TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD Jamaican international Luton Shelton notched his 12th goal of the season when his club, Vålerenga, spanked Tromsø 3-0 in Norway's top league on Sunday.
Shelton, who turns 25 on Wednesday, scored in the 39th minute to open the scoring for Vålerenga for the sixth time this season.
With 12 goals, the speedy Jamaican striker moves into joint sixth place as leading marksmen in the Tippeligaen and number two in his club after Norwegian strike partner and league's number two marksman Mohammed Abdellaoue -- on 15 goals.
With 51 caps and 28 goals for Jamaica at the senior level, Shelton has already plied his trade in Sweden, England and Denmark since leaving Harbour View FC at the end of the 2005-2006 season.
A top youth player for Jamaica with caps at the Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 levels, Shelton moved from the Jamaican club to Swedish club Helsingborg in August 2006 for £100,000.
He was then officially unveiled to Sheffield United on January 4, 2007, signing a three-and-a-half year contract for a fee of £1.85 million.
Shelton did not serve out his contract, leaving by July 24, 2008 for his first stint with Vålerenga for a fee of around £1,000,000.
Sheffield's manager at the time, Kevin Blackwell, then described Shelton as a "bit of a maverick" and that the striker did not fit into his team's plans.
On January 28, 2009, he went on loan to Danish club Aalborg, returning to Vålerenga on July 1, playing nine matches and scoring three goals in that season.
Now, after 28 league matches, Shelton is scoring an average of every 160 minutes but has picked up four yellow cards in the process.
In 25 of those matches, the lanky Jamaican was in the starting line-up and was substituted in 15 games. From three of his appearances, he has so far scored a brace.
Vålerenga are second in the standings, seven points off the pace, to stay in contention for the Europa League.
Shelton, who turns 25 on Wednesday, scored in the 39th minute to open the scoring for Vålerenga for the sixth time this season.
With 12 goals, the speedy Jamaican striker moves into joint sixth place as leading marksmen in the Tippeligaen and number two in his club after Norwegian strike partner and league's number two marksman Mohammed Abdellaoue -- on 15 goals.
With 51 caps and 28 goals for Jamaica at the senior level, Shelton has already plied his trade in Sweden, England and Denmark since leaving Harbour View FC at the end of the 2005-2006 season.
A top youth player for Jamaica with caps at the Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 levels, Shelton moved from the Jamaican club to Swedish club Helsingborg in August 2006 for £100,000.
He was then officially unveiled to Sheffield United on January 4, 2007, signing a three-and-a-half year contract for a fee of £1.85 million.
Shelton did not serve out his contract, leaving by July 24, 2008 for his first stint with Vålerenga for a fee of around £1,000,000.
Sheffield's manager at the time, Kevin Blackwell, then described Shelton as a "bit of a maverick" and that the striker did not fit into his team's plans.
On January 28, 2009, he went on loan to Danish club Aalborg, returning to Vålerenga on July 1, playing nine matches and scoring three goals in that season.
Now, after 28 league matches, Shelton is scoring an average of every 160 minutes but has picked up four yellow cards in the process.
In 25 of those matches, the lanky Jamaican was in the starting line-up and was substituted in 15 games. From three of his appearances, he has so far scored a brace.
Vålerenga are second in the standings, seven points off the pace, to stay in contention for the Europa League.