RICARDO VAZ TE

RICARDO VAZ TE

Born: 1 October 1986, Lisbon, Portugal
Former clubs: Sporting Lisbon, SC Farense, Bolton Wanderers, Hull City (loan), Panionios, Hibernian, Barnsley

A tall, quick and powerful player, Ricardo Vaz Te is a versatile forward or winger who can both score and create goals for his team.

Born in Portugal and raised in both his home nation and the African country of Guinea-Bissau, Vaz Te moved to English football at the age of 16 in 2003 when Sam Allardyce took him to Bolton Wanderers.

After making nearly 80 first-team appearances for the Trotters, Vaz Te played professionally in Greece and Scotland before returning to England with Barnsley in summer 2011. After six prolific months at Oakwell, he was reunited with Big Sam at the Boleyn Ground and scored the goal that took West Ham United back to the Premier League.

2014/15

Made his first start since suffering a shoulder injury the previous October as the Hammers lost to Tottenham Hospur on the opening day of the campaign.

2013/14

Scores a brilliant free-kick to open the scoring in a 2-1 Capital One Cup victory over Cheltenham Town at the Boleyn Ground on 27 August 2013...Nets an 88th minute winner in a 3-2 win at home to Cardiff City in the Capital One Cup third round on 24 September 2013...Grabs the second goal at White Hart Lane in a 3-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur on 6 October 2013...Suffers a dislocated shoulder in the Hammers' 0-0 draw at Swansea City on 27 October 2013...Made his first appearance post-injury off the bench as the Hammers lost 3-1 at Arsenal on 15 April.

2012/13

Chalked up assists in the home opening day 1-0 Barclays Premier League victory over Aston Villa on 18 August 2012 and 3-0 home league win over Fulham on 1 September 2012...Netted his first goal of the season with a volley in the 2-1 Barclays Premier League victory at Queens Park Rangers on 1 October 2012...Suffered a dislocated shoulder in the 3-1 home Barclays Premier League defeat by Arsenal on 6 October 2012 when he fell awkwardly after challenging goalkeeper Vito Mannone...Underwent keyhole surgery on his dislocated shoulder on Monday 15 October 2012, ruling him out for ten weeks...Returned to action as a substitute in the 1-0 Barclays Premier League defeat at Reading on 29 December 2012...Stooped to head home against Manchester United and notch his second goal of the campaign on 17 April 2013.

2011/12

Joined West Ham United on a two-and-a-half year contract on 31 January 2012...Made his debut as a late substitute in West Ham United's 2-1 npower Championship win over Millwall on 4 February 2012...Made his full debut in the 1-1 npower Championship draw with Southampton at the Boleyn Ground on 14 February 2012...Scored his first West Ham United goal in a 4-1 npower Championship win at Blackpool on 21 February 2012...Scored his first Boleyn Ground goal as a substitute in the 1-1 npower Championship draw with Watford on 7 March 2012...Netted in five consecutive league matches between 27 March and 14 April 2012, scoring eight goals in total...Scored twice in the 3-3 home npower Championship draw with Birmingham City on 9 April 2012...Became the first West Ham United player in more than six years to score a league hat-trick in the 6-0 home npower Championship victory over Brighton and Hove Albion on 14 April 2012...Won the npower Championship Player of the Month for April 2012...Won the Goal of the Season award for his scissor-kick v Brighton and Hove Albion...Won the Signing of the Season award...Scored an 87th-minute winner in the 2-1 npower Championship Play-Off final victory over Blackpool at Wembley on 19 May 2012.