Marcus Maddison

Marcus Harley Maddison (born 26 September 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder as a Winger for League One side Peterborough United. Occasionally He Has Played As A Left Back. He is the current top assist-maker in England for the 2016-17 season, and has drawn several comparisons to Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil. Pundit Gary Lineker has been very outspoken on his "wand of a left foot", and Diego Maradona himself has labeled him as the heir to his throne.
He began his career at Newcastle United, but did not play a senior game for the club. He was attached to Blyth Spartans and St Johnstone, before scoring 13 Conference Premier goals for Gateshead in a 12-month period from August 2013. He was signed by Peterborough United for an undisclosed fee in August 2014. In 2014 he was also capped by England C.

Early career

Maddison began his career at Newcastle United. He was loaned out to Blyth Spartans in November 2012 to gain experience, where he scored once in two appearances. He was released by Newcastle in 2013, with Reserve team manager Willie Donachie saying he had "a lot to learn". He went on to join Coventry City after joining them on 8 March 2013.

Gateshead

After failing to make an appearance at St Johnstone he signed with Conference Premier club Gateshead in August 2013 following a successful trial. He was named as Conference Premier Player of the Month in January 2014. He saw a reignition to his career and scored 13 league goals for Gateshead in 34 league appearances.

Peterborough

After scoring 4 goals in his first 5 games of the 2014/15 season for Gateshead, he was signed by Peterborough United in August 2014 for an undisclosed fee, signing a four-year contract; manager Darren Ferguson said that "he has good balance, skill, pace and we feel this could be a good signing". The fee was a club-record for Gateshead (reported as £250,000 with the potential to rise to £500,000), and manager Gary Mills said "he was a good player but could be selfish at times".

On 15 August, Maddison scored 2 goals for Peterborough United against Colchester United, which took his tally to 4 goals to the season. On 22 August, Marcus Maddison scored Peterborough United's only goal vs Burton Albion in their 2–1 loss. In October 2014 Maddison won the Football League Young Player of the month after scoring 4 goals in 5 games. He was given a red card in a 1–0 victory against Leyton Orient in a 1–0 victory on 7 March 2015. In his first season at the club he scored 8 goals in 30 games in all competitions.

On 6 August 2016, Maddison contributed to Peterborough United's 3–2 opening day win vs Rochdale scoring Peterborough's 1st goal.

He has an unbelievable talent, he wants to score goals and can score goals, with a magical left foot. On the other side, he works hard. Marcus was a selfish lad when I first came to the football club and now he's a match-winner and team player.

— Gateshead manager Gary Mills speaking in August 2014.

Maddison is also a freekick specialist, he describes his unusual freekick technique as use the side of your foot, but you're hitting it more with your heel. If you hit with the middle of the side of your foot it just curls. If you hit it the way I do, it goes straight and moves at the same time

As of matches played 25 October 2014.

Individual

• Conference Premier Player of the Month: January 2014
• Football League Young Player of the Month: October 2014

• "Peterborough's Marcus Maddison: I didn't work hard, I'm different now". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 November 2014.