Quick Facts
Biography
Christopher Joyce (born 31 January 1985) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Norwegian club Pors Grenland. He has previously played for Odd Grenland in Tippeligaen.
Career
Joyce was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, where he grew up supporting Newcastle United, and watched every home-match for 10 years when he had a season pass. He joined Newcastle United's academy at the age of 11, where he played together with Shola Ameobi, but when Joyce turned 16 he was not offered a contract with the Magpies. He attended Loughborough University for the next three years, and played as a striker for the university team where he scored approximately 20 goals per season, in addition to playing non-league football for Blyth Spartans.
Joyce studied economy at Franklin Pierce University in the United States, and became a goal-getter for the college soccer team with 29 goals in 27 matches in his last season. He was offered a contract with FC Dallas in February 2006 after training with the club, but chose to move to Norway and signed a three-year contract with Odd Grenland in March 2006. Joyce played 22 matches and scored two goals for Odd Grenland in Tippeligaen, until he was loaned out to Nybergsund-Trysil in the second half of the 2007 season where he scored seven goals in nine matches in the Second Division. Joyce spent the 2008 season on loan to Pors Grenland, but after his contract with Odd Grenland was terminated in July 2008 he decided to take a break from professional football.
Joyce returned to Pors Grenland ahead of the 2009 season, and scored 20 goals for the club in the Second Division, before he joined Asker in 2010. After one season with Asker, he was retrained as a centre back. Joyce signed a contract with Notodden in November 2012 but before he played any matches for Notodden he joined Pors Grenland in February 2012 as assistant playing-coach, because he had gotten a new job in Porsgrunn