Will Hoskins
Encyclopedia
William Richard "Will" Hoskins (born 6 May 1986) is an English
football player who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion
as a striker. He came through the youth scheme at Rotherham United
and has represented England
at many levels up to under-20.
, Nottinghamshire
, Hoskins was heralded as a talent when at just 17 he came into the first team fold at Rotherham and made an impact scoring both goals in a 2–1 win at Wigan Athletic
in December 2003. However, he had a stop start early career, only making one start under managers Ronnie Moore
and subsequently Mick Harford
.
Alan Knill
took over as manager half way through the 2005–06 season, with the Millers half-way through their first campaign back in League One
and saved the club from a second successive relegation. As youth coach Knill brought Hoskins up through the youth ranks at Milmoor and handed 12 further starts that season. Hoskins reciprocated the faith shown in him by being the only one of six out-of-contract players at the end of the 2005–06 season to sign an immediate contract renewal. Knill offered the youngster an initial one year deal, stating that should Hoskins prove himself in the first team, he would be rewarded with a new contract before Christmas.
Hoskins had an excellent 2006–07 pre-season alongside his new strike partner Delroy Facey
, notably scoring twice against Scottish Cup
finalists Gretna
. However, he suffered a slight injury before the first match of the season and Dave Hibbert had to step up to take his place. Hoskins returned to the squad less than a week later, coming on as a second half substitute against Huddersfield Town
. The following week he came off the bench to score the winner against Blackpool
, securing his place in the starting eleven for the Millers. He was in the team consistently, but never had a regular strike partner due to injuries.
By the end of December he had scored 15 goals in 22 appearances—seven of those in successive away games—making him the third highest scorer in League One
. Due to his consistent excellent performances he was awarded the Player of the Month award in October and was valued at an estimated £750,000+ by The Guardian
.
along with teammate Lee Williamson
on 5 January 2007 for a combined fee of £1.2 million. He made his debut on 13 January 2007 after coming off the bench against Liverpool
. He struggled to make an impact at Watford in the 2007–08 campaign, making only three appearances. He did move on loan to League One
side Millwall
in September 2007, where he made 12 appearances, netting four goals in his spell. He then returned to Watford and after months of speculation, he signed for Nottingham Forest
on loan.
On 12 August 2008, Hoskins scored his first goal for Watford, an 88th minute winner against Bristol Rovers
in the first round of the 2008–09 League Cup
. On the 24th January 2009, Hoskins scored the third goal in the sixty-seventh minute which led to the 4–3 victory against Crystal Palace in the third round of the FA Cup
.
on 8 February 2008, joining the club on loan for the rest of the season, with Forest having the option of signing Hoskins permanently in the summer for £500,000, if he impressed manager Colin Calderwood
. He made his debut in a 2–0 win over Millwall
at the City Ground
and impressed in his first two games in a Reds shirt, being credited for his liveliness and willingness to work hard. He endured a frustrating spell on the sidelines with a troublesome back injury, and with Brett Ormerod
joining from Preston North End
, Hoskins returned to Watford.
. During the early parts of the season, he boasted a 1:2 goal to game ratio after a great start to the 2010/11 nPower League One campaign and looked to be Rovers' new superstar following in the footsteps of players like Rickie Lambert
, Jason Roberts
, Nathan Ellington
, Barry Hayles
and Marcus Stewart
, and has rapidly became a fans favourite. On the 6 November 2010 during an FA Cup first round tie against Darlington
, he suffered a sprained ankle injury, ruling him out for around four weeks, but came off the bench two weeks later away to Brighton & Hove Albion
. In March 2011, with Bristol Rovers struggling, Hoskins was said to be leaving Rovers at the end of the season. He signed a deal with the npower League 1 champions Brighton & Hove Albion after Bristol Rovers were relegated from League 1.
side Brighton & Hove Albion
on a two year deal for an undisclosed fee. He played 45 minutes in Brighton's first pre-season game of the season against Burgess Hill
. He played the second half, partnering Craig Mackail-Smith
, and scored a low drive from 30 yards after some neat play from Jamie Smith
.
He scored his first competitive goal on debut against Cardiff City in a 3-1 win away from home. Craig Mackail-Smith released him with a through ball and he smashed the ball in the net with a fantatsic finish to put Brighton 3-0 up.
on 29 April 2004. He made his full first team debut for the International U20s side in the 4–0 defeat to Russia on 16 August 2005 in Moscow
.
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...
football player who plays for 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....
as a striker. He came through the youth scheme at 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...
and has represented England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at many levels up to under-20.
Rotherham United
Born in NottinghamNottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, Hoskins was heralded as a talent when at just 17 he came into the first team fold at Rotherham and made an impact scoring both goals in a 2–1 win at Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
in December 2003. However, he had a stop start early career, only making one start under managers Ronnie Moore
Ronnie Moore
Ronald David "Ronnie" Moore is an English football manager and former player. He is considered one of the greatest Rotherham United players of all time, and is also considered the best manager Rotherham United have ever had, becoming a club legend. and went on to manage the Millers for seven years...
and subsequently Mick Harford
Mick Harford
Michael Gordon "Mick" Harford , is an English former football player turned manager. He is former manager of Rotherham and Luton Town and has also been caretaker manager of Nottingham Forest and QPR...
.
Alan Knill
Alan Knill
Alan Richard Knill is a former Wales international footballer who played as a central defender. He is presently manager of League One side Scunthorpe United.-Playing career:...
took over as manager half way through the 2005–06 season, with the Millers half-way through their first campaign back in 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....
and saved the club from a second successive relegation. As youth coach Knill brought Hoskins up through the youth ranks at Milmoor and handed 12 further starts that season. Hoskins reciprocated the faith shown in him by being the only one of six out-of-contract players at the end of the 2005–06 season to sign an immediate contract renewal. Knill offered the youngster an initial one year deal, stating that should Hoskins prove himself in the first team, he would be rewarded with a new contract before Christmas.
Hoskins had an excellent 2006–07 pre-season alongside his new strike partner Delroy Facey
Delroy Facey
Delroy Michael Facey is a British-Grenadian professional footballer. He currently plays as a centre forward for Hereford United...
, notably scoring twice against Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
finalists Gretna
Gretna F.C.
Gretna Football Club was a Scottish football club that represented the town of Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway, close to the border between England and Scotland...
. However, he suffered a slight injury before the first match of the season and Dave Hibbert had to step up to take his place. Hoskins returned to the squad less than a week later, coming on as a second half substitute against 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...
. The following week he came off the bench to score the winner against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, securing his place in the starting eleven for the Millers. He was in the team consistently, but never had a regular strike partner due to injuries.
By the end of December he had scored 15 goals in 22 appearances—seven of those in successive away games—making him the third highest scorer in 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....
. Due to his consistent excellent performances he was awarded the Player of the Month award in October and was valued at an estimated £750,000+ by The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.
Watford
After turning down a contract extension, Hoskins signed for Premier League club WatfordWatford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
along with teammate Lee Williamson
Lee Williamson
Lee Trevor Williamson is an English-born Jamaican footballer who plays for Sheffield United as a Midfielder. Born in Alvaston, Derby he started his career at Mansfield Town before spending time at Northampton Town, Rotherham United and Watford before joining The Blades...
on 5 January 2007 for a combined fee of £1.2 million. He made his debut on 13 January 2007 after coming off the bench against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. He struggled to make an impact at Watford in the 2007–08 campaign, making only three appearances. He did move on loan to 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....
side Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
in September 2007, where he made 12 appearances, netting four goals in his spell. He then returned to Watford and after months of speculation, he signed for Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
on loan.
On 12 August 2008, Hoskins scored his first goal for Watford, an 88th minute winner against Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
in the first round of the 2008–09 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...
. On the 24th January 2009, Hoskins scored the third goal in the sixty-seventh minute which led to the 4–3 victory against Crystal Palace in the third 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...
.
Nottingham Forest
Hoskins completed his transfer to Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
on 8 February 2008, joining the club on loan for the rest of the season, with Forest having the option of signing Hoskins permanently in the summer for £500,000, if he impressed manager Colin Calderwood
Colin Calderwood
Colin Calderwood is a Scottish football player and coach. In November 2011 he was appointed as Chris Hughton's assistant manager at Birmingham City....
. He made his debut in a 2–0 win over Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
at the City Ground
City Ground
The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 ....
and impressed in his first two games in a Reds shirt, being credited for his liveliness and willingness to work hard. He endured a frustrating spell on the sidelines with a troublesome back injury, and with Brett Ormerod
Brett Ormerod
Brett Ryan Ormerod is an English professional football player who plays as a forward for Blackpool. He is the only player to have scored in all four divisions for the club.-Early career: Accrington Stanley and Blackpool:...
joining from Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, Hoskins returned to Watford.
Bristol Rovers
In June 2010, Hoskins signed a two-year contract with Bristol RoversBristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
. During the early parts of the season, he boasted a 1:2 goal to game ratio after a great start to the 2010/11 nPower League One campaign and looked to be Rovers' new superstar following in the footsteps of players like Rickie Lambert
Rickie Lambert
Rickie Lee Lambert is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Southampton. Born in Fazakerley, Liverpool, Lambert began his professional career with Blackpool in 1998 and later played for Macclesfield Town, Stockport County, Rochdale and Bristol Rovers before moving to Southampton for...
, Jason Roberts
Jason Roberts
Jason Roberts may refer to:* Jason Roberts , American writer* Jason Roberts , football player* Jason Roberts, singer-songwriter in Asleep at the Wheel* Jason Roberts , record producer...
, Nathan Ellington
Nathan Ellington
Nathan Levi Fontaine Ellington is an English footballer who plays a striker for Championship side Ipswich Town.-Non-league and Bristol Rovers:...
, Barry Hayles
Barry Hayles
Barrington Edward "Barry" Hayles is a footballer who plays for Conference South club Truro City as a striker, having previously played for Stevenage Borough, Bristol Rovers, Fulham, Sheffield United, Millwall, Plymouth Argyle, Leicester City and Cheltenham Town...
and Marcus Stewart
Marcus Stewart
William Marcus Paul Tubb) known as Marcus Stewart is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward from 1991 until 2011...
, and has rapidly became a fans favourite. On the 6 November 2010 during an FA Cup first round tie against Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
, he suffered a sprained ankle injury, ruling him out for around four weeks, but came off the bench two weeks later away to 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....
. In March 2011, with Bristol Rovers struggling, Hoskins was said to be leaving Rovers at the end of the season. He signed a deal with the npower League 1 champions Brighton & Hove Albion after Bristol Rovers were relegated from League 1.
Brighton & Hove Albion
On May 20 2011, Hoskins joined ChampionshipFootball 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...
side 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 a two year deal for an undisclosed fee. He played 45 minutes in Brighton's first pre-season game of the season against Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill Town F.C.
Burgess Hill Town Football Club is an English association football club currently playing in Division One South of the Isthmian League, the eighth tier of English football...
. He played the second half, partnering Craig Mackail-Smith
Craig Mackail-Smith
Craig Anthony Robert Mackail-Smith is a footballer who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion as a striker. He has also played for England C and at full international level for Scotland...
, and scored a low drive from 30 yards after some neat play from Jamie Smith
Jamie Smith (footballer born 1989)
Jamie Peter Smith is an English professional footballer who currently plays for English team Brighton & Hove Albion.Smith played for Walthamstow youth team Interwood...
.
He scored his first competitive goal on debut against Cardiff City in a 3-1 win away from home. Craig Mackail-Smith released him with a through ball and he smashed the ball in the net with a fantatsic finish to put Brighton 3-0 up.
International career
Hoskins made an immediate impact when first introduced into the England U-18 squad, setting up the winning goal against SwedenSweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
on 29 April 2004. He made his full first team debut for the International U20s side in the 4–0 defeat to Russia on 16 August 2005 in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
External links
- Will Hoskins profile at the Bristol Rovers website