This season, Prostate Cancer UK is the official charity of the Football League. To celebrate, each week footballer-turned-journalist Adrian Clarke - who played for Arsenal, Rotherham, Southend, Carlisle and Stevenage - is rounding up the best performances by No9s in the Football League, in recognition of the fact that prostate cancer affects one in nine men. In week eight (Saturday 6 October), he lauds the breaking of a seven-month duck, a fiery week for a south coast hitman and a full showcase of talent at Port Vale...

Super sub: Aaron McLean (left) celebrates his winner at Hillsborough. Photo courtesy of Action Images

 

Championship star No9
Aaron McLean -  Hull City

Why?
Seven months without a league goal must have felt like seven years to a striker of Aaron McLean's quality, so the Hull No9 can sleep easy this week after breaking his duck with a valuable winner for his side at Hillsborough. Having patiently sat through 75 minutes of goalless action on the bench, it took less than 120 seconds for McLean to banish his demons, and the striker displayed no sign of nerves. Running on to a headed flick-on, McLean controlled neatly, composed himself and then drilled a fierce right-footed strike into the far bottom corner to break Sheffield Wednesday hearts, while no doubt causing his own to race a little faster.

Did you know?
The Tigers striker's uncle is reggae singer Bitty McLean, who shot to fame in the early 90s with three top-10 hits, including the No2 smash It Keeps Rainin' (Tears From My Eyes).

For the second successive week, No9s scored eight per cent of the Championship's total number of 61 goals

League One star No9
Izale McLeod - Portsmouth

Why?
McLeod made his name by scoring 60 times for MK Dons in three seasons between 2004 and 2007, and he came back to haunt his former employers on Saturday. The 27-year-old Brummie was on fire right from the start on his return to stadium:mk, winning Pompey a penalty inside two minutes. The spot-kick was missed, but just two minutes later McLeod was at it again, weaving his way past three defenders before slotting home a precise side-footed effort into the bottom corner. It was a goal that earned the south coast strugglers a deserved point, and followed a winning performance at Yeovil in midweek, when McLeod lashed home a terrific shot to help Pompey take all three points.

Did you know?
McLeod enjoyed a 17-minute appearance for England Under-21s alongside the likes of Glen Johnson and James Milner in February 2006, coming on as a substitute for Wayne Routledge in a 3-1 win over Norway.

No9s bagged eight strikes last week, amounting to an impressive 14 per cent of League One's goals

League Two star No9
Jennison Myrie-Williams - Port Vale

Why?
A top-class No9 not only scores goals but provides them too, and this week Port Vale's enigmatic wide man displayed his full repertoire. With the Valiants trailing at home to Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday night, Myrie-Williams smashed home a 75th-minute equaliser to keep Micky Adams' side in the top three. Four days later in Exeter, it was the 24-year-old's wingplay that caught the eye. Myrie-Williams skipped past his marker before sprinting down the right flank, waltzing past two more challenges and whipping in a cross that was headed home by top scorer Tom Pope. He's clearly a player with plenty in his locker.

Did you know?
Myrie-Williams is a self-confessed Deal Or No Deal fanatic, and spends as many afternoons as he can engrossed in Noel Edmonds' show.

Seven strikes from a total of 61 means No9s scored 11 per cent of League Two's goals last week

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