Rotherham United struck transfer gold for player who starred in Premier League | OneFootball

When Rotherham United signed Adam Le Fondre from Rochdale in 2009, few would have predicted that he would have gone on to be a Premier League star.

When Rotherham United signed Adam Le Fondre in 2009 from Rochdale for an undisclosed but reportedly modest fee, few could have predicted the return they would get.

In just over two years at the Don Valley Stadium, Le Fondre scored 58 goals in 105 appearances, becoming one of the most lethal strikers in the lower leagues.

Adam Le Fondre shines with Rotherham

During his first season with Rotherham, he was nominated four times for the League Two Player of the Month award. While he never managed to win the award, he was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Season for the 2009/10 campaign.

It was during this season that his Rotherham side came closest to promotion, losing in the League Two play-off final to Dagenham and Redbridge.

In his second and final year at the club, he was unable to go one better, and instead the Millers found themselves narrowly missing out on the play-offs by two points.

Despite a lack of team success while he was at the club, the Rotherham Advertiser named him in a club best 11 from the 2010s, describing him as "maybe the most natural finisher in the Millers’ history."

The paper also said: "If the ball reached Le Fondre in the box, it usually found its way into the net."

A YouTube video showcasing his first 50 goals for the club shows that many were simply from being in the right place at the right time.

His consistent goalscoring form caught the attention of bigger clubs, and in 2011, he earned a move to Reading, where he would go on to make his mark in the Championship and then the Premier League.

Adam Le Fondre's iconic spell at Reading

Le Fondre was part of the team that achieved promotion to the top division as Champions, pipping Southampton to the title by just one point. In the 2012/13 season, his first in the Premier League, he scored 12 league goals, finishing as the club’s top scorer.

Known for his sharp movement and instinctive finishing, he became a key figure in a side fighting relegation. His standout moment came in January 2013, when he was named Premier League Player of the Month after scoring five goals off the bench.

These goals off the bench gave him cult status at the Madejski Stadium and throughout the league as a whole, becoming one of the most well-known super-subs of the era.

It also secured him a record, as during this time he became the player with the most substitute goals in a single Premier League season with eight. Despite Reading’s eventual relegation, Le Fondre’s performances stood out, proving he could compete at the highest level.

Life after Reading for Adam Le Fondre

After leaving Reading in 2014, he had stints with Cardiff City, Bolton Wanderers, and Wigan Athletic, among others, often contributing important goals wherever he played.

Though he never quite hit the same heights as he did during his peak at Reading, he remained a reliable forward with an eye for goal. He also had spells abroad, including in Australia with Sydney FC, where he continued to score pretty regularly.

Rotherham’s investment in Le Fondre paid off not just in goals but in the transfer fee they later received.

He is remembered fondly by supporters for his impact and is widely regarded as one of the best strikers to play for the club in recent decades. Le Fondre's journey from League Two to the Premier League is a reminder of the value of smart recruitment.