Back in the summer of last year, I tweeted the top scoring English players abroad. For 2021, I’ve decided to follow it until the end of the year and crown the top scoring Englishman.
Last year’s would have most likely been Ashley Coffey. He had a truly remarkable season. He bagged 28 goals in 29 games in Sweden’s third-tier. That saw him secure a move to the fully professional side AFC Eskilstuna who play in the country’s second division. He has six goals so far this season.
This year, it looks like we have a likely winner but with two months of the year to go, it could still change.
Let’s take a look at the top scorers from 2021 so far.
Don’t forget, only goals scored in 2021 count. So those who play in calendar year seasons, for example in the US, Sweden and Iceland, all their goals from the current season count. Those who play the traditional European season across two years, will have their goals from the end of the 20/21 season and the first half of the 21/22 season count.
Currently leading the chartsare Harley Willard and Cameron Lancaster, who are tied on 17 goals a piece. However with the campaign in Iceland now over, it seems like Lancaster will take the crown. He still has three regular season games left with Louisville City in the USL Championship plus potential playoff matches.
That’s not to discredit Willard’s season. For starters, he’s not a striker but a winger. This year he played for Víkingur Ólafsvík and despite finishing rock bottom of Iceland’s second-tier, he still provided a very respectable nine league goals with a further eight coming in the cup. That meant he ended the season with 17 goals in 24 matches. He’s agreed to join fellow Icelandic side Þór Akureyri next year.
Lancaster is a renowned goal machine in America’s second-tier. Back in 2018 he scored 26 goals which earned him a move to new MLS side Nashville. Although his shot at MLS never did arrive, he has continued to plunder goals in the USL and has 17 goals in 22 games this season.
Third and fourth in the charts also play in Iceland. Willard’s teammate Kareem Isiaka and Icelandic football legend Gary Martin. They both ended the campaign on 14 goals. The two couldn’t have more different back stories, however.
Isiaka is just 20 and enjoyed his first season abroad this year, having previously been with Charlton Athletic. Martin on the other hand, first played in Iceland in 2010 and this year was just another goal-laden season for the 31-year-old.
Six of the 14 in the graph below played in Iceland this year. Three are finishing up their seasons in America and the rest are just getting underway.
With two months to go, I will be revealing the winner at the end of the year.
English Players Abroad 