Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. After playing at the top level of New Zealand football at the age of just 15, Chris Wood moved to England when he was 16 and, within two years, made his Premier League debut for West Brom under Tony Mowbray in Although he played regularly the following season as West Brom were relegated to the Championship, once they were promoted again Wood found he had to go elsewhere to play consistent minutes.
That led the Kiwi to an incredible three-year period where he played on loan for six different clubs - ranging from Barnsley to the south coast at Brighton, a return to the Midlands at Birmingham, a spell in the west at Bristol City, a profitable spell in the capital at Millwall before finding himself back in the Midlands at Leicester - the club he would then join permanently. After a few years at Leicester, Wood joined Leeds in and incredibly, despite such a long journey that took him around England, the striker was still just 23 years old.
Wood said: "I needed to go to Leeds to play more consistent football. Wood had two managers in his first season with Uwe Rosler and Steve Evans but it was when former manager Garry Monk and ex-England striker James Beattie joined the club that Wood enjoyed his best season to date - scoring an impressive 27 goals in 44 appearances in the Championship.
There were times when the fans were probably on my back at the start of the season but James really helped me on and off the pitch, to work on my mental strength and to know you can get through anything. It was down to him helping me and giving me the tools to be able to thrive on the pitch. You could be forgiven for thinking Wood is only just showing how consistent he can be at the top level of English football.
Returning to the Premier League seven years after he made his debut, Wood was hugely significant in keeping Burnley in the top flight for the following five seasons. He notched more than 10 goals in each of his first four seasons at the club and created an effective duo with strike partner Ashley Barnes.
