Robbie Simpson
Encyclopedia
Robbie Simpson is an English
professional
footballer who plays for Oldham Athletic
on loan from Huddersfield Town
. He is a forward.
at the age of nine where he spent six years on schoolboy terms. When he was released by Norwich he was signed by Jez George, then head of youth development and Cambridge City
, and he made his first team debut shortly after at the age of 16. He went to Stanborough School in Welwyn Garden City until he was 16. Whilst playing for Cambridge City, Simpson obtained good A-levels, and decided to follow this by studying for a degree in Sports Science and Mathematics at Loughborough University
(graduating in 2007) whilst remaining tied to the club though coaching in their 'Youth in the Community' scheme. Robbie won the British Universities Sport Association trophy all three years when he was there playing for the student team, now Loughborough University F.C.
.
in October 2002. He was at City for four seasons, scoring 42 goals in 113 appearances. When City offered him terms of re-engagement at the end of 2005/06, it was discovered that his original contract had been secretly amended in February 2006 by Jez George. The effect was to allow Simpson (and two other players, Josh Simpson and Michael Gash) a free transfer at the end of the season, instead of the usual position where City would have been entitled to a fee under the Bosman ruling
requirements for players under the age of 24. The contract amendments were discovered by new Directors (from the Cambridge City Supporters Trust) who had taken over after George and other Directors resigned amidst wider accusations of financial impropriety, which were later to lead to a High Court case. George subsequently moved to Cambridge United and City received no compensation for the three players.
in June 2006. Despite an inauspicious start to his United career, hampered by studying full-time in Loughborough
and a knee injury, he eventually became a fans' favourite due to his all-action style and goalscoring ability – by the end of the 2006–07
season he had 17 goals from 33 appearances, 15 of which came in the second half of the season. The end of the season saw Simpson win a multitude of club awards, including the Supporters' Player of the Year, Cambridge Evening News
Player of the Year and official website goal of the season. Although Cambridge offered Simpson a new contract at the end of the season, this was turned down amid interest from a number of larger clubs.
at the start of the 2007–08
season along with a host of other new players for the Sky Blues, and was immediately touted as a future star by manager Iain Dowie
.
Simpson scored five minutes into his competitive debut for the club in a League Cup
tie against Notts County
on 14 August 2007. Ex-Coventry assistant manager Tim Flowers
praised the youngster's performance, describing his acquisition from Cambridge as "a bargain" and tipping him to be a success at the club.
side Huddersfield Town
for a fee believed to be around £
300,000 on a three-year deal. He made his debut in the 2–2 draw against Southend United
at Roots Hall
on 8 August 2009. On 1 September 2009, he scored his first goal for the Terriers, the second goal in Town's 2–1 win over Rotherham United
in the Football League Trophy
. Most of Simpson's first season with the Terriers was disrupted by injury.
Simpson joined Brentford on loan for the entire 2010/11 season on 6 August 2010, making 18 starts, scoring 8 goals.
After being isolated from the Huddersfield squad at the start of the following season, Simpson joined Oldham Athletic
on September 10, 2011.
goalkeeper in a 3–1 win for the Latics in the first round of the FA Cup
. Simpson scored a hat - trick the following game in a NPower League One game against Chesterfield
in a 5-2 win for the Latics.
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...
professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
footballer who plays for Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
on loan from Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
. He is a forward.
Early life
Born in Poole, Simpson began his footballing career with Norwich CityNorwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
at the age of nine where he spent six years on schoolboy terms. When he was released by Norwich he was signed by Jez George, then head of youth development and Cambridge City
Cambridge City F.C.
Cambridge City Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:The club was founded in 1908 Cambridge Town F.C., as Cambridge had not been granted city status at that point, and were committed to amateur sport...
, and he made his first team debut shortly after at the age of 16. He went to Stanborough School in Welwyn Garden City until he was 16. Whilst playing for Cambridge City, Simpson obtained good A-levels, and decided to follow this by studying for a degree in Sports Science and Mathematics at Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
(graduating in 2007) whilst remaining tied to the club though coaching in their 'Youth in the Community' scheme. Robbie won the British Universities Sport Association trophy all three years when he was there playing for the student team, now Loughborough University F.C.
Loughborough University F.C.
Loughborough University Football Club is an English football club based in Loughborough, Leicestershire. The club are currently members of the Midland Alliance and play at the Nanpantan Sports Ground.-History:...
.
Cambridge City
Simpson made his first team debut for Cambridge CityCambridge City F.C.
Cambridge City Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:The club was founded in 1908 Cambridge Town F.C., as Cambridge had not been granted city status at that point, and were committed to amateur sport...
in October 2002. He was at City for four seasons, scoring 42 goals in 113 appearances. When City offered him terms of re-engagement at the end of 2005/06, it was discovered that his original contract had been secretly amended in February 2006 by Jez George. The effect was to allow Simpson (and two other players, Josh Simpson and Michael Gash) a free transfer at the end of the season, instead of the usual position where City would have been entitled to a fee under the Bosman ruling
Bosman ruling
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
requirements for players under the age of 24. The contract amendments were discovered by new Directors (from the Cambridge City Supporters Trust) who had taken over after George and other Directors resigned amidst wider accusations of financial impropriety, which were later to lead to a High Court case. George subsequently moved to Cambridge United and City received no compensation for the three players.
Cambridge United
Simpson signed for Cambridge UnitedCambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
in June 2006. Despite an inauspicious start to his United career, hampered by studying full-time in Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
and a knee injury, he eventually became a fans' favourite due to his all-action style and goalscoring ability – by the end of the 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season he had 17 goals from 33 appearances, 15 of which came in the second half of the season. The end of the season saw Simpson win a multitude of club awards, including the Supporters' Player of the Year, Cambridge Evening News
Cambridge Evening News
The Cambridge News is a British daily newspaper published each weekday and on Saturdays. It is distributed from its parent company Cambridge Newspapers Ltd's Milton base which was opened in 1991 as a print works, and became the Evening News main operational hub in 1998...
Player of the Year and official website goal of the season. Although Cambridge offered Simpson a new contract at the end of the season, this was turned down amid interest from a number of larger clubs.
Coventry City
Simpson joined Coventry CityCoventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
at the start of the 2007–08
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
season along with a host of other new players for the Sky Blues, and was immediately touted as a future star by manager Iain Dowie
Iain Dowie
Iain Dowie is a former footballer and manager. He is currently without a club. He has previously managed Hull City and Queens Park Rangers and was assistant manager of Newcastle United...
.
Simpson scored five minutes into his competitive debut for the club in a 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...
tie against Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
on 14 August 2007. Ex-Coventry assistant manager Tim Flowers
Tim Flowers
Timothy David "Tim" Flowers is an English former football goalkeeper and the former manager of Conference North team Stafford Rangers.-Club career:...
praised the youngster's performance, describing his acquisition from Cambridge as "a bargain" and tipping him to be a success at the club.
Huddersfield Town
On 18 June 2009, after intensive speculation, Simpson joined Football League OneFootball 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....
side Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
for a fee believed to be around £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
300,000 on a three-year deal. He made his debut in the 2–2 draw against Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
at Roots Hall
Roots Hall
Roots Hall is a multi-use sports stadium in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England, primarily used for football games and is the home of the Football League Two club Southend United. With a capacity of 12,392 Roots Hall is the largest football stadium in Essex, and is the current venue for the final of...
on 8 August 2009. On 1 September 2009, he scored his first goal for the Terriers, the second goal in Town's 2–1 win over Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
in the Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The 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...
. Most of Simpson's first season with the Terriers was disrupted by injury.
Simpson joined Brentford on loan for the entire 2010/11 season on 6 August 2010, making 18 starts, scoring 8 goals.
After being isolated from the Huddersfield squad at the start of the following season, Simpson joined Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
on September 10, 2011.
Oldham Athletic
Simpson made his debut for the club coming on as a substitute at the start of the second half against Stevenage. Simpson scored his first goal for the club on his 13th appearence, with a free kick that was fumbled by the Burton AlbionBurton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...
goalkeeper in a 3–1 win for the Latics in the first round of the 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...
. Simpson scored a hat - trick the following game in a NPower League One game against Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
in a 5-2 win for the Latics.