Do You Remember.... Ben Gordon?

Ben Gordon
(Aug 2010-Jan 2011)
(Jan 2012-May 2012)

Full Name: Ben Gordon

Nickname: Flash

Squad No: 19

Position: Full Back

Age: 19

Birth Place: England

Height:

Parent Club: Chelsea (on loan),

Signed for Killie: Aug 2010

Contract Ended: Jan 3rd 2011

Re-Signed for Killie: Jan 11th 2012

Second Loan Ends: May 2012

Killie Debut: Aug 14th 2010, in a 2-1 SPL Loss to Rangers

Final Killie Game: Jan 3rd 201, in a 2-0 SPL win at St Mirren

Killie Goals: One Vs Hamilton Accies, SPL, Nov 10th - Here

2011-12 Season Player Quotes:

Feb 9th on the Team's Inconsistent Form..."It's just (about) sticking the ball away but I think it is a matter of time really. Hopefully one day everything will go right for us and we will get all the luck. People think because we are seventh, we are not doing well this year but we have a game in hand and hopefully we can push on and get some big wins on the board. I've got 18 months left at Chelsea and I will be 22 by the time my contract finishes, I know it's tough to break into that side when there is real quality about and they can spend willy-nilly. It is frustrating. There are even a few boys ahead of me who have been on loan to Premiership teams. It is frustrating for me but even more for them when they are even closer to the first team and Chelsea still bring in quality. So I think it is frustrating all the way down the line really. But I will wait and see. I hope to do well as I can here and this is a chance to be in the shop window as well, more than anything. At my age you want to play games. I was at Peterborough for two months but didn't really get into the team. It took me a few games to get back to the pace of the game but I am enjoying it back here. I've got my match fitness now and hopefully I can help Kilmarnock push on."

Jan 22nd on the Pars Defeat... “That was a disappointing return. The first goal killed us before half-time and we tried to go direct second-half so it wasn’t too good. I can play against Ayr. I’m registered and the boys are already talking about it. There’s a massive rivalry and everyone knows what it means, none of the boys want to lose out. We weren’t good enough but, hopefully, the better pitch at Hampden lets us get the ball down and play our normal way. The pitch is the same for both sides but Dunfermline’s first goal came after the ball bobbled over Mo Sissoko’s foot and that’s crucial.”
On Re-Joining Killie... “I was at Peterborough at the start of the season but I wasn’t really featuring. When the transfer window reopened and Killie were interested, I flew straight up to sign. It’s about getting games.”

Jan 20th on Rejoining Killie..."Kenny had a big input last year (as assistant manager) and the sort of things Mixu was doing Kenny has carried them on. I did quite well last time. I just want to get back to playing games and hopefully I can hit the heights I did last time as well. We're hoping for a good performance tomorrow and to take it forward into the Ayr game. Everyone knows they (Dunfermline) are not on a good run, but we can't think about next weekend yet. We've got to make sure we take it one game at a time and get the three points and take it into the Ayr game."

Jan 14th 2012... Kenny Shiels is excited at the prospect of Chelsea loan ace Ben Gordon finishing what he started at Rugby Park..... “Chelsea have agreed to let Ben come up and play for us again on loan. He left at this time last year and got a fantastic send-off from our fans away at St Mirren. He had a great first half of last season with us – now I hope he can do the same in the second part of this one. When he went back, Chelsea put him out on loan to Scunthorpe but there was a problem there after the manager changed. They played a different style of football from us. Ben likes it if you can build something up as it gives him the chance to get forward. He’s an attacking full-back but if you play back to front like Scunthorpe did he can’t get involved in the game.”

Jan 4th 2011....Ben Gordon believes Kilmarnock can win a European spot this season even though he will not be there to help them.

In his last appearance for the Ayrshire club before returning to Chelsea following his loan spell at Rugby Park, the 19-year-old left back heard his name chanted by the travelling fans as Killie cemented fourth place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with a 2-0 win at St Mirren.

Gordon said.... "If they carry on like this I don't see why they can't get a European spot, Mixu has come in and changed everything and if they can carry on and keep their main players, then definitely."

On the crowd's reaction, he added: "I could hear the fans and it meant a lot to me. It's the first time fans have chanted my name. I am sorry to be leaving. I wanted to stay until the end of the season, but it is up to Chelsea and they wanted me to go back nearer to them and unfortunately that's the way it is. I have to go back to training at Chelsea for three or four days and then they will decide where I go next."

Killie boss Paatelainen admitted he was sorry to lose Gordon. He said: "Ben has been a very positive signing for us. I think he still has a little bit to go to challenge for Chelsea's first team, but he has been absolutely first class with us. We wish him all the best.

"We can't go and buy expensive players so getting a young prospect like Ben was great. I put it to Chelsea that it would be good for him to stay here, but there are quite a few clubs who want him down south, so they want to see him loaned out in England."

Dec 31st 2010.... Gordon has been an integral part of Kilmarnock's impressive form this season, which has seen them rise to fourth in the SPL, after arriving in the summer.

Gordon expressed a desire to stay at Killie for the rest of the season but assistant manager Kenny Shiels today revealed there was no hope of extending their deal.

"Ben plays his last game on Monday and then goes back to Chelsea," Shiels said.

"The feedback we're getting is that they want to have him closer to London where they can monitor his progress, and maybe a southern club in the Championship or wherever."

Gordon has played in all but one of Killie's matches this season and set up both goals in a 2-1 win over Hibernian that will prove to be his last match at Rugby Park during his loan spell.

"Ben and Chelsea have commended the manager (Mixu Paatelainen) in how well Ben has progressed in his short time here," Shiels added.

"It's been a great five months for Ben in terms of his development. We feel we have been good for Ben and Ben has been good for us.

"It's the end of a chapter where everyone has benefited and we have to kick on now without Ben. It's unfortunate, because he has been very good for us."

Kilmarnock on 2/8/10 confirmed the signing of Chelsea reserve team defender Ben Gordon on a short-term loan deal.

Gordon, 19, is manager Mixu Paatelainen's second signing since he took over at Rugby Park in the summer, having snapped up Portuguese winger David Silva on a two-year deal.

A statement released by the Ayrshire club said: "Kilmarnock Football Club is delighted to announce that Chelsea reserve team player Ben Gordon has signed a short-term loan with the club.

"Ben is an England U17 international [and] has been under contract with Chelsea since 2007.

"Everyone at the club extends a warm welcome to Ben and wishes him every success during his time at Rugby Park."

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