Omar Kader Explained

Omar Kader
Birth Date:1986 4, df=y
Birth Place:Edinburgh, Scotland
Height:1.75m (05.74feet)[1]
Position:Midfielder
Years1:2005–2012
Clubs1:Spartans
Years2:2012–2015
Clubs2:Forfar Athletic
Caps2:91
Goals2:10
Years3:2015
Clubs3:Alloa Athletic
Caps3:1
Goals3:0
Years4:2015–2016
Clubs4:Forfar Athletic
Caps4:14
Goals4:2
Years5:2016–2020
Clubs5:Arbroath
Caps5:107
Goals5:12

Omar Kader (born 29 April 1986) is a Scottish former footballer who plays as a midfielder. He began his career at amateurs Spartans, where he spent seven years before moving to the Scottish Football League to represent Forfar Athletic in 2012. He played three seasons at Forfar before leaving to join Alloa Athletic, having impressed their manager while playing against them, but two months later he left to return to Forfar then join Arbroath for four seasons. Kader has since retired as a professional footballer.

Career

Spartans

Born in Edinburgh, Kader began his career at amateur team Spartans, of the East of Scotland Football League. On 6 January 2006, he was an 80th-minute substitute as they won 3–2 against Scottish Third Division club Queen's Park in the third round of the Scottish Cup.[2] On 5 February, he was again a late substitute in the next round as they achieved a goalless draw with St Mirren, the team then in first place in the First Division.[3] In total, he spent seven years at the City Park club.[4]

Forfar Athletic

On 25 July 2012, after a successful trial, Kader joined Forfar Athletic.[4] Three days later, he made his debut at Station Park in the first round of the Scottish Challenge Cup, and scored the first goal of a 3–2 win against First Division Dunfermline Athletic, finishing a cross by Danny Denholm.[5] He made his first appearance in the Scottish Football League on 11 August, as the Second Division season began with a 2–0 loss at Queen of the South.[6] Kader did not record a league goal until his 17th game, netting in a 3–1 home win over Stranraer on 2 March 2013,[7] and was also on the scoresheet in his next game two weeks later, when he scored Forfar's first of a 3–3 draw against Stenhousemuir.[8] Across 25 games of his first season in a nationwide league, his only other goal came on 27 April, concluding a 3–0 victory at Stranraer's Stair Park.[9] Forfar finished the season in a play-off place, where they lost 7–4 on aggregate to Dunfermline.[10]

Kader's second season with Forfar began in the Challenge Cup first round on 27 July 2013, with him scoring the first goal of a 2–1 win over East Fife.[11] It took him 18 games to achieve a goal in the newly rebranded Scottish League One, doing so on 1 February 2014 in a 1–1 home draw with Airdrieonians.[12] His season ended with three goals in 30 league games.

In his third season, Kader scored in two consecutive games over November 2014, helping Forfar to a 3–3 draw at Brechin City[13] and a 2–0 home triumph over Ayr United.[14] He featured in all 36 matches over the league season, recording four goals, as Forfar made the promotion play-offs. In the semi-final first leg, he opened the scoring in a 3–0 home victory over Ayr,[15] and in the first leg of the final, he scored the first goal of a 3–1 victory against Alloa Athletic.[16] However, Alloa, who were in the play-offs to maintain their place in the Scottish Championship, came back to defeat Forfar in the second leg.[17]

Alloa Athletic

After impressing Alloa manager Danny Lennon with his play-off performances against them for Forfar, Kader was one of five players whom he signed on 8 July 2015.[18] He made his debut 17 days later as they won 1–0 away to Highland Football League team Brora Rangers in the first round of the Challenge Cup, replacing Eddie Ferns for the last ten minutes.[19] On 29 August, he made his league debut, as an 82nd-minute substitute for Mark Williams in a 1–0 home loss to Greenock Morton.[20]

Return to Forfar

Kader left Alloa by mutual consent, and returned to Forfar on 1 September 2015.[21] The first game of his second spell came four days later, a 4–0 loss to Dunfermline Athletic at Station Park.[22] In his next game on 12 September, he scored the first goal of his return to the team, confirming a 2–0 win at Brechin City.[23] In a season which ended with relegation, he added only one more goal, in a 1–1 draw at Airdrieonians on 8 March 2016.[24]

Arbroath

On 10 May 2016, Kader joined up with former Forfar manager Dick Campbell, being one of four players to sign for Scottish League Two team Arbroath, alongside his Forfar teammates Michael Dunlop and Gavin Malin.[25] The team won promotion at the end of the season as League Two champions.[26]

Arbroath won the League One title in 2019, though Kader scored only once, in a 5–2 home win over Stenhousemuir on 1 December 2018.[27] On 9 November 2019 he scored his first professional goal at the age of 33, wrapping up a 3–0 win against Inverness Caledonian Thistle as a substitute at Gayfield Park.[28]

Personal life

Kader grew up supporting hometown team Hibernian.[29] He is a graduate of Heriot-Watt University, and scored as their football team won a fifth consecutive university league title in 2008.[30]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueScottish CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Spartans2005–06East of Scotland Football League2020
2006–070000
2007–08[31] 1010
2008–09[32] [33] [34] [35] [36] 6161
2009–10[37] 2020
2010–11[38] 2020
2011–121010
Total141141
Forfar Athletic2012–13Scottish Second Division25310103[39] 1304
2013–14Scottish League One30320202[40] 1364
2014–1536410105[41] 2436
Total9110404010410914
Alloa Athletic2015–16Scottish Championship1000102040
Forfar Athletic2015–16Scottish League One142200000162
Arbroath2016–17Scottish League Two335204011406
2017–18Scottish League One295204010365
2018–19301104020371
2019–20Scottish Championship151204120232
Total10712701616113614
Career total2132427121118527931

Honours

Arbroath

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Omar Kader . worldfootball.net . HEIM:SPIEL . 26 May 2020.
  2. News: Spartans 3–2 Queen's Park. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 6 January 2006.
  3. News: Spartans 0–0 St Mirren. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 5 February 2006.
  4. News: Kader in line to join Loons. 29 August 2015. Scottish Professional Football League. 25 July 2012.
  5. News: Ramsdens Cup: Forfar 3–2 Dunfermline. 29 August 2015. 28 July 2012.
  6. News: Queen of the South 2–0 Forfar Ath. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 11 August 2012.
  7. News: Athletic take maximum points. 29 August 2015. Scottish Professional Football League. 2 March 2013.
  8. News: Forfar 3–3 Stenhousemuir. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 16 March 2013.
  9. News: Stranraer 0–3 Forfar Athletic. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 27 April 2013.
  10. News: Dunfermline Athletic 6–1 Forfar Athletic (aet, agg 7–4). 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 12 May 2013.
  11. News: East Fife 2–1 Forfar. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 26 July 2014.
  12. News: Forfar 1–1 Airdrieonians. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 1 February 2014.
  13. News: Brechin 3–3 Forfar. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 16 November 2014.
  14. News: Forfar 2–0 Ayr. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 22 November 2014.
  15. News: Forfar 3–0 Stranraer: Athletic on brink of final. 29 August 2015. The Scotsman. 6 May 2015.
  16. News: Forfar 3–1 Alloa. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 13 May 2015.
  17. News: Alloa 3–0 Forfar: 10-man Wasps seal comeback win. 29 August 2015. The Scotsman. 18 May 2015.
  18. News: Danny Lennon adds a further five new faces at Alloa Athletic. 29 August 2015. The Herald. 8 July 2015.
  19. News: Brora Rangers 0–1 Alloa. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 25 July 2015.
  20. News: Alloa 0–1 Morton. 29 August 2015. BBC Sport. 29 August 2015.
  21. News: Robertson. Neil. Forfar boss Dick Campbell welcomes familiar face back to Station Park. 7 September 2015. The Courier. 2 September 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150920004550/http://www.thecourier.co.uk/sport/football/league-1/forfar-boss-dick-campbell-welcomes-familiar-face-back-to-station-park-1.897728. 20 September 2015. dmy-all.
  22. News: Forfar 0 Dunfermline 4: Lesson for Loons as Pars sweep to top of table. 7 September 2015. The Courier. 7 September 2015.
  23. News: Brechin 0–2 Forfar. 19 October 2015. BBC Sport. 12 September 2015.
  24. News: Airdrieonians 1–1 Forfar. 11 May 2016. BBC Sport. 8 March 2016.
  25. News: Robertson. Neil. Arbroath boss Dick Campbell in quadruple signing swoop. 11 May 2016. The Courier. 10 May 2016.
  26. News: Arbroath are League Two champions! . 31 January 2019 . Scottish Professional Football League . 6 May 2017.
  27. News: Arbroath 5 – 2 Stenhousemuir – GoPro Goals . 9 April 2020 . Arbroath F.C..
  28. News: Arbroath 3–0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle . 9 April 2020 . BBC Sport . 9 November 2019.
  29. News: Alloa new boy Omar Kader can't wait to face boyhood heroes Hibs in exciting SPFL Championship. 29 August 2015. Alloa Advertiser. 27 July 2015.
  30. News: Heriot Watt claim University title for fifth year in a row. 11 May 2016. The Scotsman. 31 January 2008.
  31. Web site: Fort William F.C. 0–1 Spartans F.C.. Scottish Football Association. 29 September 2007. 27 August 2019.
  32. Web site: Pollok F.C. 1–1 Spartans F.C.. Scottish Football Association. 27 September 2008. 27 August 2019.
  33. Web site: Spartans F.C. 1–0 Pollok F.C.. Scottish Football Association. 4 October 2008. 27 August 2019.
  34. Web site: Annan Athletic F.C. 1–2 Spartans F.C.. Scottish Football Association. 1 November 2008. 27 August 2019.
  35. Web site: Elgin City F.C. 2–1 Spartans F.C.. Scottish Football Association. 6 December 2008. 27 August 2019.
  36. Web site: Elgin City F.C. 1—2 Spartans. Scottish Football Association. 15 December 2008. 27 August 2019.
  37. Web site: Fraserburgh 1–4 Spartans. ESPN. 24 October 2009. 27 August 2019.
  38. Web site: Keith F.C. 0–3 Spartans. Scottish Football Association. 23 October 2010. 27 August 2019.
  39. One appearance and a goal in the Scottish Challenge Cup; two appearances in the First Division play-offs
  40. Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup
  41. One appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup; four appearances and two goals in the Championship play-offs