Iyseden Christie: Cup overflows in career of hat-tricks

Iyseden Christie can measure out his career in hat-tricks.

First there came the trebles in Coventry City’s youth teams that drew the attention of Sky Blues manager Ron Atkinson.

Then there was the Alan Shearer hat-trick the Coventrian watched from the bench before being introduced to make his Premier League debut in 1994.

Three years later Christie scored what remains the fastest League Cup hat-trick in history, netting a treble in four minutes for Mansfield Town against Stockport County.

And now, 20 years after his debut, the 37-year-old surprised even himself by scoring six goals in Halesowen Town’s 7-1 FA Cup Third Round Qualifying win over Ellistown & Ibstock United.

Halesowen hitman Iyseden Christie goes up for a header. Picture by Dave Hawley

After a varied career which has taken in a host of clubs including Leyton Orient, Bournemouth, Rochdale and Stevenage, Christie still cannot believe his luck. He said: “In terms of goals I've not been overly prolific.

“Over my career I think I got one in three which isn't bad, but this year I'd got only one in nine.

“But my mate said to me at half-time when I’d already scored three: ‘you’ll get six here’. I just laughed.

“I always say I'll take what comes my way and luckily I had six chances and they all went in.”

Christie has always loved The FA Cup – and admits he fancies the idea of being the tournament’s leading scorer.

“I would be delighted if, in one of my last couple of seasons, I could say I was the top scorer in The FA Cup.

“There won't be many people at my level who can get close to that.”

A few years ago Christie would never have thought he would be attracting national headlines for his goalscoring exploits. In fact he has retired twice since then.

Sometime around 2009 he fell out of love with the game.

“I turned 30 and I had a couple of long-term injuries which got me a bit down,” he said.

“But by about 31 or 32 I thought 'I don’t really want to do this anymore’. So the first opportunity I got to not get dragged in to training I took it.

“I laid on my sofa for the best part of a year and I didn't miss it at all.”

Christie was tempted back into non-league football, but then in 2011 injured his back in a car accident.

Iyseden Christie lines up a shot. Picture by Dave Hawley

But his friend, former Stoke City, Blackpool and Mansfield Town midfielder Neil MacKenzie, got in touch last year and made him an offer.

“One of the lads who played for Halesowen, Neil, asked me if I wanted to come along and play as one of their strikers got injured,” Christie said.

“If I didn’t know Neil I probably wouldn’t have gone there. I had offers from other teams at higher divisions but thought if I was going to play then it would be for fun.”

Christie feels at home with Northern Premier League side Halesowen, where manager John Hill and chairman Colin Brookes give him support and encouragement.

“I can’t train all the time so the manager lets me do as I please,” he said. “They’re a great bunch of lads and I’m really happy to keep playing on.

Christie added: “Neil has a hat-trick in the First Round Proper so he keeps asking me whether my six goals will count.

“I just remind the lads that in my garage there is one of those yellow balls they use in the winter.

“I got that from scoring a hat-trick in a League Cup game in four minutes. That’s one record they can’t take away from me.”

Christie looks back on his career with great fondness, after playing at almost every level down to tier eight.

“I came through at Coventry 20 years ago. Ron Atkinson took over and gave me my debut against Blackburn and I came on as a sub in a 5-1 defeat,” he said.

“But that was great because I sat and watched Alan Shearer score a hat-trick.

“Unfortunately Coventry bought a few forwards - Dion Dublin, Noel Whelan, and Darren Huckerby - and as a local lad scoring in the reserves you can't get ahead of these £4m-£5m strikers.

“I went off to Mansfield and did alright and I carried on and I'm still playing now. I'm really happy with the career I've had.

“But scoring six goals in an FA Cup game – that adds a bit of gloss.

“I'm only the third person to do it in the Cup. I think I actually played with the last person to do it – Duane Darby – when I was at Rushden and Diamonds.”

“It's another thing I can say to my grandchildren.”

On Saturday Halesowen travel to Conference North side Guiseley Town.

Christie said: “They're doing alright but then there's the old adage that The FA Cup throws form out of the window.

“They're only in the level above us so we've got no reason to be fearful of them.

“I like to think we've got a very good chance of at least getting a result from them.”

And if Christie struggles to keep a tally on his career goals, then his new chosen career of accountancy may come in handy.

“I’m doing level three at the moment and looking about for some work placements but obviously because I play football I have no real work experience,” he said.

“I'm looking for a staunch football fan to give me a chance. So if anyone wants to talk football and give someone a job at the same time then they know where to come!”