2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Alex Dicken)
Scott Hogan has taken a while to return to football after losing his edge during his final months at Birmingham City. The striker recently signed for League Two side MK Dons after spending the summer sitting on his sofa. Hogan was quite possibly licking his wounds after being released by Blues.
After a rip-roaring start to his Blues career, first on loan from fierce rivals Aston Villa before the club’s former chief executive Xuandong Ren handed him a four-year contract, Hogan lost his way midway through. When Blues returned to action after the World Cup break in 2022, Hogan couldn’t maintain the standards he had set. In the final 18 months of his Blues career, Hogan scored three goals in 49 appearances.
READ: Chris Davies has a two-horse race to fill the void left by Blues undroppable READ: Blues show fines won’t stop them as Hansson gets boost Many of those outings came off the bench last season when three managers effectively cast him aside. Wayne Rooney had no interest in Hogan, Tony Mowbray showed a bit more but quickly put his faith in others, and Gary Rowett turned to him six times after the 79th minute. Now 32, Hogan has signed for MK Dons in the hope of rediscovering his enjoyment of football.
He wants his daughter to see him smiling on a football pitch once again. “It had to be something where I felt like it was going to give me the hunger back,” admitted Hogan. “It seems exciting.
I’ve still got a lot of years playing football left and this ticked a lot of boxes for me. “Hopefully I can get back playing regularly which I haven’t done for the past 18 months or so. The big thing is for my daughter to come down and watch me play, which she hasn’t done a lot.
She wants to come and see her dad smiling and playing football, that was a massive thing for me as well. It’s given me the hunger to play again and that’s what is most exciting about it.” MK Dons are 14th in League Two after an upturn in fortunes since they poached manager Scott Lindsey from League One minnows Crawley Town.
They are still alive in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy which means a reunion between Hogan and Blues isn’t off the table. However, after a summer without a pre-season, Hogan might take time to work his way into MK Dons’ line-up. Hogan said: “It all depends on sports science, they get in the way of a lot! I have to be careful because I’ve been sat on my couch at home for a long time!” What are your memories of Hogan's Blues career? Have your say in the comments HERE.
