Ledley King-Gap Rating 4/10

King is very highly rated at Spurs, as a player with much to offer. He has natural pace and strength allied with his coolness in defence enabled him to enjoy a fine season in 2003-04 - one which resulted with him playing a starring role for England in the Euro 204 opener against France in Portugal. His England debut had come two years earlier in Peter Taylor's one game as caretaker manager.

King featured for much of the campaign in midfield, a role he took to with considerable success and added some much needed bite and physical presence. Despite playing in an unfamiliar position at club level, he was called into the England squad for the friendly against Portugal in February, and netted a debut goal from central defence.

King received his England summer call-up and conveniently deputised for the injured John Terry against France, man marking Thiery Henry out of the game - not putting a foot wrong and impressing all with his composure. Ledley also made a substitute appearance in midfield in the final group game against Croatia .

Now firmly established as club caoptain at Spurs, King has continued to make the England squad, where he will fight for a starting place alonside either John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Jonathan Woodgate, Sol Campbell or Jamie Carrager. He has also been used in a holding midfield role, and as of 2 March 2006 he has 16 international caps.

His first goal for Tottenham, scored in December 2000 in a 3-3 draw away to Bradford City, was scored in 10 seconds, setting a new Premier League record.

King looked a likely participant in the England World Cup squad before fracturing a bone in his foot on 15th April 2006. Although not as bad as a similar injury affecting David Beckham, Gary Neville and Steven Gerrard, King faces a fitness struggle in order to be named in Sven Goran Eriksson's squad on May 15th 2006. He has been ruled out for the rest of the 2005/06 season. His club manager Martin Jol is looking optimistic for his skipper's World Cup hopes. "This injury will take him three or four weeks so of course he will be fit," he claimed. The defender signed a new four year contract with Tottenham in early May 2006.