17 Facts About Matt Jansen

Matthew Brooke Jansen was born on 20 October 1977 and is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Matt Jansen launched his career with hometown club Carlisle United but his goalscoring abilities earned him a move to Crystal Palace and the Premier League where he immediately hit the ground running.

Matt Jansen's performances caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson but he opted for a move to Blackburn Rovers where he enjoyed seven glorious years including a goalscoring performance for Blackburn in their League Cup victory over Tottenham in 2002.

Matt Jansen recovered but his sustained a head injury which changed him as a player.

Matt Jansen tried a loan spell with Coventry City before moving to Bolton Wanderers on a free but never felt confident.

Matt Jansen teamed up with former teammate Dean Saunders at Wrexham but was still struggling to come to terms with his accident finally playing for former teammate Gary Flitcroft at Leigh Genesis, and Chorley.

Matt Jansen later went on to manage Chorley from 2015 to 2018.

Matt Jansen's career was one of two halves, the first full of promise and the second denied fulfilment by fate.

Matt Jansen attended the independent Austin Friars school in Carlisle, where he played scrum-half for the school's Rugby union team, before completing his GCSEs and taking an A-level at Newman Catholic School.

Matt Jansen showed signs of things to come when he scored against Tottenham Hotspur on his debut in January 1999.

In May 2005, Matt Jansen signed a two-year 'pay as you play' contract with Blackburn, suggesting that the club was ready to give him one final chance to establish himself in the team after his injury, and he returned to action in a pre-season friendly against Morecambe in July 2005.

Matt Jansen again struggled to gain a first-team place for Blackburn once the season started.

Matt Jansen was present at the club's Premier League game with Newcastle United when he featured in a pre-recorded half-time lottery draw broadcast on the club television station as part of the half-time "entertainment".

Matt Jansen would start both play-off games which led to the club's promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division.

In July 2015, Matt Jansen became Chorley's first team manager after Flitcroft's resignation due to other commitments.

Matt Jansen played six times for the England under-21 team without scoring.

Matt Jansen was expected to go to the 2002 World Cup; he was invited to David Beckham's send-off party and had his competition suit measured, but Eriksson ultimately decided to take defender Martin Keown instead.