Tamika Mkandawire

Tamika Mkandawire

Mkandawire playing for Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Tamika Paul Mkandawire
Date of birth	(1983-05-28) 28 May 1983 (age 33)
Place of birth	Mzuzu, Malawi
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position	Midfielder, Defender
Club information
Current team	Tampa Bay Rowdies
Number	17
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1999–2004	West Bromwich Albion	0	(0)
2003	→ Hereford United (loan)	9	(1)
2004	→ Hereford United (loan)	5	(0)
2004–2007	Hereford United	112	(12)
2007–2010	Leyton Orient	114	(14)
2010–2013	Millwall	46	(1)
2012–2013	→ Southend United (loan)	18	(0)
2013–2014	Shrewsbury Town	39	(1)
2014–	Tampa Bay Rowdies	73	(5)
National team‡
2005–2006	England C	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17 November 2016. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15:35, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

Tamika Paul Mkandawire (born 28 May 1983) is a footballer who plays for the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the United Soccer League.

Born in Mzuzu, Mkandawire came to England aged three, with his English mother and Malawian father and was brought up in Rugby, Warwickshire. He later attended Harris High School in Rugby from 1995–1999.

Mkandawire was a trainee at West Brom for five seasons but did not make an appearance for the first team due to the lack of opportunities at the club at the time. Albion released him in 2004 after winning promotion to the Premier League.

Having had two loan spells with Hereford United in the 2003–04 season, he signed permanently for them for the 2004–05 season. Prior to this he had a trial in the United States with New England Revolution.

He was a first team regular at centre-back in the 2004–05 season making the most appearances of all the central defenders in the squad. He also chipped in with six goals, more than any other defender that season. This consistency continued into the 2005–06 season where he missed only four matches, and scored nine goals. When club captain Tony James was injured, Mkandawire took the captain's armband and led Hereford to the playoff final, scoring in the crucial semi-final against Morecambe. He lifted the trophy after a 3–2 win over Halifax and was subsequently named Player of the Year, for the second season in succession.

For the 2006–07 season he was named as team captain for Hereford's first season back in the Football League. He was a regular in Hereford's defence, scoring twice in the league, and his solid performances had led to speculation over him moving to a bigger club. Despite an improved contract offer in December 2006, which reportedly would have made him the highest earner in the club's history, he decided that his future lay elsewhere.