Robbie Willmott

Robbie Willmott
Personal information
Full nameRobbie James Willmott[1]
Date of birth16 May 1990
Place of birthHarlow, England
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing positionWinger
Club information
Current team
Newport County
Number12
Youth career
2006–2007Cambridge United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2007–2011Cambridge United108(19)
2011–2012Luton Town54(14)
2012–2013Cambridge United20(2)
2013–Newport County77(10)
National team‡
2011–England C1(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11:55, 23 April 2013 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16:45, 2 May 2012 (UTC)

Robbie Willmott (born 16 May 1990) is an English footballer who plays as a winger for Newport County.

Youth career

In the summer of 2006 head of Cambridge's youth development Jez George spotted Willmott playing for Buntingford under 16's against Cambridge City and offered him a weeks trail at Cambridge United. Willmott joined United as a scholar and went on to play for Cambridge Regional College in the Eastern Counties Football League to gain further experience in a competitive environment.[2]

Club career

Cambridge United

Willmott a product of United's youth system made his senior debut for the club at the age of 17 on 15 September 2007. Willmott was brought on for the last ten minutes at the Abbey Stadium as Cambridge ran out 2–1 winners against Crawley Town.[3] The winger signed his first professional contract with Cambridge United in December 2007[4] and went on to score his first senior goal for United in the FA Cup against Boston United at their York Street ground on 25 October 2008, his overall performance deserving of the man of the match award,[5] an award that Cambridge United manager at the time Gary Brabin concurred with.[6]

Willmott featured in Cambridge United's Conference Premier play-off final defeat to Torquay United at Wembley Stadium in May 2009.[7][8] He started in the final and the second leg of the semi-final, a game in which he scored for United.[9]

In January 2010, Willmott became an outlandish transfer target for fellow Conference club Histon but Cambridge United decided to turn their offer down.[10][11]

Later that year, Willmott controversially attacked former Cambridge United players Danny Crow and Dan Gleeson for joining Conference rivals Luton Town during the summer, he said "But if they (Crow & Gleeson) don't want to play for the club and they don't want to do the graft to get the club into the Football League, then fine. We don't want players who aren't going to put 100% into the team."[12]

Cambridge United sold Willmott to Luton Town in January 2011 for a transfer fee of £50,000. On his departure former Cambridge United manager Martin Ling said of Willmott "I feel it's a good move for Robbie, on a football front I'm disappointed to lose a player of his quality, He will be hard to replace from within but that's where it's got to be. Sometimes you have to manage difficult situations."[13][14]

Luton Town

On signing Willmott, former Luton Town manager Richard Money said "There were a lot of clubs interested in him...I think it's fair to say that most of the bigger clubs in our division were interested in him and one or two clubs as far up as the Championship. We tried to sign him two or three times and it's always nice, with Monday still to come, to get the deal done with some comfort."[15][16]

He made his debut for the Hatters on 1 February 2011, coming on as a sub in Luton Town's 4–0 victory over Darlington at Kenilworth Road.[17] and scored his first goal on his full debut at Newport County on 18 February 2011.[18]

In May 2011, Willmott played in his second Conference Premier play-off final, this time at the City of Manchester Stadium, and once again found himself on the losing side.[19]

At the end of the 2010–11 season, Willmott was acclaimed as one of the season's star performers with his inclusion in the Conference team of the season, the only Luton Town player to be represented.[20][21] As such, he was the subject of transfer speculation in August 2011 when Forest Green Rovers made two bids for him which Luton Town rejected out of hand.[22][23][24]

After a disappointing 1–1 draw against AFC Telford in December 2011 Willmott, Luton Town's goal scorer, jumped to the defence of under-fire Luton Town manager Gary Brabin when he said "We're all 100 per cent behind the gaffer. We're all working hard in training, we're all committed to the gaffer and we believe he is the man to take us up the league."[25]

Cambridge United

Willmott was released by Luton Town at the end of the 2011–12 season and became a free agent. On 17 July 2012, he re-signed with Cambridge United on a two-year contract, less than two years after departing the U's.[26]

Newport County

Wilmott joined Newport County on 10 January 2013[27] and scored two goals on his début in a 4–2 away win at Lincoln City on 12 January.[28] In the 2012–13 season he was part of the Newport team that finished 3rd in the league, reaching the Conference Premier play-offs. Newport County won the play-off final versus Wrexham at Wembley stadium 2–0 to return to the Football League after a 25-year absence with promotion to Football League Two.[29]

International career

Willmott was first called up for England C duty in February 2011[30] but had to withdraw from the squad to face Belgium in the semi-finals of the International Challenge trophy due to injury.[31]

He was once again called up for England C in August 2011 in a squad for a friendly with India U23.[32] However, the game was cancelled shortly afterwards.[33]

He finally made his England C debut in a friendly against Gibraltar on 15 November 2011, starting the match before being replaced at half time in a 3–1 defeat.[34][35]

Style of play

Willmott is comfortable playing on either wing and has been known to play centrally as a second striker or an attacking midfielder. His pace and ability to dribble make him a formidable opponent when he is on top of his game.[36]

References

  1. ↑ "Search 1984 to 2006 – Birth, Marriage and Death indexes". Findmypast.com. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "Willmott Enjoying Wing Role". Cambridge United F.C. 6 November 2008. Archived from the original on 12 March 2009.
  3. ↑ "Cambridge 2–1 Crawley Town". Cambridge United F.C. 15 September 2007. Archived from the original on 27 December 2007.
  4. ↑ "Needham Market 3 CRC 2". Cambridge United F.C. 2 January 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  5. ↑ "Boston United 2–3 Cambridge". Cambridge United F.C. 25 October 2008. Archived from the original on 19 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Willmott: "It's All Falling Into Place"". Cambridge United F.C. 28 October 2008. Archived from the original on 30 October 2008.
  7. ↑ "Torquay return to Football League after beating Cambridge United". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Ltd. 17 May 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  8. ↑ "Torquay United regain their Football League status after two years". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Ltd. 17 May 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  9. ↑ "Cambridge 3–0 Stevenage". Cambridge United F.C. 4 May 2009. Archived from the original on 7 May 2009.
  10. ↑ "'Wanted trio' have little to gain – Jez". Cambridge News. Cambridge Newspapers Ltd. 9 January 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  11. ↑ "Histon's bold bid to Lewer U's trio". Cambridge News. Cambridge Newspapers Ltd. 4 January 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  12. ↑ "Cambridge United's Robbie Willmott admits to failings". BBC Sport. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  13. ↑ "Luton Town sign Cambridge United's Robbie Willmott". BBC Sport. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  14. ↑ "Hatter-boy Robbie". Cambridge News. Cambridge Newspapers Ltd. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  15. ↑ "Money hopes to avoid manic Monday in transfer window". Bedfordshire on Sunday. LSN Media Ltd. 30 January 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  16. ↑ "Robbie Willmott makes £50,000 move to Luton Town". Cambs24. Archant Community Media Ltd. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  17. ↑ "Luton 4–0 Darlington". BBC Sport. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  18. ↑ "Cruel Exiles ending as Hatters are left heartbroken by late leveller". Luton Today. Johnston Publishing Ltd. 19 February 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  19. ↑ "AFC Wimbledon 0–0 Luton Town (4–3 on pens)". BBC Sport. 21 May 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  20. ↑ "Willmott is one of league's best". Bedfordshire on Sunday. LSN Media Ltd. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  21. ↑ "Blue Square Bet Premier 'Team of the Year'". Football Conference. 13 June 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  22. ↑ "Hatters in no player exits vow". Bedfordshire on Sunday. LSN Media Ltd. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  23. ↑ "Forest Green Rovers striker Reece Styche signs new deal". BBC Sport. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  24. ↑ "Luton reject second Willmott bid from Forest Green Rovers". BBC Sport. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  25. ↑ "Willmott backs under-fire Hatters boss". Luton Today. Johnston Publishing Ltd. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  26. ↑ "Robbie Returns!". Cambridge United FC. 17 July 2012. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012.
  27. ↑ "Newport County sign winger Willmott from Cambridge United". BBC Sport. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  28. ↑ "Lincoln City v Newport County". Newport County AFC. 12 January 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  29. ↑ Hughes, Dewi (5 May 2013). "Wrexham 0–2 Newport". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  30. ↑ "England C squad named". The Football Association. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  31. ↑ "Robbie Ruled Out". Luton Town F.C. 9 February 2011.
  32. ↑ "Watkins reaping rewards of Hatters' faith with England call-up". Bedfordshire on Sunday (LSN Media Ltd). 24 August 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  33. ↑ "England v India cancelled". The Football Association. 25 August 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  34. ↑ "England rocked by Gibraltar". The Football Association. 15 November 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  35. ↑ "Debuts for Luton trio as Gibraltar rock England C". Bedford Today (Johnston Publishing Ltd). 17 November 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  36. ↑ "Robbie Willmott". Luton Town F.C. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012.

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