Rhys Weston
Encyclopedia
Rhys David Weston is an English
-born Welsh
international
football defender
who plays for Dundee
in the Scottish First Division
.
An Arsenal
Academy
graduate, he made one appearance in the 1999–2000 campaign, before signing with Cardiff City
. He spent six years with Cardiff, making 214 appearances in league and cup, helping them to two promotions. Released by the club in 2006, he travelled to Norway
to sign with Viking, though he was only to play the one game. In 2007 he transferred to Walsall
via Port Vale
. He then moved to current club Dundee in 2010.
as a youth player, before he made his senior debut in the League Cup
against Middlesbrough
on 30 November 1999, Arsène Wenger
bringing him on at half time to replace Oleh Luzhny
. Also making his debut for Arsenal that day was Ashley Cole
. His first start came on 14 May 2000 at St James' Park
, he was taken off for fellow youngster Brian McGovern
after 67 minutes – Newcastle United
finished 4–2 winners. It was the final league game of the season and neither side had anything to play for other than pride. It was to be his only top flight appearance in English football.
His first and only senior game at Highbury
came on 1 November 2000, in a 2–1 defeat to Ipswich Town
in the League Cup
third round. He was taken off to give Lee Canoville
his debut on 74 minutes.
chairman Sam Hammam
saw Weston's potential and signed him for £300,000 in November 2000. The Welsh
club were then in the basement division
and had strong promotion
ambitions. Weston made his Ninian Park
debut on 22 November, Cardiff coming from behind to beat Lincoln City
3–2. He settled into the first team well and played another 31 games that season as the club finished second behind Brighton & Hove Albion
.
The Bluebirds hopes of back-to-back promotions were ended by Stoke City
in the play-offs
in 2001–02. Weston played 43 games that season, also picking up eight cautions along the way. At the seasons end he signed a long-term contract with the club.
Cardiff managed to break out of the Second Division
in 2002–03 via a 1–0 victory
over Queens Park Rangers
in the play-off final. Weston picked up ten yellow cards that season, but also scored his first senior goal on 26 October with a last minute effort of a 4–0 home win over Tranmere Rovers
.
Weston and Cardiff adapted well to life in the First Division
, though he played only 24 league games during the 2003–04 campaign. The defender remained upbeat throughout the campaign. His season was hampered by a knee injury in October 2003, which required surgery. In March 2004 he then damaged the cartilage in his other knee.
In the 2004–05 season (the first season of the Football League Championship
) he played 25 games. In April 2005 he suffered an ankle
injury which sidelined him for the rest of the season. At the end of the season Weston was one of five players who took "substantial reductions in their wages" (20%) in order to pave the way for the arrival of Darren Purse
. This was the beginning of the end of his career with the Bluebirds, as new manager Dave Jones did not rate Weston. Jones told him he was transfer-listed, though no offers came for the full-back.
In the 2005–06 season Weston hit 30 league games – this was in part due to some defensive departures from the previous season. He also revisited Highbury in an FA Cup
encounter on 7 January, though the Gunners ran out 2–1 winners thanks to a brace from Robert Pirès
. In July 2006 he was left out of the club's pre-season tour of Canada
.
Cardiff were consistently finished in mid-table, though Weston's time at Cardiff
was limited and he played his final game for the club on 22 August 2006, in a 2–0 defeat by League Two
Barnet
, Trésor Kandol
scoring both goals. Weston was replaced by youngster Darcy Blake
at half time. Weston was released at the end of the month and joined top Norwegian
side Viking FK in the Tippeligaen
on a short-term deal.
-based club lasted just twelve minutes, as Weston dislocated his shoulder and was taken off. With the Viking manager sacked just four days after Weston's arrival, the incoming manager did not speak English
, and so did not offer Weston a contract. Upon returning to the UK, Jones refused to let him train with Cardiff, and so he instead began training with Yeovil Town
.
Weston signed with League One
Port Vale
in February 2007 after a trial period, signing a contract that paid four times less than the contract he had had at Cardiff. He played fifteen games under Martin Foyle
before being released at the end of the season
. Foyle had told him he wanted a more attacking full-back, though would go on to tell a BBC interviewer that his "attitude was wrong". Weston believed the real reason was down to money.
, also of League One, on 16 July 2007. He made his debut for the club on 18 August in 1–0 defeat at Leyton Orient
. Weston hit fifty games in 2007–08 before penning a two year deal in March.
On 20 September 2008, he was sent off for the first time in his career. The match was a bad tempered affair at Brighton's Withdean Stadium
, Weston was dismissed after 15 minutes and was followed by teammate Netan Sansara
on 33 minutes, though a 44th minute Dwayne Mattis
header earned the Saddlers a 1–0 win. Weston played 31 games that season
and scored the third goal of his career on Boxing day
, with a 64th minute winner over Stockport County
at the Bescot Stadium
.
He made thirty appearances in the 2009–10
, before manager Chris Hutchings
decided against offering him a fresh contract at the end of the season.
, following a trial with Motherwell
. He made 32 appearances in his first season in Scotland, Dundee would have finished just one point short of First Division
champions Dunfermline Athletic
, but instead finished in sixth place following a 25 point deduction for entering administration
. Despite reported interest from SPL
sides, he signed a new one year deal at the end of the season.
He was appointed as captain for the start of the 2011–12
season.
for Wales
between 2000 and 2005 and also won at least four caps for the under-21 side
. Born in England
, he qualified for Wales due to his father being born in South Wales
.
His first senior cap came against Portugal
on 2 June 2000, Wales recording a 3–0 loss. He was a late substitute for Gareth Roberts
.
Weston then went into an under-21 side that fared poorly in the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
. The young Welsh drew one and lost nine, Weston played in four of these games. On 1 September he played in a defeat 4–1 to Belarus
. On 6 October he played in a 2–0 defeat to Norway
, four days later he played in a 2–1 defeat to Poland
. On 23 March 2001, he was part of a Wales side that lost 1–0 to Armenia
.
His next call-up for the senior team was for a friendly
with Croatia
on 21 August 2002. He was a 60th minute substitute for Darren Barnard
, the game finished 1–1. He earned three caps in the UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying group stage. He played the last 20 minutes of a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan
on 20 November 2002, coming on for Mark Delaney. His first senior start came on 12 February 2003, though he was taken off for Matthew Jones
60 minutes into a 2-2 draw with Serbia and Montenegro
. He also played in the 10 September 2003 game with Finland
; 72 minutes into the Finland game he was taken off for Andy Johnson
and watched from the bench as the game finished 1–1, the draw was enough to book Wales a play-off encounter with Russia
.
His last game for Wales was also John Toshack
's first game as coach. Toshack brought Weston on for Rob Edwards after 49 minutes in a 2–0 win over Hungary
on 9 February 2005. Toshack also called him into the squad for a November 2005 friendly with Cyprus
, though Weston did not make it onto the pitch. His final international call-up was on 1 March 2006 in a goalless draw with Paraguay
, Weston remained on the bench.
|1999–2000
||Arsenal
||Premier League||1||0||0||0||1||0||2||0
|-
|2000–01
||Arsenal
||Premier League||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0
|-
|2000–01||Cardiff City
||Third Division
||28||0||3||0||0||0||32||0
|-
|2001–02||Cardiff City
||Second Division
||37||0||3||0||1||0||43||0
|-
|2002–03||Cardiff City
||Second Division
||38||2||5||0||2||0||49||2
|-
|2003–04||Cardiff City
||First Division
||24||0||1||0||1||0||26||0
|-
|2004–05||Cardiff City
||Championship
||25||0||2||0||2||0||29||0
|-
|2005–06||Cardiff City
||Championship
||30||0||1||0||3||0||34||0
|-
|2006–07||Cardiff City
||Championship
||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0
|-
|-
|2006–07||Viking FK||Tippeligaen
||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
|2006–07
||Port Vale
||League One
||15||0||0||0||0||0||15||0
|-
|2007–08||Walsall
||League One
||44||0||5||0||0||0||50||0
|-
|2008–09||Walsall
||League One
||31||1||0||0||0||0||31||1
|-
|2009–10
||Walsall
||League One
||27||0||2||0||1||0||30||0
300||3||22||0||13||0||343||3
|-
|2010–11
||Dundee
||First Division
||30||0||1||0||1||0||32||0
|-
|2011–12
||Dundee
||First Division
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
30||0||1||0||1||0||32||0
331||3||23||0||14||0||376||3
Notes:
with Cardiff City
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
international
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
football defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who plays for Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
in the Scottish First Division
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
.
An Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
Academy
Arsenal F.C. Academy
Arsenal Football Club Academy are the youth team of Arsenal Football Club. They currently play in the FA Premier Academy League, the highest level of youth football in England...
graduate, he made one appearance in the 1999–2000 campaign, before signing with Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
. He spent six years with Cardiff, making 214 appearances in league and cup, helping them to two promotions. Released by the club in 2006, he travelled to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to sign with Viking, though he was only to play the one game. In 2007 he transferred to Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
via Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
. He then moved to current club Dundee in 2010.
Arsenal
Weston played for ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
as a youth player, before he made his senior debut in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 30 November 1999, Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
bringing him on at half time to replace Oleh Luzhny
Oleh Luzhny
Oleh Romanovych Luzhny is a retired Ukrainian footballer and former interim manager of FC Dynamo Kyiv. His name is alternatively Romanised as Oleg Luzhny.-Dynamo Kyiv:...
. Also making his debut for Arsenal that day was Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
. His first start came on 14 May 2000 at St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
, he was taken off for fellow youngster Brian McGovern
Brian McGovern
Brian McGovern is a retired Irish footballer.The former Irish U18 and U21 player had joined Arsenal as a trainee in summer 1997. He made a single appearance for Arsenal, as a substitute against Newcastle United on May 14, 2000, in which a youthful Arsenal side lost 4-2. While with the Gunners,...
after 67 minutes – Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
finished 4–2 winners. It was the final league game of the season and neither side had anything to play for other than pride. It was to be his only top flight appearance in English football.
His first and only senior game at Highbury
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
came on 1 November 2000, in a 2–1 defeat to Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
third round. He was taken off to give Lee Canoville
Lee Canoville
Leroy Paul "Lee" Canoville is an English professional footballer, who plays as a defender for Boston United where he is also he clubs joint-caretaker manager. He has represented England at Under-16 level.-Career:...
his debut on 74 minutes.
Cardiff City
Cardiff CityCardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
chairman Sam Hammam
Sam Hammam
Samir "Sam" Hammam is a Lebanese business man, most notable for his high profile involvement in British football clubs.-Career:...
saw Weston's potential and signed him for £300,000 in November 2000. The Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
club were then in the basement division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
and had strong promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
ambitions. Weston made his Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
debut on 22 November, Cardiff coming from behind to beat Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
3–2. He settled into the first team well and played another 31 games that season as the club finished second behind Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
.
The Bluebirds hopes of back-to-back promotions were ended by Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
in the play-offs
Football League One play-offs
The Football League One Playoffs are a series of playoff matches, contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the NPower Football League One table to determine the third spot for promotion to the second tier of English football, the Championship....
in 2001–02. Weston played 43 games that season, also picking up eight cautions along the way. At the seasons end he signed a long-term contract with the club.
Cardiff managed to break out of the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in 2002–03 via a 1–0 victory
2003 Football League Second Division play-off Final
The 2003 Football League Second Division play-off Final was a football match played at Millennium Stadium on 25 May 2003, at the end of the 2002–03 season. It was the 17th play-off final in all at the third level of English football...
over Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
in the play-off final. Weston picked up ten yellow cards that season, but also scored his first senior goal on 26 October with a last minute effort of a 4–0 home win over Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
.
Weston and Cardiff adapted well to life in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, though he played only 24 league games during the 2003–04 campaign. The defender remained upbeat throughout the campaign. His season was hampered by a knee injury in October 2003, which required surgery. In March 2004 he then damaged the cartilage in his other knee.
In the 2004–05 season (the first season of the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
) he played 25 games. In April 2005 he suffered an ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
injury which sidelined him for the rest of the season. At the end of the season Weston was one of five players who took "substantial reductions in their wages" (20%) in order to pave the way for the arrival of Darren Purse
Darren Purse
Darren John Purse is an English professional footballer who plays for League Two club Plymouth Argyle as a defender, on loan from Championship side Millwall....
. This was the beginning of the end of his career with the Bluebirds, as new manager Dave Jones did not rate Weston. Jones told him he was transfer-listed, though no offers came for the full-back.
In the 2005–06 season Weston hit 30 league games – this was in part due to some defensive departures from the previous season. He also revisited Highbury in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
encounter on 7 January, though the Gunners ran out 2–1 winners thanks to a brace from Robert Pirès
Robert Pirès
Robert Emmanuel Pirès is a former French international footballer. He is perhaps best known for his time with Arsenal, with whom he won three FA Cups and two FA Premier League titles including the club's famous unbeaten season of 2003–04...
. In July 2006 he was left out of the club's pre-season tour of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Cardiff were consistently finished in mid-table, though Weston's time at Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
was limited and he played his final game for the club on 22 August 2006, in a 2–0 defeat by League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
, Trésor Kandol
Tresor Kandol
Trésor Osmar Kandol is a Congolese international footballer. He is currently a free agent after being released by Spanish second division club Albacete. Before playing for Albacete he played for Barnet, Chesham United, Darlington, Dagenham & Redbridge, Thurrock, Bournemouth, Cambridge United,...
scoring both goals. Weston was replaced by youngster Darcy Blake
Darcy Blake
Darcy James Blake is a Welsh professional footballer currently playing for Cardiff City in the Football League Championship. He is also a Welsh international, having made his debut in October 2010.-Cardiff City:...
at half time. Weston was released at the end of the month and joined top Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
side Viking FK in the Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
on a short-term deal.
Viking FK and Port Vale
His first (and final) match with the StavangerStavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
-based club lasted just twelve minutes, as Weston dislocated his shoulder and was taken off. With the Viking manager sacked just four days after Weston's arrival, the incoming manager did not speak English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and so did not offer Weston a contract. Upon returning to the UK, Jones refused to let him train with Cardiff, and so he instead began training with Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
.
Weston signed with League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in February 2007 after a trial period, signing a contract that paid four times less than the contract he had had at Cardiff. He played fifteen games under Martin Foyle
Martin Foyle
Martin John Foyle is an English former footballer, turned football manager. In his 20 year playing career he played 533 League games, scoring 155 goals...
before being released at the end of the season
2006–07 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2006–07 season was Port Vale's ninety-fifth season of football in the Football League, and third successive season in League One. Martin Foyle's side again finished in mid-table, whilst exiting the FA Cup and the League Trophy at the Second Round...
. Foyle had told him he wanted a more attacking full-back, though would go on to tell a BBC interviewer that his "attitude was wrong". Weston believed the real reason was down to money.
Walsall
Weston was signed by WalsallWalsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
, also of League One, on 16 July 2007. He made his debut for the club on 18 August in 1–0 defeat at Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
. Weston hit fifty games in 2007–08 before penning a two year deal in March.
On 20 September 2008, he was sent off for the first time in his career. The match was a bad tempered affair at Brighton's Withdean Stadium
Withdean Stadium
Withdean Stadium is an athletics stadium in Withdean, a suburb of Brighton. Between 1999 and 2011 it was the home ground of football team Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.....
, Weston was dismissed after 15 minutes and was followed by teammate Netan Sansara
Netan Sansara
Netan Nico Sansara is an English footballer who plays for PAEEK as a left back. He has played for Dundee in the Scottish First Division, and has also played for Walsall.-Early life:...
on 33 minutes, though a 44th minute Dwayne Mattis
Dwayne Mattis
Dwayne Anthony Mattis is a professional footballer. He is a midfielder who joined npower League 2 side, Chesterfield, in May 2010....
header earned the Saddlers a 1–0 win. Weston played 31 games that season
2008–09 in English football
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
and scored the third goal of his career on Boxing day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
, with a 64th minute winner over Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
at the Bescot Stadium
Bescot Stadium
Bescot Stadium, also known as the Banks's Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is the home ground of Walsall Football Club. It was built in 1989-90 by GMI Construction with a reported build cost of £4.5m...
.
He made thirty appearances in the 2009–10
2009–10 Football League
The Football League 2009–10, called the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons, was the 110th completed season of the Football League. It began in August 2009 and concluded in May 2010, with the promotion play-off finals. The Football League is contested through three Divisions. The...
, before manager Chris Hutchings
Chris Hutchings
Christopher "Chris" Hutchings is an English former footballer and former manager of Walsall. He played for a number of clubs including Chelsea and played more than 100 games for Brighton & Hove Albion and Huddersfield Town...
decided against offering him a fresh contract at the end of the season.
Dundee
In July 2010, Weston signed a one year contract with DundeeDundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
, following a trial with Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
. He made 32 appearances in his first season in Scotland, Dundee would have finished just one point short of First Division
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
champions Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
, but instead finished in sixth place following a 25 point deduction for entering administration
Administration (British football)
Sports clubs in the United Kingdom, most often in football, sometimes choose to enter administration when they are unable to pay off outstanding debts. Under the Insolvency Act 1986 a business will face a winding up order bringing them to court and if it is shown that a business cannot pay debts as...
. Despite reported interest from SPL
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
sides, he signed a new one year deal at the end of the season.
He was appointed as captain for the start of the 2011–12
2011–12 Dundee F.C. season
The 2011–12 season will be Dundee's 7th consecutive season in the Scottish First Division after being relegated from the SPL in 2005. During the 2011–12 season Dundee will also compete in the Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup and the Ramsdens Challenge Cup.-Pre season:The 2011–12...
season.
International career
Weston won seven capsCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
between 2000 and 2005 and also won at least four caps for the under-21 side
Wales national under-21 football team
The Wales national under-21 football team, also known as the Wales U21s, is the national under-21 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
. Born in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, he qualified for Wales due to his father being born in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
.
His first senior cap came against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
on 2 June 2000, Wales recording a 3–0 loss. He was a late substitute for Gareth Roberts
Gareth Roberts (footballer)
Gareth Wyn Roberts is a Welsh international footballer who plays for Derby County, where he plays as a left-back...
.
Weston then went into an under-21 side that fared poorly in the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
UEFA U-21 Championship 2002 was the 13th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Switzerland between 16 and 28 May 2002.Czech Republic U-21s won the competition for the first time.-Qualification:...
. The young Welsh drew one and lost nine, Weston played in four of these games. On 1 September he played in a defeat 4–1 to Belarus
Belarus national under-21 football team
The Belarus national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Belarus and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years.-History:...
. On 6 October he played in a 2–0 defeat to Norway
Norway national under-21 football team
The Norwegian national under-21 football team, controlled by the Football Association of Norway, is the national football team of Norway for players of 21 years of age or under at the start of a UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship campaign...
, four days later he played in a 2–1 defeat to Poland
Poland national under-21 football team
The Poland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Poland and is controlled by the Polish Football Association....
. On 23 March 2001, he was part of a Wales side that lost 1–0 to Armenia
Armenia national under-21 football team
The Armenia national under-21 football team is the youth football team of Armenia. The team is based mostly on the young players from the league and competes every two years in order to qualify for the European Under-21 Football Championship...
.
His next call-up for the senior team was for a friendly
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
with Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
on 21 August 2002. He was a 60th minute substitute for Darren Barnard
Darren Barnard
Darren Sean Barnard ,is a former professional footballer and Welsh international, playing 22 times for Wales between 1998 and 2004. He is currently joint-manager of Camberley Town and is also the club's Director of football and notably played for Chelsea and Barnsley...
, the game finished 1–1. He earned three caps in the UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying group stage. He played the last 20 minutes of a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan national football team
The Azerbaijan national football team is the national football team of Azerbaijan and is controlled by Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan...
on 20 November 2002, coming on for Mark Delaney. His first senior start came on 12 February 2003, though he was taken off for Matthew Jones
Matt Jones (footballer)
Matthew Graham Jones is a former Welsh international football player, who last played for Llanelli in the Welsh Premier League. He has played centre-midfield for most of his career, though sometimes appeared at right back for Llanelli. He formerly played for Leeds United and Leicester City...
60 minutes into a 2-2 draw with Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
. He also played in the 10 September 2003 game with Finland
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
; 72 minutes into the Finland game he was taken off for Andy Johnson
Andy Johnson (Welsh footballer)
Andrew James "Andy" Johnson is an English born Welsh international football midfielder who last played for King's Lynn.-Career:He began his career at Norwich City, before joining Nottingham Forest in 1997 for £2.2m...
and watched from the bench as the game finished 1–1, the draw was enough to book Wales a play-off encounter with Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
.
His last game for Wales was also John Toshack
John Toshack
John Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the...
's first game as coach. Toshack brought Weston on for Rob Edwards after 49 minutes in a 2–0 win over Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
on 9 February 2005. Toshack also called him into the squad for a November 2005 friendly with Cyprus
Cyprus national football team
The Cyprus national football team represents Cyprus in association football and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association, the governing body for football in Cyprus. Cyprus' home ground is the GSP Stadium in Nicosia and the current coach is Nikos Nioplias...
, though Weston did not make it onto the pitch. His final international call-up was on 1 March 2006 in a goalless draw with Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
, Weston remained on the bench.
Statistics
|-|1999–2000
1999–2000 Arsenal F.C. season
During the 1999–2000 English football season, Arsenal competed in the FA Premier League .-Season summary:Arsenal finished Premiership runners-up for the second season running...
||Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
||Premier League||1||0||0||0||1||0||2||0
|-
|2000–01
2000–01 Arsenal F.C. season
During the 2000–01 English football season, Arsenal competed in the FA Premier League .-Season summary:...
||Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
||Premier League||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0
|-
|2000–01||Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
||Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
||28||0||3||0||0||0||32||0
|-
|2001–02||Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
||Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||37||0||3||0||1||0||43||0
|-
|2002–03||Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
||Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||38||2||5||0||2||0||49||2
|-
|2003–04||Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
||First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
||24||0||1||0||1||0||26||0
|-
|2004–05||Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
||Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
||25||0||2||0||2||0||29||0
|-
|2005–06||Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
||Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
||30||0||1||0||3||0||34||0
|-
|2006–07||Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
||Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0
|-
|-
|2006–07||Viking FK||Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
|2006–07
2006–07 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2006–07 season was Port Vale's ninety-fifth season of football in the Football League, and third successive season in League One. Martin Foyle's side again finished in mid-table, whilst exiting the FA Cup and the League Trophy at the Second Round...
||Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||15||0||0||0||0||0||15||0
|-
|2007–08||Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||44||0||5||0||0||0||50||0
|-
|2008–09||Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||31||1||0||0||0||0||31||1
|-
|2009–10
2009–10 Football League
The Football League 2009–10, called the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons, was the 110th completed season of the Football League. It began in August 2009 and concluded in May 2010, with the promotion play-off finals. The Football League is contested through three Divisions. The...
||Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||27||0||2||0||1||0||30||0
300||3||22||0||13||0||343||3
|-
|2010–11
2010–11 Dundee F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was Dundee's 6th consecutive season in the Scottish First Division after being relegated from the SPL in 2005.-Season Summary:...
||Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
||First Division
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
||30||0||1||0||1||0||32||0
|-
|2011–12
2011–12 Dundee F.C. season
The 2011–12 season will be Dundee's 7th consecutive season in the Scottish First Division after being relegated from the SPL in 2005. During the 2011–12 season Dundee will also compete in the Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup and the Ramsdens Challenge Cup.-Pre season:The 2011–12...
||Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
||First Division
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
30||0||1||0||1||0||32||0
331||3||23||0||14||0||376||3
Notes:
- Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
results included in totals.
Honours
with Arsenal- Premier League runner-up: 1
-
- 1999–20001999–2000 Arsenal F.C. seasonDuring the 1999–2000 English football season, Arsenal competed in the FA Premier League .-Season summary:Arsenal finished Premiership runners-up for the second season running...
- 1999–2000
with Cardiff City
- Football League Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
runner-up: 1
-
- 2000-01
- FAW Premier CupFAW Premier CupThe FAW Premier Cup is a defunct Welsh football cup competition, organised annually by the Football Association of Wales from 1997 to 2008...
winner: 1
- FAW Premier Cup
- 2001–02
- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
play-offFootball League One play-offsThe Football League One Playoffs are a series of playoff matches, contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the NPower Football League One table to determine the third spot for promotion to the second tier of English football, the Championship....
winner: 1
- Football League Second Division
- 20032003 Football League Second Division play-off FinalThe 2003 Football League Second Division play-off Final was a football match played at Millennium Stadium on 25 May 2003, at the end of the 2002–03 season. It was the 17th play-off final in all at the third level of English football...
- 2000-01