Wayne Robert Hennessey (born 24 January 1987) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Nottingham Forest and the Wales national team.
Hennessey's first professional games saw him set a new Football League record for consecutive clean sheets while on loan at Stockport County. He played 166 times for Wolverhampton Wanderers over eight seasons, including three years at Premier League level. After several injury setbacks, he moved to join Crystal Palace in 2014. He played 132 total games in eight seasons at Palace, including their defeat in the 2016 FA Cup Final, and then played for Burnley and Nottingham Forest.
A full international since 2007, Hennessey is Wales' third most-capped player and its most capped goalkeeper, with over 100 caps. He was in the Wales squads for the UEFA European Championship in 2016 and 2020, reaching the semi-finals of the former, and was also chosen for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Early life and career
Hennessey is a cousin of Terry Hennessey, who earned 39 caps for Wales from 1962 to 1972. Born in Bangor, Gwynedd and raised in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Hennessey is a fluent Welsh language speaker. and was educated at Ysgol David Hughes but switched to Connah's Quay High School as it was easier to travel to Manchester. Hennessey began as a trainee at Manchester City but was released in 2003, whereupon he joined the youth academy at Wolverhampton Wanderers. After progressing through the ranks, he signed his first professional contract in April 2005.
After remaining in Wolves' reserve and youth teams during the 2005–06 season, Hennessey was sent on trial with Bristol City in July 2006 with a view to a loan move to gain first team experience but was recalled to Wolves after an injury to their first-choice goalkeeper Matt Murray. He did go back to Bristol City in August 2006, however, on a one-month loan deal, but he did not make an appearance and returned to his parent club early due to an arm injury.
Club career
Stockport County
To gain first-team football, Hennessey joined League Two side Stockport County in January 2007 on a one-month loan. On his senior debut against Boston United, he kept a clean sheet and after keeping another five clean sheets in successive matches, his loan spell was extended by an extra month.
He went on to set a Football League record of nine successive clean sheets and wins. Stockport broke the 119-year-old record, when they beat Swindon Town 3–0 on 3 March 2007. After this accomplishment, he was named the League Two Player of the Month for February 2007. His feat also means he now holds County's record for the longest period without conceding a goal, beating Harry Hardy's 85-year-old record. His record now stands at 857 minutes, from the start of his competitive club debut, against Boston United on 13 January 2007, until Oliver Allen of Barnet scored on 10 March 2007. He therefore did not concede in his first nine-and-a-half matches of competitive club football.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Hennessey was recalled by Wolves in April 2007 after another injury to first-choice Matt Murray, and found himself on the substitutes bench for several games. When Murray broke his shoulder on the eve of Wolves' Championship play-off semi-final first leg against local rivals West Bromwich Albion, Hennessey stepped in to make his Wolves debut.
With Murray sidelined for the whole of the 2007–08 season with yet another injury, Hennessey became firmly established at the club's number one, being an ever-present in the league and signing a new extended contract. At the end of the season he was named in the 2007–08 PFA Championship Team of the Year as well as being named Wolves' Player of the Season. FourFourTwo magazine ranked him 22nd in their Top 50 Football League Players list.
The 2008–09 season saw a strong start for Hennessey and Wolves with eight victories out of the first nine league games. This fine run ended against promotion rivals Reading with a 0–3 loss begun by an own goal from Hennessey. Soon after manager Mick McCarthy dropped him to the bench, citing mental fatigue as the reason. Reserve keeper Carl Ikeme deputised and impressed enough to leave Hennessey on the sidelines until an injury ruled him out for the majority of the season. Hennessey then regained and kept his place in goal for the remainder of the season which culminated with promotion to the Premier League as champions after a five-year absence.