Quinton Fortune

Quinton Fortune
Personal information
Full name Quinton Fortune
Date of birth (1977-05-21) 21 May 1977
Place of birth Cape Town, South Africa
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing position Midfielder
Left-back
Youth career
1991–1995 Tottenham Hotspur
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1995 Mallorca 8 (1)
1996–1999 Atlético Madrid B 61 (6)
1996–1999 Atlético Madrid 6 (0)
1999–2006 Manchester United 76 (5)
2006–2007 Bolton Wanderers 6 (0)
2008 Brescia 1 (0)
2009 Tubize 9 (0)
2009–2010 Doncaster Rovers 6 (1)
Total 173 (13)
National team
1996–2005 South Africa 46 (2)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (goals)

Quinton Fortune (born 21 May 1977) is a South African former footballer who was able to play both as a midfielder and as a defender. He moved to Europe at the age of 14 to play for English club Tottenham Hotspur, but work permit issues meant a move to Spain with Mallorca in 1995. He joined Atlético Madrid a year later, but during his three years there he made only six appearances in La Liga, playing mostly for the club's B team. His performances earned him a move back to England with Manchester United in 1999, and he spent seven years there as a part of manager Alex Ferguson's squad.

He was released at the end of the 2005–06 season before joining Bolton Wanderers on a one-year contract. However, injuries limited his opportunities with the club and he was released at the end of his contract. After trial periods with Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland and Sheffield United, he eventually moved to Italian club Brescia in October 2008. After only four months there, he signed for Belgian club Tubize on a short-term contract, before another return to England with Doncaster Rovers for the first half of the 2009–10 season.

He also earned 46 caps for South Africa, and played at the 1998 and the 2002 World Cups.

Club career

Fortune left South Africa at the age of 14 and moved to England where he played for the Tottenham Hotspur junior team (while attending Forest School), but never made a senior appearance for the club. After having trouble obtaining a work permit, Fortune moved to Spain, where he played for Mallorca and then Atlético Madrid. Although he made few appearances in La Liga for either team, he became a regular for Atlético's B team.

Fortune's performances for Atlético B earned him the attention of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, who signed him for a fee of £1.5 million on 1 August 1999. He made his first appearance for the club against Newcastle United on 30 August. He was initially brought to United as cover for Ryan Giggs, and was thought of primarily as an attacking left-sided midfielder, but he proved himself a capable and dedicated player in a number of positions. It was his strength as a defender, rather than as an attacker, that Ferguson depended on most, and Fortune often filled in as a central midfielder or as a left-back.

Despite playing in three Premier League winning seasons (1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2002–03), Fortune never played the required 10 games stipulated to earn a winner's medal.[1] However he was awarded a Premier League winner's medal by special dispensation following United's title success in 2003 during which he had appeared 9 times in the league that season. It is commonly incorrectly reported that this medal had been left at the club by a former player.[2] After being used mostly in a squad rotation basis for his career at Manchester United, he was released by the club ahead of the 2006–07 campaign.[3]

After a successful trial, Fortune joined Bolton Wanderers for the 2006–07 season[4] and made the left-back position his own for the club's opening games. However, he was injured against Arsenal and appeared for Bolton later only in their cup game against Doncaster Rovers prior to being released and later joining Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland on trial.

In September 2008, he joined Sheffield United on trial. On 6 October 2008, Serie B club Brescia confirmed to have reached an agreement with Fortune;[5] the transfer was finalised on 23 October, with Fortune signing a one-year contract with the Rondinelle.[6]

On 2 February 2009, Tubize signed Fortune on a free transfer,[7] although he was released by Tubize at the end of the 2008–09 season.

On 4 August 2009, he signed a short term deal at Doncaster Rovers.[8] He scored his first Rovers goal against Ipswich Town on 19 September 2009.[9] He was sent off in a 2–2 draw against Scunthorpe United. Fortune was not offered an extension to his deal at the club and was released on 4 February 2010.[10]

Retirement

In 2012, Fortune returned to Manchester United to train with their reserve team while working on his coaching badges, which he completed in 2013.[11][12]

By 2014, Fortune was assistant coach to Cardiff City's Under-21 side.[13]

Fortune also worked for ITV4 during their coverage of the Africa Cup of Nations in February 2015.

Statistics

Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Other[nb 1] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mallorca 1995–96 81 ———81
Atlético Madrid 1995–96 30 ———30
1996–97 10 — 10
1997–98 00 — —00
1998–99 20 — 20
Total 60 — 60
Atlético Madrid B 1996–97 302————302
1997–98 311————311
Total 613————613
Manchester United[14] 1999–2000 6200004022124
2000–01 7200201010112
2001–02 14100005000191
2002–03 9000106000160
2003–04 23130107210353
2004–05 17061405010331
2005–06 000000000000
Total 76691802825212611
Bolton Wanderers 2006–07 601000000070
Brescia 2008–09 10 ———10
Tubize 2008–09 90 ———90
Doncaster Rovers 2009–10 610010——71
Total 17311 22516

Honours

Anti-violence work

Fortune has worked as a model for an anti-domestic violence group called Tender as part of their "Don't Kick Off campaign". This campaign ran through the 2010 FIFA World Cup to stop men from using football as an excuse for violence against women.[15]

Notes

  1. ↑ Includes other competitive competitions, including the FA Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup, FIFA Club World Cup

References

  1. ↑ "Quinton Fortune | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2006/2007 | 1995-2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  2. ↑ United Review The Official Matchday Programme Volume 65 Issue 7
  3. ↑ "Fortune set for Man Utd departure". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 31 March 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "Fortune finalises Bolton switch". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 26 July 2006. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Fortune poised to join Brescia". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 7 October 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Quinton Fortune è un giocatore del Brescia" (in Italian). Brescia Calcio. 23 October 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
  7. ↑ "Le Sud-africain Quinton Fortune à Tubize" (in French). 7SUR7.be. 3 October 2009.
  8. ↑ "Doncaster capture veteran Fortune". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 4 August 2009.
  9. ↑ "Doncaster 3–3 Ipswich". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 19 September 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
  10. ↑ "Quinton Fortune & Jack Wilson leave Doncaster Rovers". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 4 February 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  11. ↑ "Sporting Spotlight: Quinton Fortune". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 7 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  12. ↑ "Fortune's coaching plans". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. 7 July 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  13. ↑ "South Africa spent £2.4bn to host the 2010 World Cup. What happened next?". Guardian News and Media. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  14. ↑ "Quinton Fortune". StretfordEnd.co.uk. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  15. ↑ "Home". Tender.

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