Charlie Miller

Charles "Charlie" Miller (born 18 March 1976) is a retired Scottish football player. Miller started his career at Rangers, and won five consecutive Scottish league championships and two Scottish Cup titles. Miller was voted the SPFA Young Player of the Year in 1995 during his time with the club. After spells with English Premier League clubs Leicester City and Watford, Miller joined Dundee United in 2000 where he played for four seasons. Miller played for Norwegian club SK Brann from 2004 to 2006 and won the Norwegian Cup with the club in 2004. After spells in Belgium and Australia, Miller returned to Scotland in 2011 when he joined Clyde.

Club career

Miller was born in Glasgow and started his career with Rangers and showed he was talented enough to make an impression in the nine-in-a-row team under Walter Smith. Indeed, when David Beckham scored his famous goal from the midfield against Wimbledon on 17 August 1996, he did so in boots custom-made for Miller ("CHARLIE" was embroidered on the boots), which had been given to Beckham by mistake.^[1]

A lifestyle of parties and an unhealthy diet followed, and Miller's career appeared to be on the wane. In 1996 he had engaged in a pub brawl after allegedly singing sectarian songs.^[2] Miller's accomplice, Jimmy Gardner, was convicted of assault in relation to the incident, while a verdict of not proven was recorded against Miller.^[3] He was loaned to Leicester City towards the end of the 1998-99 season before joining Watford for £450,000 in October 1999. Watford were relegated in their first FA Premier League season with Miller unable to make an impact, making only 15 league appearances. He played one more League Cup game for the Hornets in the 2000-01 before moving to Dundee United on a free transfer. Miller enjoyed a successful spell at United, becoming a firm favourite with the fans. However, in May 2004, a contract dispute saw Miller leave the club to join ex-Dundee United player Robbie Winters at Norwegian club SK Brann.

In Brann, Miller became one of the supporters' favourite players, due to his technique and passes. Despite this, he was in and out of the team, according to manager Mons Ivar Mjelde because of defensive considerations. In 2006, he started off as one of the league's top players, but gradually received some attention off the pitch, apparently provoked by lack of confidence from the manager. He made it clear that he was unhappy as a right midfielder, the position he had played in most of the season, and eventually that he wanted to leave the club. Miller also criticised Mjelde's unusually close ties to his rival for the attacking central midfield spot, Martin Andresen. Miller refused to participate in the silver medal ceremony after the game against Ham-Kam on 29 October. Since then, he was ignored by the coach, and only played the last minute of Brann's Royal League match against Rosenborg on 7 December 2006, in which he contributed to a winning goal.

During his time at Brann he went on trial at English Championship club Cardiff City, but was not offered a full deal.^[4] In early January 2007, Miller began training with Scottish First Division club St. Johnstone to top up his fitness during the Norwegian league's winter break. His contract with SK Brann was terminated after an agreement on 31 January.^[5] On 9 February, he signed a contract at the Belgian team Lierse S.K.

On 20 April 2007, he scored his first goals for Lierse against Germinal Beerschot in their fight to stay in the first division. On 27 June he signed a three-year contract with Lierse SK but was released less than a year later.^[6]

Miller playing for Queensland Roar

Brisbane Roar

On 31 July 2008, Miller officially signed a two-year deal with Australian A-League club, Brisbane Roar. On 14 September, against Perth Glory, Miller broke the A-League scoring record for the best start to a season by scoring four goals in the Roar's opening four fixtures of the 2008-09 season.

He was diagnosed with a hernia and underwent surgery.^[7] Miller returned to the first team on 17 January 2009 as a substitute against Sydney FC coming on late in the game, and made the pass that set up Sergio van Dijk's third goal of the match. On 5 December 2009, Miller's contract with the Roar was terminated by mutual consent in the middle of the 2009-10 season as the club could not guarantee Miller a contract for the 2010-11 season.^[8]

Gold Coast United

Since leaving the Roar, Miller was linked with a move to Queensland rivals, North Queensland Fury FC and Gold Coast United. On 5 December 2009 he was a guest at a Gold Coast United fixture sparking rumors of a potential move.^[9] Miller signed with Gold Coast on a short-term injury replacement contract.^[10]

Return to Scotland

It was reported on 12 November 2010 that Miller would spend the week training with Scottish Second Division club Ayr United.^[11] In February 2011, he signed for Clyde until the end of the season.^[12] He was released at the end of the season, after only making 5 appearances.^[13]

International career

Miller won his first and only cap for Scotland in a one all draw with Poland in 2001.^[14] Andy McLaren, Steven Caldwell, Kenny Miller, Barry Nicholson, Gavin Rae and John O'Neil also made their Scotland debuts in the same game.^[14] Scotland manager Craig Brown stated that 'Charlie Miller has always been a talented player and now I think his club manager Alex Smith has got the best out of him and this is a new challenge for him'.^[15] Brown resigned as Scotland boss later in 2001 after failing to qualify for the 2002 World Cup and Miller was overlooked by Brown's successor Berti Vogts. Scotland captain Barry Ferguson stated that Miller 'should be in the Scotland team', but Vogts did not take his advice.^[16]

Career statistics

After 5 December 2009

Honours

Rangers

• Scottish Premier Division: 5

1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97

• Scottish Cup: 2

1992–93, 1995–96

• Scottish League Cup: 2

1992–93, 1995–96

Brann

• Norwegian Cup: 1

2004

Individual

• Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year: 1

1995

• A-League Foreign Player of the Year: 2008-2009

References

External links

• Gold Coast United profile
• Charlie Miller career statistics at Soccerbase