{{short description|English-born Montserratian footballer}} {{BLP sources|date=March 2014}} {{Use British English|date=August 2011}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Junior Mendes | image = | fullname = Albert Junior Hillyard Andrew Mendes<ref name="PFA 424">{{cite book|last=Hugman|first=Barry J.|title=The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005|publisher=Queen Anne Press|year=2005|page=424|isbn=1-85291-665-6}}</ref> | height = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|9|15|df=y}}<ref name="PFA 424"/> | birth_place = Balham, England | currentclub = Heart of Midlothian (fitness coach) | clubnumber = | position = Striker | youthyears1= 1993–1995 | youthclubs1= Chelsea | years1 = 1995–1996 | years2 = 1996–2000 | years3 = 1998 | years4 = 2000–2002 | years5 = 2002–2003 | years6 = 2003–2004 | years7 = 2004–2006 | years8 = 2005–2006 | years9 = 2006 | years10 = 2006–2007 | years11 = 2007 | years12 = 2008–2009 | years13 = 2009 | years14 = 2009 | years15 = 2009–2010 | years16 = 2012–2013 | years17 = 2014–2015 | clubs1 = Chelsea | clubs2 = St Mirren | clubs3 = → Carlisle United (loan) | clubs4 = Dunfermline Athletic | clubs5 = St Mirren | clubs6 = Mansfield Town | clubs7 = Huddersfield Town | clubs8 = → Northampton Town (loan) | clubs9 = → Grimsby Town (loan) | clubs10 = Notts County | clubs11 = → Lincoln City (loan) | clubs12 = Aldershot Town | clubs13 = → Stevenage Borough (loan) | clubs14 = Ilkeston Town | clubs15 = Ayr United | clubs16 = Nairn County | clubs17 = Clydebank | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0 | caps2 = 120 | goals2 = 21 | caps3 = 6 | goals3 = 1 | caps4 = 13 | goals4 = 0 | caps5 = 17 | goals5 = 6 | caps6 = 57 | goals6 = 12 | caps7 = 30 | goals7 = 5 | caps8 = 12 | goals8 = 2 | caps9 = 15 | goals9 = 0 | caps10 = 37 | goals10 = 5 | caps11 = 9 | goals11 = 0 | caps12 = 12 | goals12 = 1 | caps13 = 6 | goals13 = 1 | caps14 = 1 | goals14 = 0 | caps15 = 21 | goals15 = 0 | caps16 = | goals16 = | caps17 = | goals17 = | totalcaps = 356 | totalgoals = 53 | nationalyears1= 2004–2012 | nationalteam1= Montserrat | nationalcaps1= 7 | nationalgoals1 = 1 }} '''Albert Junior Hillyard Andrew Mendes''' (born 15 September 1976) is an English-born Montserratian former professional footballer and sports scientist who as of 2024, works as Head of Performance for NIFL Premiership side Coleraine.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QibcIacFcpw | title=INTERVIEW | Junior Mendes | 31st January 2024 | website=YouTube | date=31 January 2024 }}</ref>
As a player he was a striker from 1995 to 2015. Mendes began his career with Premier League side Chelsea in 1995, but was released at the 95–96 season. He went on to play in the Football League for Carlisle United, Mansfield Town, Huddersfield Town, Northampton Town, Grimsby Town, Notts County, Lincoln City and Aldershot Town, in Scotland with St Mirren, Dunfermline Athletic and Ayr United, and in English Non-league football with Stevenage Borough and Ilkeston Town. He has represented Montserrat seven times, scoring one goal.
==Club career== He signed for Stevenage Borough in March 2009 on loan until the end of the 2008–09 season.<ref name="Stevange sign">{{cite news|title=Stevenage sign Aldershot's Mendes|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stevenage/7968610.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 March 2009|access-date=28 March 2009}}</ref> He had a trial with Conference team York City in October 2009,<ref name="Montserrat international Junior Mendes to play for York City reserves">{{cite news|first=Dave|last=Flett|title=Montserrat international Junior Mendes to play for York City reserves|url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/yorkcityfc/4704608.Montserrat_international_Junior_Mendes_to_play_for_York_City_reserves/|work=The Press|date=27 October 2009|accessdate=27 October 2009}}</ref> before signing as stand in for one game on non-contract terms for Conference North club Ilkeston Town, to play against Cambridge United in the FA Cup First Round.<ref name="Reds bring in Mendes">{{cite news|title=Reds bring in Mendes |url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=62106 |publisher=nonleaguedaily.com |date=6 November 2009 |accessdate=8 November 2009 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925140545/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=62106 |archivedate=25 September 2012 }}</ref> Mendes signed for Scottish Football League First Division club Ayr United in November 2009, until mid-January.<ref name="Maic Mendes">{{cite news|title=Magic Mendes |url=http://www.ayradvertiser.com/sport/football/articles/2009/11/19/394305-magic-mendes/ |publisher=ayradvertiser.com |first=Stuart |last=McConnell |date=19 November 2009 |accessdate=8 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707202240/http://www.ayradvertiser.com/sport/football/articles/2009/11/19/394305-magic-mendes/ |archivedate= 7 July 2011 }}</ref>
Mendes signed for Clydebank in November 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clydebankpost.co.uk/sport/football/articles/2014/11/14/515895-experienced-mendes-can-help-squad/|title=Experienced Mendes can help squad|author=|date=14 November 2014|website=Clydebank Post|accessdate=29 May 2017}}</ref>
==Personal life== Mendes studied at University of the West of Scotland completing a MRes in Sport and exercise Science in 2018. Mendes works as a sports scientist<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/from-couva-to-brazil-the-world-cup-story.24527089 |title=From Couva to Brazil: The World Cup story |first=Gary |last=Keown |work=Herald |publisher=Herald & Times Group |date=19 June 2014 |accessdate=4 August 2017}}</ref> and was employed as a fitness coach by a number of Scottish clubs, starting with Scottish League One club Partick Thistle in 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-management/junior-mendes/ |title=Junior Mendes |publisher=Partick Thistle FC |accessdate=4 August 2017}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerbase}} *{{NFT player|pid=9622}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendes, Junior}} Category:1976 births Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Wandsworth Category:People from Balham Category:Living people Category:English men's footballers Category:Montserratian men's footballers Category:Montserrat men's international footballers Category:English people of Montserratian descent Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Chelsea F.C. players Category:St Mirren F.C. players Category:Carlisle United F.C. players Category:Mansfield Town F.C. players Category:Dunfermline Athletic F.C. players Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players Category:Northampton Town F.C. players Category:Grimsby Town F.C. players Category:Notts County F.C. players Category:Lincoln City F.C. players Category:Aldershot Town F.C. players Category:Stevenage F.C. players Category:Ilkeston Town F.C. (1945) players Category:Ayr United F.C. players Category:Nairn County F.C. players Category:Clydebank F.C. players Category:Scottish Premier League players Category:Scottish Football League players Category:English Football League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:Black British sportsmen Category:Scottish Junior Football Association players Category:Alumni of the University of the West of Scotland
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