Claus Bech Jørgensen

Jørgensen is an attacking midfielder, who started his career in his native Denmark with Holstebro BK. The club lost their Danish 1st Division (second tier) status in 1995–96. He ended up at AC Horsens via AGF Aarhus. In 1998–99 he struck 17 goals for Horsens, becoming the joint-fourth top scorer in the 1st Division that season.

In 1999, he joined English Second Division club AFC Bournemouth, becoming a professional footballer at the age of 23. On 7 August he made his debut in the English game; the Dean Court faithful witnessed a 2–1 victory over Cambridge United. Two weeks later came his first goal; his team dishing out a 4–0 thrashing of Colchester United. He played 53 games for the "Cherries" in 1999–2000, picking up a total of six goals along the way, and became the club's Player Of The Year.[3]

"Claus has progressed well since coming here and I'm very pleased we've been able to see to it that he stays at the club. He always gives 100%, whatever the situation. It can lift the team when you have that kind of willingness in the players."

— Bournemouth manager Mel Machin on Jørgensen.[4]

On 2 September 2000, he had a mixed time at Layer Road, scoring in the 44th minute, he was sent off on the 69th, bringing Bournemouth down to nine men. He finished the season strongly however, making 48 appearances and bagging nine goals, including a run of five in seven games. The last of those goals – the second in a 2–0 home win over Northampton Town on 28 April 2001 – was also the last goal ever at the old Dean Court before it was demolished and rebuilt.[5]

At the end of the season he switched clubs for First Division Bradford City.[6] He was limited to twenty appearances in 2001–02, though did score a late equalizer against Burnley at Turf Moor on 20 March. During the 2002–03 season, although starting the season out of favour and rebuffing interest from both Hull City and Luton Town, he remained at the club and ended up scoring in eight successive league away games.[7] This unusual feat almost equalled the record held by Dixie Dean, who scored nine goals in nine successive league games. He hit a shot against the post in what would have been the ninth, Bradford lost the game 1–0 to Gillingham on 21 April. His run also picked up nine points for the "Bantams". Overall, he struck eleven times in 34 games that season. There was talk of an exodus from Valley Parade as the cash-strapped club struggled to offer new deals to its players.[8]

Rejecting a new contract,[9] the player became available on a free transfer in the summer as he was out contract, he drew attention from Norwich City[10] and Burnley,[11] before signing for Coventry City in the summer.[12]

After making just nine appearances in the first half of the 2003–04 season, he joined old club Bournemouth on a one-month loan in January 2004. The loan was twice extended as he impressed back at Dean Court.[13][14] He played seventeen games for the "Cherries" before returning to the Highfield Road for an end of season clash with Crystal Palace. In 2004–05 he once again was on the sidelines, partly due to a rib injury he suffered while playing for the Faroe Islands in their World Cup qualification game away to Cyprus.[15] Making just twenty appearances, he managed to find the net on three occasions. In June 2005, he put pen to paper on a new contract.[16] Jørgensen became the first ever player to score at the Ricoh Arena, on 20 August 2005, in a 3–0 win against Queens Park Rangers. He played a more respectable 31 games in 2005–06, picking up three goals – and one red card, along the way.

He left Coventry at the end of the season, signing with League One Blackpool. The 2006–07 season was highly successful for the "Tangerines". Jørgensen played 39 games, including their 2–0 victory over Yeovil Town at Wembley in the play-off final.[17] On 7 May 2008, he was offered a new contract by the club.[18] He made 38 appearances in 2007–08, his four goals were important to a club hovering above the relegation zone.

He made his 100th league appearance for the "Seasiders" on 3 May 2009, the final day of the 2008–09 season, in a 1–0 win over Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium. On 9 June, Blackpool confirmed that Jørgensen had not been offered a new deal and that he was being released.[19] He had made exactly 100 league appearances for the club.[20]

"He'll be a sad loss but I think at this stage of his career it's important he plays football."

— Blackpool assistant manager Steve Thompson following Jørgensen's release.[19]

In August 2009 he joined League Two club Port Vale on trial – he had served under manager Micky Adams at Coventry.[21][22] He quickly joined on a non-contract basis, in order that he might be selected for first team football,[23][24] this meant he could not be paid for his services.[25] The club offered Jørgensen a contract in September 2009, but he rejected the offer, deciding to look for a contract elsewhere.[26]

On 8 September 2009, he signed for Conference North side Fleetwood Town.[27] His debut came later the same day in a 2–0 win over Farsley Celtic at Throstle Nest. He left the club in late October after four league and one FA Cup appearances.

In November, he began training with League Two side Cheltenham Town. "Robins" caretaker manager John Schofield explained that as Jørgensen lives relatively locally the club were having a look at him and that, "If Claus is happy with what he sees from us and we are happy with what we see, there may be a chance he could stay around a bit longer."[28] He spent the summer of 2010 training with Conference club Tamworth, after manager Gary Mills seemed keen to offer him a contract.[29] No deal materialized however, and he retired from playing to focus on football coaching along with running his restorative floor cleaning company, Unique Floorcare.[30]

In the April 2012 edition of the football magazine FourFourTwo, fans of both Bournemouth and Blackpool voted him the 'Best Foreigner In The Club's History', describing him as 'dominating games in midfield' and 'his box-to-box play was integral in Blackpool defying expectations by staying in the Championship'.[31]