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Shaun Pejic

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Shaun Pejic
Pejic with Vancouver Whitecaps in 2009
Personal information
Full name Shaun Melvyn Pejic[1]
Date of birth (1982-11-16) 16 November 1982 (age 41)[1]
Place of birth Hereford, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
0000–2000 Wrexham
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2009 Wrexham 175 (0)
2009 York City 15 (0)
2009 Vancouver Whitecaps 9 (0)
2010 Crystal Palace Baltimore 19 (2)
2011 Barrow 0 (0)
2011–2012 Bangor City 11 (1)
Total 229 (3)
International career
2003 Wales U20 1 (0)
2002–2003 Wales U21 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Shaun Melvyn Pejic (born 16 November 1982) is a former professional footballer who played as a defender. He played club football in England, Wales, Canada and the United States and represented Wales at under-20 and under-21 levels. He currently works as a FIFA gameplay producer for EA Sports.[2]

Club career

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Wrexham

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Born in Hereford, Herefordshire, Pejic began his career with Wrexham at the age of 14, before training on a Youth Training Scheme and signing a professional contract on 9 August 2002.[1][3] He made his first-team debut in a 1–1 draw away to Port Vale in April 2001.[4] He broke into the first-team squad in February 2002, making 12 appearances for Wrexham in the remainder of the 2001–02 season.[5] He made 32 appearances in the 2002–03 season,[6] helping Wrexham to promotion to the Second Division and to win the FAW Premier Cup.[7] A hairline fracture of his leg ended his 2003–04 season early[8] after he had made 23 appearances.[9] He signed a new two-year contract in May 2004.[10]

Pejic impressed in a 3–2 win away to Notts County in a Football League Trophy match in September 2004, leading manager Denis Smith to say of him, "Our young central three haven't played together much, but Pejic was immense again, his defensive header in the last minute was worth a goal. He's come on again this season – that's good as we are expecting boys to do men's jobs."[11] It was in this match that Pejic scored his only goal for the club.[12] He featured for Wrexham in the 2005 Football League Trophy Final on 10 April 2005, after coming on as a substitute for Stephen Roberts on 14 minutes, which finished in a 2–0 victory over Southend United after extra time.[13] He made 44 appearances in 2004–05,[14] which saw Wrexham go into administration and relegated to League Two.[15] Pejic missed four months of 2005–06 after tearing cruciate knee ligaments in August 2005 but returned in January 2006, helping Wrexham to the final of the FAW Premier Cup for the second year in succession.[16][17] He agreed to a one-year extension to his contract in June 2006.[18]

Pejic formed a good partnership at centre back with Steve Evans in 2006–07 with manager Denis Smith saying after beating Scunthorpe United in December 2006, "Scunthorpe have got two of the best strikers outside the Championship and my two centre-backs kept them quiet, they are starting to perform consistently as a pair, so that's good."[19] He made 37 appearances as Wrexham avoided relegation to the Conference Premier on the final day of the season[20] and signed a new two-year contract a month later.[21] He made 22 appearances in 2007–08[22] as Wrexham were relegated to the Conference Premier.[23] Pejic stayed at the club but rarely featured during the first half of the season and was released, along with Steve Evans, on 2 February 2009.[24]

Later career

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Pejic after playing for York City in the 2009 FA Trophy Final

Pejic went on trial at Conference Premier club York City in February 2009, playing in a reserve-team match against Grimsby Town.[25] On 20 February 2009, he signed for the club on a contract until the end of 2008–09.[26][27] His debut came in a 2–0 victory over Havant & Waterlooville in the fourth round of the FA Trophy on 21 February 2009.[28] There were teams in the United States interested in signing Pejic at the end of the season, but he said "I'm keeping my options open and anything could happen yet."[27] He started in the 2009 FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium on 9 May 2009, which York lost 2–0 to Stevenage Borough.[29] Following the end of the season, during which he made 19 appearances for York,[30] he entered negotiations with the club over a new contract.[31]

He was eventually released by York and he was approached by clubs in Greece and the United States,[32] before signing for USL First Division club Vancouver Whitecaps on 12 August 2009 for the rest of the 2009 season, with an option to play for the 2010 season.[33] He joined USSF Division 2 Professional League club Crystal Palace Baltimore on 9 February 2010.[34] After the 2010 season, Palace announced that the team would be on hiatus.[citation needed] Pejic returned to England in the summer of 2011, and following a trial with Barrow, he signed for the Conference Premier club on a short-term contract on 1 August.[35] He was released just a week later.[36]

In August 2011, he joined Welsh Premier League club Bangor City[37] but left by mutual consent in January 2012 to move to Canada.[38]

International career

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Born in England, he is eligible to play for Wales through a Welsh grandmother and was called into the Wales national under-21 team for a training session in March 2002.[39] He made his debut in a 2–1 away defeat to Finland on 6 September 2002.[40] He gained one cap for the under-20 team (2003) and six caps for the under-21 team (2002 to 2003).[40]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Wrexham 2000–01[4] Second Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2001–02[5] Second Division 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
2002–03[6] Third Division 27 0 1 0 2 0 2[a] 0 32 0
2003–04[9] Second Division 21 0 0 0 1 0 1[a] 0 23 0
2004–05[14] League One 35 0 2 0 2 0 5[a] 1 44 1
2005–06[41] League Two 26 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 27 0
2006–07[42] League Two 33 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 37 0
2007–08[22] League Two 19 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 22 0
2008–09[43] Conference Premier 1 0 0 0 — 0 0 1 0
Total 175 0 7 0 9 0 8 1 199 1
York City 2008–09[30] Conference Premier 15 0 — — 4[b] 0 19 0
Vancouver Whitecaps 2009[44] USL First Division 9 0 — — 6[c] 0 15 0
Crystal Palace Baltimore 2010[44][45] USSF Division 2 Professional League 19 2 0 0 — — 19 2
Bangor City 2011–12[46] Welsh Premier League 11 1 0 0 — — 11 1
Career total 229 3 7 0 9 0 18 1 263 4
  1. ^ a b c Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ Appearances in FA Trophy
  3. ^ Appearances in USL First Division play-offs

Honours

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Wrexham

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2008). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 331. ISBN 978-1-84596-324-8.
  2. ^ FIFA 22 | Official Gameplay Reveal | EA Play Spotlight, retrieved 21 July 2021
  3. ^ "Shaun Pejic sad to leave Wrexham FC". Daily Post. Llandudno Junction. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Games played by Shaun Pejic in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Games played by Shaun Pejic in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Games played by Shaun Pejic in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Cup crowns Wrexham season". BBC Sport. 8 May 2003. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  8. ^ "Pejic injury return delayed". BBC Sport. 23 April 2004. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  9. ^ a b "Games played by Shaun Pejic in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  10. ^ "Pejic commits to Wrexham". BBC Sport. 29 May 2004. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  11. ^ "Smith lauds Pejic". BBC Sport. 30 September 2004. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  12. ^ "Notts County 2–3 Wrexham". BBC Sport. 28 September 2004. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  13. ^ "Southend 0–2 Wrexham". BBC Sport. 10 April 2005. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  14. ^ a b "Games played by Shaun Pejic in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  15. ^ "Smith fearing for Wrexham future". BBC Sport. 4 May 2005. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  16. ^ "Better news for Wrexham's Pejic". BBC Sport. 24 August 2005. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  17. ^ "Wrexham 1–2 Swansea". BBC Sport. 29 March 2006. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  18. ^ "Wrexham sign Llewellyn and Pejic". BBC Sport. 30 June 2006. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  19. ^ "Smith hails Wrexham defensive duo". BBC Sport. 3 December 2006. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
  20. ^ "Wrexham joy at relegation escape". BBC Sport. 5 May 2007. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
  21. ^ "Pejic commits future to Wrexham". BBC Sport. 22 June 2007. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
  22. ^ a b "Games played by Shaun Pejic in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  23. ^ "Wrexham go out of Football League". BBC Sport. 22 April 2008. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
  24. ^ "Saunders releases defensive duo". BBC Sport. 2 February 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
  25. ^ "York City Trophy tie is all pay at turnstiles". The Press. York. 19 February 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  26. ^ "York City sign up defender Pejic". BBC Sport. 20 February 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  27. ^ a b Flett, Dave (23 February 2009). "York City defender Shaun Pejic goes from Wrexham reserves to Wembley in five weeks". The Press. York. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  28. ^ "York 2–0 Havant & Waterlooville". BBC Sport. 21 February 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  29. ^ Flett, Dave (11 May 2009). "York City 0, Stevenage Borough 2 – FA Trophy final at Wembley". The Press. York. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  30. ^ a b Williams; Wright (eds.). Non-League Club Directory 2010. pp. 162–163.
  31. ^ "York City release seven players". BBC Sport. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  32. ^ "Foyle ringing the changes". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle. 12 July 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  33. ^ Mackin, Bob (12 August 2009). "Caps add defender". 24 Hours. Vancouver. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  34. ^ "Palace sign trio of proven performers". Crystal Palace Baltimore. 9 February 2010. Archived from the original on 19 February 2010.
  35. ^ "Barrow AFC sign Shaun Pejic and Jack Mackreth". BBC Sport. 1 August 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  36. ^ "Barrow AFC sign Shaun Pejic and Jack Mackreth". Barrow A.F.C. 8 August 2011. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012.
  37. ^ "Pejic signs for Bangor with Williams loaned out". Welsh Premier League. 10 August 2011. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012.
  38. ^ Jones, Geraint (6 January 2012). "Idzi commits to Bangor City as Smith and Pejic depart". North Wales Chronicle. Bangor. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  39. ^ "Shoulder's search for new talent". BBC Sport. 20 March 2002. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  40. ^ a b "Shaun Pejic". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  41. ^ "Games played by Shaun Pejic in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  42. ^ "Games played by Shaun Pejic in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  43. ^ Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2009). Non-League Club Directory 2010. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 156–157. ISBN 978-1-869833-66-4.
  44. ^ a b "S. Pejic". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  45. ^ "One win away from MLS". Richmond Kickers. Archived from the original on 26 April 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  46. ^ "Bangor City match reports 2011–12". Bangor City F.C. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
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