Simon Royce
Encyclopedia
Simon Ernest Royce is a retired English footballer currently at Brentford
as a goalkeeping coach. Royce joined Gillingham
in April 2007 as an emergency loan signing after the Kent team were left with no fit goalkeepers for their final three matches of the season and signed for the club on a permanent basis in August 2007.
and after claiming the number one jersey off long standing Albie Bridge while still a teenager soon attracted the interest of many Football League sides. He joined Southend United
and became the first Heybridge player to be sold to a professional club. He spent a few seasons as understudy to Paul Sansome before finally establishing himself as the Shrimpers' first choice and a fans' favourite - he played in the successful Southend side in the mid 90's under Barry Fry
and later Peter Taylor before Charlton Athletic
manager Alan Curbishley
snapped him up on a free transfer. Previous to this there had been speculation linking him with big money moves to Everton
and Celtic
. Despite some strong performances in the Premier League, including many clean sheets resulting in setting a post-war club record, injury prevented Royce from establishing himself as regularly as he would have liked and, after the arrival of Dean Kiely
, he rejoined former boss Peter Taylor at Leicester City
. Some good early form resulted with speculation about an England call-up for new manager Sven-Goran Eriksson
's initual squad, however this never materialised, and further injuries prevented Royce from making as many first team appearances as he possibly could.
A second spell at Charlton followed before he moved into the lower tiers of the Football League with Queens Park Rangers
, Manchester City
(on loan), Luton Town
(on loan) and Brighton & Hove Albion
(on loan) again teaming up with Peter Taylor. During a Stoke City
vs QPR game, he was attacked by some Stoke fans.
He made his debut for Gillingham
in the 3-2 home win over Port Vale
on 21 April 2007.
In August 2007 he joined Gillingham on a free transfer,
saying that he intended to see out the rest of his career at Gillingham, and his performances in goal won him the Fans' Player of the Season award for the 2007-08 season. He was first choice goalkeeper at Gillingham again in the promotion season of 2008–09, and at the beginning of the following season. He was forced out of the team by injuries sustained in a car accident in December 2009, and never regained his place from Alan Julian
. His Gillingham contract expired at the end of that season, and although he had been offered a goalkeeper/coach role at Gillingham, he opted in June 2010 to take up a position at Brentford
.
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
as a goalkeeping coach. Royce joined Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
in April 2007 as an emergency loan signing after the Kent team were left with no fit goalkeepers for their final three matches of the season and signed for the club on a permanent basis in August 2007.
Career
Royce began his career with non-League Heybridge SwiftsHeybridge Swifts F.C.
Heybridge Swifts are a non-league football club based in Heybridge, near Maldon, Essex. They were established in 1880 and were founding members of the Essex Senior League in 1971...
and after claiming the number one jersey off long standing Albie Bridge while still a teenager soon attracted the interest of many Football League sides. He joined 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...
and became the first Heybridge player to be sold to a professional club. He spent a few seasons as understudy to Paul Sansome before finally establishing himself as the Shrimpers' first choice and a fans' favourite - he played in the successful Southend side in the mid 90's under Barry Fry
Barry Fry
Barry Francis Fry is an English football manager. A former Manchester United apprentice as a winger, his playing career involved brief spells with Bolton Wanderers, Luton Town and Leyton Orient, before he retired prematurely due to injury.He has managed Dunstable Town, Bedford Town, Maidstone...
and later Peter Taylor before Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
manager Alan Curbishley
Alan Curbishley
Llewellyn Charles "Alan" Curbishley is an English football manager and former professional player....
snapped him up on a free transfer. Previous to this there had been speculation linking him with big money moves to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
and Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
. Despite some strong performances in the Premier League, including many clean sheets resulting in setting a post-war club record, injury prevented Royce from establishing himself as regularly as he would have liked and, after the arrival of Dean Kiely
Dean Kiely
Dean Laurence Kiely is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently goalkeeping coach at West Bromwich Albion. He has won 11 caps for the Republic of Ireland, but has more often than not been on the bench as their substitute goalkeeper...
, he rejoined former boss Peter Taylor at Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
. Some good early form resulted with speculation about an England call-up for new manager Sven-Goran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
's initual squad, however this never materialised, and further injuries prevented Royce from making as many first team appearances as he possibly could.
A second spell at Charlton followed before he moved into the lower tiers of the Football League with 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...
, Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
(on loan), Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
(on loan) and 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....
(on loan) again teaming up with Peter Taylor. During a 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...
vs QPR game, he was attacked by some Stoke fans.
He made his debut for Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
in the 3-2 home win over 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...
on 21 April 2007.
In August 2007 he joined Gillingham on a free transfer,
saying that he intended to see out the rest of his career at Gillingham, and his performances in goal won him the Fans' Player of the Season award for the 2007-08 season. He was first choice goalkeeper at Gillingham again in the promotion season of 2008–09, and at the beginning of the following season. He was forced out of the team by injuries sustained in a car accident in December 2009, and never regained his place from Alan Julian
Alan Julian
Alan John Julian is a football goalkeeper who plays for League One side Stevenage.Julian started his career at Brentford, progressing through the youth side and making his first-team debut in 2002. After failing to cement a place as Brentford's number one goalkeeper, he left to join Stevenage in...
. His Gillingham contract expired at the end of that season, and although he had been offered a goalkeeper/coach role at Gillingham, he opted in June 2010 to take up a position at Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
.
Honours
- Football League TwoFootball League TwoFootball League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
Playoff Winners 20092009 Football League Two play-off FinalThe 2009 Football League Two play-off final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 23 May 2009, at the end of the 2008–09 season. The match determined the fourth and final team to gain promotion from Football League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system, and featured...
External links
- Simon Royce player profile at gillinghamfootballclub.com
- Simon Royce player profile at qpr.co.uk
- Simon Royce player profile at lutontown.co.uk
- Simon Royce player profile at cafc.co.uk
- Simon Royce player profile at seagulls.co.uk