A Premier League stalwart from the early 2000's, Steed Malbranque has had a fine footballing career taking him all around France and England.

After showing promise at Lyon as a youngster, Malbranque joined newly-promoted Fulham for £4.5 million in 2001, excelling as a midfielder who could do it all, including scoring goals which he did 32 times over five Premier League seasons for the Cottagers.

The Frenchman got himself a move to Tottenham Hotspur in 2006 and spent two seasons there, playing all-but one of Spurs' league games in the 2007-08 season, but he made the move to Sunderland in 2008 on a four-year contract.

Malbranque was a regular fixture for the Black Cats over the next three years, but was then deemed as dispensable by Steve Bruce in 2011 and was sold in the summer - what's he been getting up to since though?

 

 

 

 

Well Malbranque returned to his native France to play for Saint Etienne, but that ended after just one appearance following a bizarre rumour that the player has asked to leave the club due to his son being ill, but this was refuted by his lawyer - although Malbranque did leave the club the following day just one month after joining.

Nearly a year had passed until Malbranque found himself playing again, as he returned to his former club Lyon at the age of 32, and it was here that Steed revitalised his career by moving into a deeper midfield role.

Malbranque made 93 league appearances in his four-year second stint with Lyon, and as a 36-year-old he moved on to Caen, who were also plying their trade in Ligue 1 at the time.

He retired from professional football after one season there, but he still played at an amateur level for MDA Chasselay (now known as GOAL FC), before taking another break from football and signing for another amateur club last year in the form of FC Limonest - located in the French Alps.

He's had a glittering career at the top level for most of his years, but now in his 40's, Malbranque is winding down his playing days at the lower reaches of French football, which is admirable to see.