Name the former Premier League player:

***** played college soccer at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he moved from playing forward to defender. While in college, ***** formed part of a defensive backline that helped lead the team into the NCAA playoffs in 2000. Although he played with Chicago Fire Premier, the development team of the Chicago Fire in the USL Premier Development League, he was not drafted or signed by any Major League Soccer clubs following graduation from college. Taking the advice of a former European teammate, he decided to take advantage of his European Union work status (due to his Danish grandfather) and moved to England in 2003 with only $1,800, in an attempt to find a club to play for. He started off playing in the ninth tier of English football for Southall Town F.C., earning only £40 a week.

In July 2004, ***** joined Northwood, a seventh-tier side, to play in some of their pre-season matches. Northwood played Championship side Watford, then a League Championship side in their second pre-season match. During the course of the match, ***** impressed then Watford manager Ray Lewington enough to earn a two-week trial. Following the trial, ***** signed a one year contract with Watford to play in their 2004–05 season.