Milan Lalkovič

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Milan Lalkovič
0Full Name	Milan Lalkovič
0Date of Birth	9 December 1992
0Place of Birth	Košice, Slovakia
0Position	Forward
0Chelsea career	2006 - 2014
0Debut	n/a
0Games (goals)	n/a
0Other clubs	MFK Košice Doncaster Rovers (loan) ADO Den Haag (loan) Vitória SC (loan) Walsall (loan)

Milan Lalkovič (born 9 December 1992 in Košice, Slovakia) is a forward who formerly played for Chelsea.

Contents 1 Pre-Chelsea career 2 Chelsea career 3 International 4 Career statistics 5 Career honours 6 Post-Chelsea Career

Pre-Chelsea career

Having impressed in Slovakian youth football, Chelsea offered Lalkovič a trial period in 2006. After a number of successful short spells with the Blues (including a four goal game), the 14 year-old signed a multi-year deal with the club to include a standard youth scholarship when he turned 16.

Chelsea career

His first real action for Chelsea came in the Northern Ireland Milk Cup tournament, where Chelsea sent a younger team than in previous years. He stunned the watching crowds by earning rave reviews in the Irish press as the standout star performer in Chelsea’s team, finding the net to boot. His 2007-08 domestic season could best be described as a bit stop-start – with a large Under-16s squad, injuries and international duty he struggled to make a regular impact. That changed in 2008-09, when after good show in the Cobham Cup and good scoring in the Under-16s, he joined the Under-18 team early and both made and scored goals.

As one of many squad members with Under-18 experience prior to his scholarship, Milan made the early jump to reserve team football. It didn’t overwhelm him, as he marked the rise with his first goal against Fulham. Productive and consistent enough in the Under-18s, he has shown he can lead the line in the 4-4-2 or play wide in a 4-3-3 and whilst he can still occasionally be an enigma, he was one of the more dynamic threats in both teams during 2009-10.

In the first half of 2010-11, Milan split time between the reserve and youth teams, leading the line in the club's attempt to retain the FA Youth Cup. Later in the season he became a fully fledged member of the Reserve team which won the national league title, and he finished with six goals and four assists from 17 appearances.

Milan made his first foray into professional football in September 2011 when he joined Doncaster Rovers on a month-long loan. He impressed in cameo performances but returned to Chelsea as scheduled at the end of the deal. Midway through the 2011-12 season, he led the reserve team's goalscoring charts, before departing on a second loan spell, this time to ADO Den Haag.

Unfortunately, he only played some twenty minutes in an injury-hit spell which was brought to a premature end with all parties dissatisfied with the way the move had gone. In July 2012 he joined Portuguese club Vitória SC on loan for the entire 2012-13 season and made his debut for the club on the first day of the league season. Once again though, he didn't get enough playing time and returned to Chelsea in January.

Another loan spell arrived ahead of 2013-14, this time at Walsall. He scored on his debut against Tranmere but it was an otherwise slow start. His form picked up just before Christmas though, when he scored three match-winning goals for the Saddlers and he established himself as a solid performer throughout the season.

He was released at the end of his contract in June 2014.

International

Milan represented Slovakia at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-19 levels. In March 2011 he received his maiden call-up to the Under-21 team and became a regular at that level.

Career statistics

Youth, Reserve and Under-21 Football

Season	Under-18		NextGen		Under-21		Total
	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2008-09	11	3	-	-	0	0	11	3
2009-10	24	4	-	-	8	1	32	5
2010-11	11	5	-	-	17	5	28	10
2011-12	0	0	-	-	11	6	11	6
2012-13	0	0	-	-	12	1	12	1
Total	46	12	-	-	48	13	94	25

Senior Club Football

Season	Club	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2011-12	Doncaster Rovers (loan)	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
2011-12	ADO Den Haag (loan)	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
2012-13	Vitória SC (loan)	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
2013-14	Walsall(loan)	38	6	2	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	42	6
Total		54	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	58	6

(Statistics accurate as of the end of the 2013-14 season)

Career honours

• 2009-10 FA Youth Cup
• Premier Reserve League 2010-11

Post-Chelsea Career

Milan joined Mlada Boleslav of the Czech League in July 2014 and, with his contract having been mutually terminated in January 2015, signed an 18-month deal with Barnsley. In July 2015 he re-joined Walsall, this time on a permanent basis.