David Friio
Encyclopedia
David Friio is a French
former professional footballer who achieved notable success in England
with Plymouth Argyle
between 2000 and 2005. He was a midfielder
and now works as a scout
for Manchester United.
with local club Épinal
in 1994. He made 104 league appearances for the club, scoring 5 goals, before he joined established Ligue 2
club Nîmes
in 1997. In his two-years at the club he made 50 league appearances, scoring 2 goals, before being transferred to fellow Ligue 2 club Valence
ahead of the 1999-2000 season, where he would first meet Romain Larrieu
. He made 33 appearances in his one-year at the club, scoring 3 goals, as the club suffered relegation. Valence had to cut back and as a result released a number of players, Friio was included along with Larrieu.
with Larrieu early on in the 2000-2001 season, where Plymouth Argyle
manager Paul Sturrock
offered them a trial. It was here that Friio would be converted from a defender
into a box-to-box midfielder
. He signed a contract until the end of the season in November and made his debut for the Pilgrims in the 2-0 Devon derby victory over Exeter City
on 2 December. He figured consistently for the remainder of the season, scoring 5 goals, and signed a two-year contract extension in the summer of 2001. Friio went from strength to strength in the following season as he established himself as a key player, scoring 11 goals, as the club were crowned Third Division Champions. He was named in the division's Team of the Year by the PFA along with three of his team-mates, Larrieu, Paul Wotton
, and Graham Coughlan
.
Friio enjoyed another productive season in 2002-2003, making 41 appearances in all competitions, scoring 7 goals, as the club finished 8th in the Second Division
. He signed a two-year contract extension in April 2003. The following season was the best of his career as he sealed his place in the affections of the clubs supporters. He made 40 appearances in all competitions, scoring 15 goals, including a hattrick
in the 7-0 demolition of Chesterfield
, and consecutive doubles in a 5-1 win at Port Vale
and a 3-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday
. The club were crowned Second Division Champions and Friio was named in the divisional Team of the Year for the second time.
The 2004-2005 season was to be his last for Argyle. His mentor Paul Sturrock
had moved on, at the back end of the previous season, and Bobby Williamson
had taken over. So Friio began their first season back in the Championship
- previously known as the First Division
- since 1992 in an unusual role, as a substitute. He forced his way back into the starting-eleven in September 2004, scoring 2 goals that month and followed that up in October with a remarkable double against Gillingham
. In a game which looked like ending in frustration for the Pilgrims, Friio had other ideas, trailing 1-0 heading into injury-time he scored with two trademark, pin-point headers inside the last 96 seconds of the game.
January came and with Friio's contract expiring rumours were rife about his future with several clubs apparently interested. His last goal for the club came in a 1-1 draw with Wolves
on 1 January 2005 and his last appearance in a green shirt was at Reading
on 5 February 2005, somewhat fittingly, with an estimated 4,000 of the clubs supporters there to see it. Contract negotiations had broken down, with Williamson unwilling to break the club's wage structure in order to keep the Frenchman. So instead of losing him for nothing in the summer the club accepted an offer of £100,000 from fellow Championship side Nottingham Forest
.
In all competitions, he made 185 appearances for the Pilgrims, scoring 44 goals.
on 14 February 2005 and made his debut against Preston
on 23 February. A calf injury hampered him for the remainder of the season, he made 5 appearances in three months as Forest were relegated to League One
. The 2005-2006 season started well for him, he featured regularly for the club from August to late October, scoring once against Walsall
, before injuries struck again. His last game for the club was in a 1-1 draw at Rotherham United
on 21 January 2006. He reported for pre-season training ahead of the 2006-2007 season, but had his contract terminated in August 2006 after deciding that he wanted to retire from playing.
following his retirement to set up a business within football. However, he did link up again with Nottingham Forest three months later in October 2006 after then manager Colin Calderwood
asked him if he would like to be a scout for the club in his native France. He blamed a lack of desire to continue playing as the reason he hung up his boots. He was instrumental in the signing of Guy Moussi
, having recommended him to the club after watching Moussi play for Angers in his homeland. Friio is now working as a scout for Manchester United
.
Football League Trophy
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
former professional footballer who achieved notable success in England
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...
with Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
between 2000 and 2005. He was a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
and now works as a scout
Scout (association football)
A football scout attends football matches on the behalf of clubs to collect intelligence. Primarily, there are two types of scouts: player scouts and tactical scouts....
for Manchester United.
French football
Friio began his career as a defenderDefender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
with local club Épinal
SAS Épinal
Stade Athletique Spinalien Épinal is a French football club based in the commune of Épinal.They currently play in the Championnat de France Amateurs Group A. Their kit colours are yellow and blue...
in 1994. He made 104 league appearances for the club, scoring 5 goals, before he joined established Ligue 2
Ligue 2
Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...
club Nîmes
Nîmes Olympique
Nîmes Olympique is a French association football club based in Nîmes. The club was formed on 10 April 1937 and currently play in Championnat National, the third level of French football. The club's only achievement was winning Ligue 2 in 1950 and the Championnat National in 1997...
in 1997. In his two-years at the club he made 50 league appearances, scoring 2 goals, before being transferred to fellow Ligue 2 club Valence
ASOA Valence
Association Sportive d'Origine Arménienne de Valence was a French football team playing in the city of Valence, Drôme.-History:The team ended in 2005 due to financial problems...
ahead of the 1999-2000 season, where he would first meet Romain Larrieu
Romain Larrieu
Romain Larrieu is a French footballer who is currently a goalkeeper/first team coach for Plymouth Argyle. Having joined them in 2000 from Valence, he is their longest serving current player and club captain.-Playing career:...
. He made 33 appearances in his one-year at the club, scoring 3 goals, as the club suffered relegation. Valence had to cut back and as a result released a number of players, Friio was included along with Larrieu.
Plymouth Argyle
He moved to EnglandEngland
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...
with Larrieu early on in the 2000-2001 season, where Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
manager Paul Sturrock
Paul Sturrock
Paul Whitehead Sturrock is a Scottish football manager who, since July 2010, is the manager of Southend United. Until this appointment, Sturrock had most recently been at English League 1 club Plymouth Argyle in a business support role, having been relieved of his managerial duties, until he quit...
offered them a trial. It was here that Friio would be converted from a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
into a box-to-box midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He signed a contract until the end of the season in November and made his debut for the Pilgrims in the 2-0 Devon derby victory over Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
on 2 December. He figured consistently for the remainder of the season, scoring 5 goals, and signed a two-year contract extension in the summer of 2001. Friio went from strength to strength in the following season as he established himself as a key player, scoring 11 goals, as the club were crowned Third Division Champions. He was named in the division's Team of the Year by the PFA along with three of his team-mates, Larrieu, Paul Wotton
Paul Wotton
Paul Anthony Wotton is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Yeovil Town. He began his career as a defender with Plymouth Argyle, where he captained them to two Football League championships before being released in the summer of 2008. Praised for his determination and leadership, he...
, and Graham Coughlan
Graham Coughlan
Graham Coughlan is an Irish footballer who plays as a centre back for Southend United.He began his career in his native Ireland with Bray Wanderers before being signed by Blackburn Rovers. He joined Livingston in 1999 and his performances for the Scottish club led to a transfer to Plymouth Argyle...
.
Friio enjoyed another productive season in 2002-2003, making 41 appearances in all competitions, scoring 7 goals, as the club finished 8th in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. He signed a two-year contract extension in April 2003. The following season was the best of his career as he sealed his place in the affections of the clubs supporters. He made 40 appearances in all competitions, scoring 15 goals, including a hattrick
Hattrick
Hattrick is an online, browser-based, football management game developed in Sweden. Currently the game contains 128 different countries, each with its own league pyramid, and 51 different language versions...
in the 7-0 demolition of Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
, and consecutive doubles in a 5-1 win at 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...
and a 3-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
. The club were crowned Second Division Champions and Friio was named in the divisional Team of the Year for the second time.
The 2004-2005 season was to be his last for Argyle. His mentor Paul Sturrock
Paul Sturrock
Paul Whitehead Sturrock is a Scottish football manager who, since July 2010, is the manager of Southend United. Until this appointment, Sturrock had most recently been at English League 1 club Plymouth Argyle in a business support role, having been relieved of his managerial duties, until he quit...
had moved on, at the back end of the previous season, and Bobby Williamson
Bobby Williamson
Robert "Bobby" Williamson is a former association footballer who is currently manager of the Uganda national football team. He previously managed Kilmarnock and Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League and Plymouth Argyle in the Football League Championship.-Playing career:As a player, Williamson...
had taken over. So Friio began their first season back in the Championship
Football 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...
- previously known as the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
- since 1992 in an unusual role, as a substitute. He forced his way back into the starting-eleven in September 2004, scoring 2 goals that month and followed that up in October with a remarkable double against 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 a game which looked like ending in frustration for the Pilgrims, Friio had other ideas, trailing 1-0 heading into injury-time he scored with two trademark, pin-point headers inside the last 96 seconds of the game.
January came and with Friio's contract expiring rumours were rife about his future with several clubs apparently interested. His last goal for the club came in a 1-1 draw with Wolves
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
on 1 January 2005 and his last appearance in a green shirt was at Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
on 5 February 2005, somewhat fittingly, with an estimated 4,000 of the clubs supporters there to see it. Contract negotiations had broken down, with Williamson unwilling to break the club's wage structure in order to keep the Frenchman. So instead of losing him for nothing in the summer the club accepted an offer of £100,000 from fellow Championship side 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...
.
In all competitions, he made 185 appearances for the Pilgrims, scoring 44 goals.
Nottingham Forest
Friio signed for 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 14 February 2005 and made his debut against Preston
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...
on 23 February. A calf injury hampered him for the remainder of the season, he made 5 appearances in three months as Forest were relegated 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....
. The 2005-2006 season started well for him, he featured regularly for the club from August to late October, scoring once against Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
, before injuries struck again. His last game for the club was in a 1-1 draw 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...
on 21 January 2006. He reported for pre-season training ahead of the 2006-2007 season, but had his contract terminated in August 2006 after deciding that he wanted to retire from playing.
Scouting
Friio returned to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
following his retirement to set up a business within football. However, he did link up again with Nottingham Forest three months later in October 2006 after then 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....
asked him if he would like to be a scout for the club in his native France. He blamed a lack of desire to continue playing as the reason he hung up his boots. He was instrumental in the signing of Guy Moussi
Guy Moussi
Guy Moussi is a French professional footballer currently playing as a Midfielder for Nottingham Forest-Angers SCO:...
, having recommended him to the club after watching Moussi play for Angers in his homeland. Friio is now working as a scout for Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
.
Club
Plymouth ArgylePlymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
- Third Division ChampionsFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
(1): 2001–022001-02 in English footballThe 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the... - Second Division ChampionsFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
(1): 2003–042003-04 in English footballThe 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....
Individual
- PFA Third Division Team of the YearPFA Team of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
(1): 2001–022001-02 in English footballThe 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the... - PFA Second Division Team of the YearPFA Team of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
(1): 2003–042003-04 in English footballThe 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| SAS Épinal SAS Épinal Stade Athletique Spinalien Épinal is a French football club based in the commune of Épinal.They currently play in the Championnat de France Amateurs Group A. Their kit colours are yellow and blue... |
|||||||||||
| 1994–95 1994-95 in English football -Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1995–96 1995-96 in English football - Premiership :Newcastle United were 12 points clear at the top of Manchester United, but Alex Ferguson's relatively young and inexperienced side overhauled them during the second half of the season to win the title.... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1996–97 1996-97 in English football The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 104 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 104 | 5 | |
| Nîmes Olympique Nîmes Olympique Nîmes Olympique is a French association football club based in Nîmes. The club was formed on 10 April 1937 and currently play in Championnat National, the third level of French football. The club's only achievement was winning Ligue 2 in 1950 and the Championnat National in 1997... |
|||||||||||
| 1997–98 1997-98 in English football The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title... |
25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| 1998–99 1998-99 in English football -Premier League:Manchester United overcame close competition from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea to win their fifth Premiership title in seven seasons thanks to the comeback of Roy Keane after his long-term injury and a transfer raid totalling nearly £30 million which netted Aston Villa striker... |
23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| Total | 48 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 2 | |
| ASOA Valence ASOA Valence Association Sportive d'Origine Arménienne de Valence was a French football team playing in the city of Valence, Drôme.-History:The team ended in 2005 due to financial problems... |
|||||||||||
| 1999–00 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 3 | |
| Total | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 3 | |
| Plymouth Argyle | |||||||||||
| 2000–01 2000-01 in English football The 2000–01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons... |
26 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 5 | |
| 2001–02 2001-02 in English football The 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the... |
41 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 47 | 11 | |
| 2002–03 2002-03 in English football The 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable... |
36 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 7 | |
| 2003–04 2003-04 in English football The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game.... |
36 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 15 | |
| 2004–05 2004-05 in English football The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League... |
28 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 6 | |
| Total | 167 | 39 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 185 | 44 | |
| Nottingham Forest | |||||||||||
| 2004–05 2004-05 in English football The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 2005-06 in English football The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether... |
17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
| Total | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| Career Total | 376 | 50 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 394 | 55 | |
Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...