Rico Henry
Henry playing for Walsall in 2015
Personal information
Full name Rico Antonio Henry[1]
Date of birth (1997-07-08) 8 July 1997[2]
Place of birth Birmingham, England
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[3]
Position(s) Left-back[4]
Team information
Current team
 Brentford
Number 3
Youth career
Cadbury Athletic
0000–2014 Walsall
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2016 Walsall 46 (2)
2016– Brentford 186 (5)
International career
2015–2016 England U19 4 (0)
2017 England U20 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:47, 8 January 2024 (UTC)

Rico Antonio Henry (born 8 July 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Premier League club Brentford. He is a product of the Walsall academy and represented England at U19 and U20 level.

Club career

Walsall

After a spell with Cadbury Athletic and failing a trial with Aston Villa,[5][6] Henry joined Walsall at age 11 and at age 14 he was converted from a central midfielder to a left back.[7][8] He progressed through the youth ranks to make his first non-competitive senior appearance for the club shortly after his 16th birthday, in a pre-season friendly against Leeds United in July 2013.[7] One year later, he signed his first professional contract after impressing for the club's youth team.[9] Henry received his maiden calls into the first team squad for two League One matches in September and October 2014 respectively,[10] before making his competitive debut with a start in a Football League Trophy northern area semi-final shootout win over Tranmere Rovers on 9 December.[11] He made his league debut four days later, playing the full 90 minutes of a 3–1 victory over Barnsley.[11] Henry made eight further appearances during the 2014–15 season,[11] but his progress was disrupted by a dislocated shoulder.[12] He signed a two-year contract extension in April 2015 and was named as Walsall's Young Player of the Year.[13][14]

Henry broke into the starting line-up on a full-time basis during the 2015–16 season.[15] He had a successful season, making 44 appearances, scoring three goals, signing a new three-year contract and winning England youth international recognition.[15][16] Walsall consistently challenged for promotion during the season and finished in third position to qualify for a place in the 2016 League One play-offs,[17] but Henry's season ended with a 6–1 aggregate defeat to the eventually-promoted club Barnsley in the semi-finals.[15] He was recognised for his performances during the season, winning the September 2015 Football League Young Player of the Month award,[18] in addition to being named in the League One PFA Team of the Year and receiving a nomination for the Football League Young Player of the Year award.[19]

Henry made three early-2016–17 season appearances,[20][15] before suffering a dislocation to the same shoulder previously injured in February 2015 after half an hour of 0–0 draw with Oldham Athletic on 13 August 2016.[12] The Oldham appearance proved to be Henry's last for Walsall and he departed the Bescot Stadium on 31 August.[21] He made 57 appearances and scored three goals for the club.[22]

Brentford

On 31 August 2016, Henry signed for Championship club Brentford for an initial fee of £1.5m on a five-year contract,[23] rising to £5 million.[21] The transfer reunited Henry with former Walsall manager Dean Smith and the fee made him the Bees' record transfer fee paid for a teenager.[23] He underwent surgery on the dislocated shoulder on 8 September and after returning to fitness, he made his first Brentford appearance on 21 February 2017,[24] with a start in a 2–1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.[25] He immediately replaced Tom Field as head coach Dean Smith's first-choice left-back and made 12 appearances before his season was ended by a knee injury suffered in training in early May 2017.[25][26]

Henry returned fit for the start of the 2017–18 season,[27] but his season was ended on his eighth appearance by an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in a 2–2 draw with Middlesbrough on 30 September 2017,[8] which required surgery.[28] Henry returned to full-contact training in October 2018 and on 24 November,[29] he made his first appearance for nearly 14 months, coincidentally against Middlesbrough, with a late substitute appearance in a 2–1 defeat.[30] He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 win over Stoke City on 12 January 2019 and his performances throughout the month led to his nomination for the PFA Fans' Player of the Month award.[31] A foot injury suffered in February saw Henry miss two months of the season and he finished an injury-affected campaign with 16 appearances and one goal.[30][32]

Henry began the 2019–20 season fully fit and signed a new four-year contract in August 2019.[33] He made a career-high 51 appearances during the season, which culminated in defeat in the 2020 Championship play-off final.[34] By the time Henry's 2020–21 season was disrupted by a torn hamstring suffered in February 2021,[8] he had appeared in all but one league match so far during the campaign.[35] Henry returned for the end-of-season playoffs, but after making a substitute cameo in the semi-final first leg versus AFC Bournemouth,[35] he was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a meniscus tear.[8] In his absence, Brentford were promoted to the Premier League with victory in the 2021 Championship play-off final.[36] In recognition of his performances during the 2020–21 season, Henry was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year.[37]

Henry began the 2021–22 Premier League season as an ever-present at left wing back and he scored in successive league matches in November 2021,[38] which doubled his goalscoring tally for the club.[22] In March 2022, Henry signed a new four-year contract, with the option of a further year and finished a mid-table 2021–22 season with 37 appearances and three goals.[38][39][40] He improved his appearance tally to 39 appearances in all competitions during the 2022–23 season.[41]

Henry started the 2023–24 as an ever-present in league matches, but on his fifth appearance, in a 1–0 defeat to Newcastle United on 16 September 2023,[42] he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.[43][44]

International career

While an U12, Henry was a member of the England team that competed at the 2008 Danone Nations Cup.[5] On 10 November 2015, Henry received his first call-up to the England U19 squad for friendly matches against the Netherlands and Japan.[45] He won four caps at U19 level.[46] Henry was named in England's U20 squad for the 2017 Four Nations Tournament and appeared in all three matches as the Young Lions won the competition.[47] Henry was named in the England squad for the 2017 U20 World Cup, but was forced to withdraw due to injury.[48]

Style of play

Henry has been described as "a forward-thinking, modern-day full-back, with energy, pace and a keen defensive awareness".[49]

Personal life

Henry was born in Birmingham, West Midlands and watched both Aston Villa and Birmingham City as a youth.[6][50] He attended St George's Church of England Primary School and Lordswood Boys' School in Birmingham.[5]

Career statistics

As of match played 5 January 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Walsall 2014–15[11] League One 9000001[lower-alpha 1]0100
2015–16[15] League One 35240312[lower-alpha 2]0443
2016–17[25] League One 20—100030
Total 462404130573
Brentford 2016–17[25] Championship 12000——120
2017–18[27] Championship 800000—80
2018–19[30] Championship 1412000—161
2019–20[34] Championship 46010103[lower-alpha 3]0510
2020–21[35] Championship 30100401[lower-alpha 3]0351
2021–22[38] Premier League 34 3 1 0 2 0 — 37 3
2022–23[41] Premier League 37 0 1 0 1 0 — 39 0
2023–24[42] Premier League 5 0 0 0 0 0 — 5 0
Total1865508040203 5
Career total 232790121702608

Honours

England U20

  • Four Nations Tournament: 2017[47]

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Rico Antonio Henry". L'Union (in French). Rossel La Voix. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  2. ↑ "Rico Henry". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  3. ↑ "Rico Henry". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  4. ↑ "Rico Henry". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 Clarke, Roger (2 September 2008). "Schoolboy Rico Henry has the world at his feet". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  6. 1 2 Marshall, Sam. "Rico Henry: Mr. Consistent". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  7. 1 2 Brett, Ciaran (31 August 2016). "Get to know: Rico Henry". Brentford F.C. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Weinfuss, Josh (9 September 2021). "Henry's long, painful road to the Premier League reflected in Brentford's promotion journey". ESPN. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  9. ↑ "PRO DEAL FOR TALENTED YOUNGSTER". Walsall F.C. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  10. ↑ "Rico Henry Player Profile". ESPN FC. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Games played by Rico Henry in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Rico Henry's Walsall injury fate to be revealed today". Express & Star. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  13. ↑ Poole, Andrew. "NEW DEAL FOR RISING STAR". Walsall F.C. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  14. 1 2 Poole, Andrew. "HOORAY FOR HENRY". Walsall F.C. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 "Games played by Rico Henry in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  16. ↑ Briggs, Daniel. "Rico Henry Signs New Contract". Walsall F.C. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  17. ↑ "Walsall results for the 2015–2016 season". Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 26 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  18. 1 2 Briggs, Daniel. "Rico Henry – Football League Young Player of the Month". Walsall F.C. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  19. ↑ "Leeds United's Lewis Cook named Football League Young Player of the Year". The Football League. 17 April 2016. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  20. 1 2 "PFA awards: Leicester and Spurs dominate Premier League team". BBC Sport. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  21. 1 2 Moon, Dale. "CLUB STATEMENT: RICO HENRY". Walsall F.C. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  22. 1 2 Rico Henry at Soccerbase
  23. 1 2 "Brentford sign England Youth International Rico Henry from Walsall on a five-year contract". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  24. ↑ "Brentford defender Rico Henry undergoes shoulder surgery". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  25. 1 2 3 4 "Games played by Rico Henry in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  26. ↑ "Colin and Woods battling to be fit for Blackburn clash –". TEAMtalk. Planet Sport Publishing. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  27. 1 2 "Games played by Rico Henry in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  28. ↑ "Rico Henry undergoes surgery on knee injury". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  29. ↑ "Head of Medical Neil Greig provides an injury update". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  30. 1 2 3 "Games played by Rico Henry in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  31. ↑ "Benrahma and Henry nominated for PFA Player of the Month". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  32. ↑ "We could have taken all three points". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  33. ↑ "Rico Henry signs new Brentford contract". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  34. 1 2 "Games played by Rico Henry in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  35. 1 2 3 "Games played by Rico Henry in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  36. ↑ Vincent, Gareth (29 May 2021). "Brentford 2–0 Swansea City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  37. 1 2 "Bees trio voted into PFA Team of the Year". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  38. 1 2 3 "Games played by Rico Henry in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  39. ↑ "Rico Henry signs new contract". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  40. ↑ Brentford F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  41. 1 2 "Games played by Rico Henry in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  42. 1 2 "Games played by Rico Henry in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  43. ↑ "Henry suffers knee injury". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  44. ↑ Harris, Jay. "Brentford's transfer window: The Toney situation and defensive needs". The Athletic. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  45. ↑ "Walsall's Rico Henry called up to England under-19 squad". Express & Star. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  46. ↑ "England Matches – Under-19's 2010–20". England Football Online. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  47. 1 2 Brett, Ciaran. "Brentford defender Rico Henry plays as England win Four Nations Tournament". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  48. ↑ "Brentford FC Rico Henry withdrawn from England U20s with injury". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  49. ↑ Miller, Nick (26 December 2020). "EFL transfer targets: Rico Henry, the Brentford full-back wise beyond his years". The Athletic. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  50. ↑ "Rico Henry: Profile". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
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