Rachubka playing for Blackpool |
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Stephen Rachubka | ||
| Date of birth | 21 May 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | San Luis Obispo, California, United States | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Tranmere Rovers (on loan from Leeds United) |
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| Youth career | |||
| 1997–2000 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2000–2002 | Manchester United | 1 | (0) |
| 2001 | → Royal Antwerp (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | → Oldham Athletic (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2002–2004 | Charlton Athletic | 0 | (0) |
| 2004 | → Burnley (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2004 | → Huddersfield Town (loan) | 13 | (0) |
| 2004 | → Milton Keynes Dons (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2004 | → Northampton Town (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 2004 | → Huddersfield Town (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2004–2007 | Huddersfield Town | 60 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | → Peterborough United (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2007–2011 | Blackpool | 121 | (0) |
| 2011– | Leeds United | 6 | (0) |
| 2011– | → Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| ? | England U16 | ? | (?) |
| ? | England U18 | ? | (?) |
| 1999 | England U20 | 1 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 02:20, 11 December 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
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Paul Stephen Rachubka (surname pronounced ra-HUB-ka) (born 21 May 1981) is an American-English professional Association football goalkeeper who plays for Leeds United after joining the club from Blackpool .
Born in San Luis Obispo, California, to an English mother and an American father, Rachubka possesses dual nationality, having moved to England with his family when he was seven years old.[2][3] He has represented England at under-16, under-18 and under-20 levels.
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Despite being born in the United States, Rachubka grew up in England. He started playing football for a Stockport club called Norbury Moor Rangers, but at the age of nine, after three months there, he was invited to join Manchester United by then-youth coach Brian Kidd.[4] He signed a trainee contract in 1997 before turning professional in July 1999.[5] He was included in the club's squad for the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship in Brazil and made his debut in their final group match against South Melbourne on 11 January 2000. He made two more first-team appearances the following season, against Watford in the League Cup and Leicester City in the league. The 2001–02 season saw Rachubka go on a three-month loan to Manchester United's Belgian feeder club Royal Antwerp, followed by six months with Oldham Athletic. At the end of the season, Manchester United received a £200,000 bid for Rachubka from Charlton Athletic, and he left the club without having conceded a goal in any of his three appearances.
After failing to dislodge Dean Kiely in his two years at Charlton, Rachubka was loaned out five times, all in 2004; firstly to Burnley in February, then from March to the end of the 2003–04 season he was at Huddersfield Town. On 6 August, at the start of the 2004–05, he was loaned out to Milton Keynes Dons for one month. He then spent October and November with Northampton Town before returning again to Huddersfield Town, for a further month, on 5 December.
Rachubka earned promotion with Huddersfield on loan during the 2003-04 season when they won the Division Three playoffs. After his contract expired with Charlton Athletic in 2004, Rachubka took the option to re-sign for Huddersfield Town.[6] He was the first-choice goalkeeper at the Galpharm Stadium until Matt Glennon was signed during the summer of 2006.
Rachubka was sent on loan to Peterborough United as cover for Mark Tyler and played four League Two matches over the Christmas and New Year period of 2006–07.
On 31 January 2007, he went on loan to Blackpool as back-up for Rhys Evans, the ninth loan move of his career.[2] He made his debut for the Seasiders on 27 February and kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 win at his former club Oldham Athletic.[7] On 2 April he was named in the Press Association's League One "Team of the Week", alongside Blackpool teammate Wes Hoolahan, for his performance in the 2–1 win over Crewe Alexandra.[8]
Also in April, Rachubka picked up an injury that kept him out of the team for six weeks.[9] Blackpool's other 'keepers, Rhys Evans and Lewis Edge, also picked up concurrent injuries, which led to then-Seasiders boss Simon Grayson bringing in Manchester City's Joe Hart on loan as an emergency stand-in.
When Joe Hart returned to Manchester City, Rachubka returned to the Blackpool first team on 13 May 2007, for the first leg of the League One play-off semi-final against Oldham Athletic. Blackpool won both legs, and Rachubka played in the final on 27 May at the newly-renovated Wembley Stadium. Blackpool won 2–0 against Yeovil Town, gaining promotion to The Championship.
On 5 June 2007, five days after his contract at Huddersfield expired, Blackpool signed Rachubka on a permanent two-year deal.[9] On 13 August 2007 he was named in The Championship "Team of the Week" for his performance on the opening day of the 2007–08 season, two days before, in the Seasiders' single-goal victory over Leicester City at the Walkers Stadium.[10]
Rachubka was one of two ever-present players during Blackpool's 2007–08 League season, the other being Shaun Barker. Rachubka won the 2007–08 Blackpool Player Of The Year.[11]
He made his 100th appearance for the Legendary Seasiders early in the 2009–10 season, in a 2–2 draw with Watford at Vicarage Road. In April 2009 Rachubka signed a new two year deal at Blackpool.[12]
Following his performance in Blackpool's 2–0 win over Peterborough United on 26 September 2009 at Bloomfield Road, Rachubka was named in The Championship "Team of the Week".[13][14] On 8 December, Rachubka made his 100th League appearance for Blackpool since making the permanent switch, in a 3–0 win over Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium. Rachubka started the season as Blackpool's first choice goalkeeper, however after being sent off in a 4-1 loss against Crystal Palace, substitute goalkeeper Matt Gilks came into the side and managed to displace Rachubka who dropped to second choice due to the impressive form of Gilks. He made 20 league appearances for Blackpool that season as they earned promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs after beating Cardiff City.[15]
After being promoted to the Premier League with Blackpool, Blackpool manager Ian Holloway confirmed that Rachubka would be out of action for some time following a knee operation.[16] As such, he was not named in Blackpool's 24-man squad for the start of their Premier League campaign the following season. Blackpool signed Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingson who became the clubs number two during Rachubka's time out injured.[17] Even after returning to fitness, he had to wait until January 2011 to be registered in the Blackpool 25 man squad, when squads to see clubs through until the end of the season were named.[18] Manager Ian Holloway said it was an error not to have named Rachubka in his initial 25 man squad for the first half of the season.[19]
On 8 January 2011, Rachubka made his first start for Blackpool in a year, against Southampton in the Third Round of the FA Cup.[20] In February 2011, Rachubka suffered another knee injury which ruled him out for large parts of the second half of the season.[21] He returned to light training for Blackpool in mid March.[22] After only making three appearances during the 2010-11 season,[11] Rachubka was released by Blackpool after they decided not to take up the one year contract extension they had on Rachubka.[23]
On 23 June 2011, Rachubka put pen to paper and signed for Leeds United on a two-year contract as the backup goalkeeper, he linked up with Simon Grayson who was the manager that signed Rachubka for Blackpool.[11][24] Rachubka revealed that despite being brought in as a number two he was looking to compete and win the number one shirt.[25] He made his debut in a pre-season friendly against Falkirk on 13 July, but was substituted by Alex Cairns in the 63rd minute.[26] Rachubka was Leeds' number one for most the pre season games after he was the only senior keeper at the club, however on 25 July Leeds brought in Andy Lonergan to compete for the number 1 jersey.[27]
Rachubka made his debut for Leeds on 23 August against Doncaster Rovers in the League Cup.[28] Rachubka made his league debut for Leeds against Doncaster Rovers on 14 October as a substitute replacing the injured Andy Lonergan.[29] Rachubka made his first league start of the season against Coventry City when Andy Lonergan missed the game with a finger injury on 18 October. However, Rachubka made an error which cost Leeds three points when Coventry City player Richard Wood scored an injury time equaliser in a 1–1 draw.[30] Rachubka was judged to have been at fault for the goals Leeds conceded against Peterbrough in a dramatic 3-2 win for Leeds.[31]
Despite some high profile errors, Rachubka claimed he was looking to put the mistakes behind him and impress to make the number one spot his own.[32] Rachubka made three errors in the first 30 minutes that led to goals against his old club Blackpool which put Leeds 3-0 down, Rachubka was substituted at half time for rookie goalkeeper Alex Cairns.[33][34] Manager Simon Grayson reacted by signing Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy on loan and revealing Rachubka was going to be taken out of the team for several weeks, and possibly sent out on loan due to his fragile confidence after his horror show against Blackpool.[35]
On loan transfer deadline day, 24 November, Rachubka joined Tranmere Rovers on loan until January to help recapture some form. This was then extended by 2 months.[36]
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| England | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 1999–2000 | Manchester United | Premier League | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2000–01 | 1 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Belgium | League | Belgian Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 2001–02 | Royal Antwerp (loan) | First Division | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||
| England | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 2001–02 | Oldham Athletic (loan) | Second Division | 16 | 0 | – | – | – | 17 | 0 | |||
| 2002–03 | Charlton Athletic | Premier League | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2003–04 | Burnley (loan) | First Division | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2003–04 | Huddersfield Town (loan) | Third Division | 13 | 0 | – | – | – | 16 | 0 | |||
| 2004–05 | Milton Keynes Dons (loan) | League One | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2004–05 | Northampton Town (loan) | League Two | 10 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | Huddersfield Town (loan) | League One | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | Huddersfield Town | 26 | 0 | – | – | – | 26 | 0 | ||||
| 2005–06 | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 41 | 0 | |||
| 2006–07 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| 2006–07 | Peterborough United (loan) | League Two | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2006–07 | Blackpool | League One | 8 | 0 | – | – | – | 11 | 0 | |||
| 2007–08 | Championship | 46 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 49 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 43 | 0 | ||||
| 2009–10 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 21 | 0 | ||||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12 | Leeds United | Championship | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 7 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | Tranmere Rovers (loan) | League One | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | |||
| Total | England | 237 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 263 | 0 | |
| Belgium | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 238 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 264 | 0 | ||
a. 1999–2000 appearance was in the World Club Championship
b. 3 league play-off appearances for Huddersfield Town in 2004 (included in 2003–04 total)
c. 2 league play-off appearances for Huddersfield Town in 2006 (included in 2005–06 total)
d. 3 league play-off appearances for Blackpool in 2007 (included in 2006–07 total)
e. All Football League Trophy results are included in totals
Rachubka has represented England at under-16, under-18 and under-20 levels.[37] He was in the England under-20 squad that played at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria. He started the last game against Japan under-20s.
On 5 November 2008 Rachubka confirmed that he had inquired whether he was eligible to play international football for the United States.[2]
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