stopping stint between the sticks.[31]
Lansbury, with West Ham, won the2012 Football League Championship play-off final, in a 2–1 beating ofBlackpool atWembley Stadium, a triumph that earned the Irons promotion back to thePremier League,[32] where the club remain.
On 28 August 2012, Lansbury joinedFootball League Championship sideNottingham Forest from Arsenal on a four-year deal[33] for a transfer fee believed to be in excess of £1 million.[34] On 19 February 2013 he scored his first goal for the club by netting the fifth goal in a 6–1 victory overHuddersfield Town.[35] Lansbury scored the first goal of Forest's 2013–14 campaign in the Championship, netting the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Huddersfield Town.[36] Lansbury scored his second goal on his third appearance of the season, in a 3–0 win overBolton Wanderers.[37]
Having established himself as a regular starter for Forest, Lansbury missed the final months of the2013–14 season through injury and was strongly linked in the summer with a move to newly promotedPremier League sideBurnley.[38] However, Lansbury signed a new three-year contract with Forest on 22 August 2014.[39] He made his return from injury on 26 August 2014, scoring and winning the fan's man of the match award in a 2–0League Cup second round victory overHuddersfield Town.[40] Lansbury then started Forest's next game in theChampionship away atSheffield Wednesday. He played 68 minutes of the game and scored Forest's winner in the thirty-seventh minute.[41] Lansbury also went on to win theEFL Championship Player of the Month award of February 2015.[42]
Prior to and during the 2015–16Championship season, Lansbury was once again linked with a transfer to Burnley. Despite the continued media speculation and negotiations between Forest and Burnley, Lansbury's managerDougie Freedman praised his new captain's attitude and commented that his performance againstRotherham was a "delight to watch".[43] Less than a week after the Rotherham game, a statement was released byForest on 20 August 2015 confirming that Lansbury had declared his intention to stay at the club.[44]
"His commitment is not in question. That is why he is still the captain, because he plays with commitment for this side. He has always done that. I am sure that will not change. He is a very good player for us; he has been very good for us in the last few games. He has a good mentality; one that is an example to the rest of the squad."
Lansbury continued to be a first-team regular during the2016–17 season under the new management ofPhilippe Montanier, and scored his first career hat-trick on 25 November 2016 to inspire Forest to a 5–2 defeat ofBarnsley atOakwell.[46] After the game Montanier stressed the importance of successfully negotiating a new deal for Lansbury, whose contract was due to expire in the summer of 2017.[45] Lansbury himself expressed a desire to stay at the club in an interview withSky Sports, describing Forest as his "second home".[47] On 9 December Lansbury was awarded the Championship Player of the Month Award for November, being the second time that he's won such. His outstanding performance in Forest's win over Barnsley was cited as a factor in him being bestowed with the honour by Sky Sports punditDon Goodman.[48]
In January 2017, and with his contract situation unresolved, Lansbury was the subject of bids fromDerby County andAston Villa, the latter of which was reported to be worth £3 million.[49] Amid the speculation, Lansbury missed Forest'sFA Cup defeat atWigan Athletic on 7 January because his "head was not right to play".[50] On 20 January, after reported interest fromWatford,Celtic andNorwich City, Lansbury completed a transfer to Aston Villa to bring an end to his four-and-a-half-year stay at Forest.[51]
Lansbury signed forAston Villaon 20 January 2017 for a reported fee of £3 million.[52]He scored his first goal for the Villans against Leeds Unitedon 1 December 2017 to earn his side a 1–1 draw.[53] However, from the beginning of the2018-19 EFL Championship campaign onwards, Lansbury found it difficult to find regular game time, playing mostly in cup competitions. At the start of the2020–21 Premier League season, Lansbury found himself behindJohn McGinn,Conor Hourihane andJacob Ramsey in the pecking order.[54] On 15 September 2020, he made his 50th appearance for Aston Villa, after3+1⁄2 years with the club, in a 3–1 away victory overBurton Albion in theEFL Cup.[55]
On 20 October 2020, Aston Villa confirmed their squad for the 2020-21 Premier League season, which did not include Lansbury.[56]
On 29 January 2021, Lansbury departedAston Villa after agreeing a mutual termination of his contract.[57]
On 29 January 2021, Lansbury joinedChampionship sideBristol City on a short-term contract until the end of the 2020–21 season.[58] Lansbury made his Bristol City debut on 6 February, in a 2–0 home league defeat toCardiff City.[59]
On 14 May 2021, Lansbury left Bristol City following the expiration of his contract and was then immediately signed byLuton Town. In June 2023, Luton confirmed that Lansbury would be leaving the club at the end of the2022–23 season.[60]
Lansbury announced his retirement from professional football on 17 August 2023, at the age of 32.[61]
Lansbury has featured forEngland as a youth international. He captained England's U-16 side and helped take their U17s to the final of the2007 UEFA U-17 European Championship.[62]He went on to miss the final due to a concussion that he suffered during the semi-final of the tournament.[63]Lansbury also held the captain's armband at theU-19 level where he took England to the2009 UEFA U-19 European Championshipfinal againstUkraine where they emerged as runners up. He scored three goals to end up as the second highest scorer of the tournament altogether.[64][65]
Lansbury made his debut for the U21 team in a game againstPortugal in November 2009. On 16 November 2010, in an England Under-21 friendly to Germany, Lansbury replacedJason Steele in goal when he was red carded. He let in the resulting penalty byCenk Tosun but then kept Germany at bay for the rest of the match.[66] Lansbury was called up to England's U-21 squad for the2011 UEFA Under-21 Championships featuring in all three group stage matches as a substitute. On 1 September 2011 he started for England in a2013 UEFA Under-21 Championships qualifier againstAzerbaijan. In an impressive display he scored twice, assisted two further goals and was named man of the match as England won 6–0.[67] On 29 February 2012, he scored two goals as England U21 secured a play-off spot forEuro 2013 with a 4–0 victory atThe Riverside overBelgium U21.[68]
After his retirement, Lansbury committed full-time to hisorganic fertilizer business Grass Gains.[69][70][71] He credits his interest inlawns to aCOVID lockdown period when he had to mow the lawn himself after a gardener did a disappointing job.[72][73] The Grass Gains products are being used at various football pitches across Europe, includingGenk,AS Monaco andFulham.[74][75]
In an exclusive interview withSky Sports, Lansbury revealed that he had overcometesticular cancer while at Nottingham Forest.[76]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arsenal | 2007–08[77] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008–09[78] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2009–10[79] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2010–11[80] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2011–12[81] | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | ||
| Scunthorpe United (loan) | 2008–09[78] | League One | 16 | 4 | — | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 18 | 4 | |
| Watford (loan) | 2009–10[79] | Championship | 37 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 39 | 5 | |
| Norwich City (loan) | 2010–11[80] | Championship | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 4 | ||
| West Ham United (loan) | 2011–12[81] | Championship | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[b] | 0 | 24 | 1 | |
| Nottingham Forest | 2012–13[82] | Championship | 32 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 32 | 5 | |
| 2013–14[83] | Championship | 29 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 30 | 7 | ||
| 2014–15[84] | Championship | 39 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 40 | 11 | ||
| 2015–16[85] | Championship | 28 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 4 | ||
| 2016–17[86] | Championship | 17 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 19 | 6 | ||
| Total | 145 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 150 | 33 | |||
| Aston Villa | 2016–17[86] | Championship | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18[87] | Championship | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | |
| 2018–19[88] | Championship | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2019–20[89] | Premier League | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21[90] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 41 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 2 | ||
| Bristol City | 2020–21[90] | Championship | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| Luton Town | 2021–22[91] | Championship | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 33 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | Championship | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | ||
| Total | 41 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 344 | 49 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 375 | 51 | ||
Arsenal Youth
Scunthorpe United
Norwich City
West Ham United
Aston Villa
England U19
Individual
