Ivan Sproule
Encyclopedia
Ivan Sproule is a Northern Irish
professional association football player. Sproule, a winger who is known for his explosive pace, only turned professional
after he signed for Scottish Premier League
side Hibernian
in January 2005, just a month before his 24th birthday. His early career had been spent at Omagh Town
and Institute
, semi-professional clubs in the Irish Football League. He combined playing football with his full time career as an engineer
. Sproule moved to Football League Championship
club Bristol City
in 2007. After four years with the club, including loan spells at Yeovil Town
and Notts County
in his final season, Sproule agreed to return to Hibernian in May 2011.
club Hibernian
invited him for a trial in January 2005, in which he impressed manager Tony Mowbray
and signed as a full-time professional until the end of the season, which meant that he had to give up his day job as a fabrication engineer. Hibs paid Institute a transfer fee of £5,000.
The gamble of signing a player from outside professional football paid off for both Sproule and Hibs. Although he had a slow start with Hibs and it was rumoured that he would return to Northern Ireland
, he scored one of the goals in a 3–1 win over Celtic
at Celtic Park
. Sproule was offered an extended contract which he accepted.
Sproule hit the headlines in August 2005 by scoring a hat-trick in a 3–0 defeat of defending champions
Rangers
at Ibrox Stadium
- to date the only hat-trick scored against either half of the Old Firm
in the Scottish Premier League
. His performances caused Sproule to be linked with a £1M move to Ukrainian
club FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
, who had played against Hibs in the UEFA Cup
.
Sproule caused further damage to Rangers by helping Hibs eliminate them from the 2006 Scottish Cup
. Sproule scored one goal and assisted with another, as Hibs again won 3–0 at Ibrox. He was part of the team that won the 2007 Scottish League Cup Final
. In total, Sproule made 94 appearances for Hibs, scoring 18 goals.
on a three-year contract on 27 June 2007 for an undisclosed fee, believed to be about £500,000. He made his debut for the West Country
club on 29 August 2007 against Manchester City
in the Carling Cup
. He was made to sit out the first four games of the season due to a suspension which he received while playing for Hibernian. He scored his first goal for Bristol City on 24 October 2007 in their 2–1 victory over Southampton
. Sproule was part of the Bristol City squad who were beaten in the Championship
2008 play-off final against Hull City
.
Sproule fell out of favour at Bristol City in 2010, making his last start for the first team in August. He was loaned to Yeovil Town
in November. He was then loaned to Notts County
in March 2011.
about a proposed return to Hibernian
. Sproule signed a pre-contract agreement with the club a month later.
squad for the first time in September 2005, immediately after his hat-trick for Hibs
against Rangers
. He came on as a substitute in the famous 1–0 win over England
at Windsor Park
to win his first cap. Sproule scored on his first start for Northern Ireland against Estonia
on 1 March 2006. His goal was the only goal of the game and was scored with his first touch, with only 2 minutes of the game played. During this match, the Northern Ireland fans sang "And I can't – help – falling in love – with – Sproule", after his maiden international goal, to the tune of Elvis Presley
's Can't Help Falling In Love With You.
He was left out of the initial Northern Ireland squad for the matches in October 2006 with Denmark and Latvia
, but was later added for the Latvia match due to call-offs by other players.
in November 2009, causing him to miss Bristol City
's match against Nottingham Forest
. City manager
Gary Johnson
dedicated their equalising goal in the match to Sproule, who had sent a message of support to his teammates. Johnson commented:
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
professional association football player. Sproule, a winger who is known for his explosive pace, only turned professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
after he signed for Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
side Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
in January 2005, just a month before his 24th birthday. His early career had been spent at Omagh Town
Omagh Town F.C.
Omagh Town Football and Athletic Club was a Northern Irish association football club that was based in Omagh, County Tyrone. Founded in 1962, the club played in the Irish Football League from 1990 up until its closure in 2005. They won the North West Senior Cup on six occasions and competed in the...
and Institute
Institute F.C.
Institute F.C. is a Northern Irish intermediate football club who play in IFA Championship 1.The club, founded in 1905, are based in the Drumahoe area of Derry and play their home matches at the Riverside Stadium in the YMCA Grounds...
, semi-professional clubs in the Irish Football League. He combined playing football with his full time career as an engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
. Sproule moved to Football League 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...
club Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
in 2007. After four years with the club, including loan spells at Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
and Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
in his final season, Sproule agreed to return to Hibernian in May 2011.
Hibernian
Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
invited him for a trial in January 2005, in which he impressed manager Tony Mowbray
Tony Mowbray
Anthony Mark "Tony" Mowbray is an English former professional football player, who is currently the manager of Middlesbrough...
and signed as a full-time professional until the end of the season, which meant that he had to give up his day job as a fabrication engineer. Hibs paid Institute a transfer fee of £5,000.
The gamble of signing a player from outside professional football paid off for both Sproule and Hibs. Although he had a slow start with Hibs and it was rumoured that he would return to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, he scored one of the goals in a 3–1 win over Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
. Sproule was offered an extended contract which he accepted.
Sproule hit the headlines in August 2005 by scoring a hat-trick in a 3–0 defeat of defending champions
Scottish football champions
The Scottish football champions are the winners of the highest league in Scottish football, namely the Scottish Football League from 1890 until 1998 and the Scottish Premier League thereafter....
Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
at Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
- to date the only hat-trick scored against either half of the Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
in the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
. His performances caused Sproule to be linked with a £1M move to Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
club FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
Football Club Dnipro is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Dnipropetrovsk.-BRIT:The club's franchise traces its history all the way back when the first team that was formed in 1918 by the Petrovsky factory and was called as BRIT . The team participated in the regional competition...
, who had played against Hibs in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
.
Sproule caused further damage to Rangers by helping Hibs eliminate them from the 2006 Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup 2005-06
The 2005–06 Scottish Cup was the 121st season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition, also known for sponsorship reasons as the Tennent's Scottish Cup. The Cup was won by SPL club Heart of Midlothian who defeated Second Division side Gretna on penalties afater a...
. Sproule scored one goal and assisted with another, as Hibs again won 3–0 at Ibrox. He was part of the team that won the 2007 Scottish League Cup Final
2007 Scottish League Cup Final
The 2007 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 18 March 2007 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the 60th Scottish League Cup Final. The final was contested by Kilmarnock and Hibernian, who had never met before in a Cup Final...
. In total, Sproule made 94 appearances for Hibs, scoring 18 goals.
Bristol City
Sproule joined Bristol CityBristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
on a three-year contract on 27 June 2007 for an undisclosed fee, believed to be about £500,000. He made his debut for the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
club on 29 August 2007 against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
in the Carling 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...
. He was made to sit out the first four games of the season due to a suspension which he received while playing for Hibernian. He scored his first goal for Bristol City on 24 October 2007 in their 2–1 victory over Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. Sproule was part of the Bristol City squad who were beaten 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...
2008 play-off final against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
.
Sproule fell out of favour at Bristol City in 2010, making his last start for the first team in August. He was loaned to Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
in November. He was then loaned to Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
in March 2011.
Hibernian (second spell)
In April 2011, Sproule held discussions with Colin CalderwoodColin 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....
about a proposed return to Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
. Sproule signed a pre-contract agreement with the club a month later.
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | ||
| Hibernian Hibernian F.C. Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts... |
2004–05 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| 2005-06 | 32 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 7 | |
| 2006–07 | 32 | 7 | 6 | 1 | |4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 8 | |
| Bristol City Bristol City F.C. Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City... |
2007–08 | 42 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 2 |
| 2008-09 | 38 | 3 | 2 | 0 | |1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 3 | |
| 2009-10 2009–10 Football League Championship The Football League Championship season 2009–10 is the sixth season of the league under its current title and eighteenth season under its current league division format... |
30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 | |
| 2010-11 2010–11 Football League Championship The 2010–11 Football League Championship was the seventh season of the league under its current name and nineteenth season under its current league division format... |
11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... (loan) |
2010-11 2010–11 Football League One The 2010–11 Football League One is the seventh season of the league under its current title and nineteenth season under its current league division format... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Yeovil Town Yeovil Town F.C. Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05... (loan) |
2010-11 2010–11 Football League One The 2010–11 Football League One is the seventh season of the league under its current title and nineteenth season under its current league division format... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Hibernian Hibernian F.C. Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts... |
2011–12 2011–12 Scottish Premier League The 2011–12 Scottish Premier League is the fourteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football, since its inception in 1998. The season started on 23 July 2011.... |
11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 |
| Career total | 210 | 20 | 15 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 240 | 26 | |
International
| International appearances and goals | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Goal | Competition |
| 1. | 7 September 2005 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
1-0 | 0 | FIFA World Cup 2006 qualifying | |
| 2. | 15 November 2005 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
1-1 | 0 | Friendly | |
| 3. | 1 March 2006 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
1-0 | 1 | Friendly | |
| 4. | 21 May 2006 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... , New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... |
0-1 | 0 | Friendly | |
| 5. | 26 May 2006 | Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... , Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... |
0-2 | 0 | Friendly | |
| 6. | 16 August 2006 | Olympiastadion, Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... |
2-1 | 0 | Friendly | |
| 7. | 6 February 2007 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
0-0 | 0 | Friendly | |
| 8. | 28 March 2007 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
2-1 | 0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 9. | 17 October 2007 | Råsunda Stadium Råsunda Stadium Råsunda Fotbollstadion, also Råsundastadion, Råsunda Stadium or just Råsunda, is a Swedish national football stadium. It is located in Solna Municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm and named after Råsunda, a zone of Solna.-History:... , Solna Solna Municipality Solna Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, located just north of the capital Stockholm. Its seat is located in the 'city' of Solna.... |
1-1 | 0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 10. | 17 November 2007 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
2-1 | 0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 11. | 21 November 2007 | Estadio Gran Canaria Estadio Gran Canaria Estadio Gran Canaria is a multi-purpose stadium in Las Palmas, Spain. It is currently used mostly for football matches by the UD Las Palmas team. The club had previously played at the Estadio Insular. The stadium holds 31,250 people... , Las Palmas Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Las Palmas de Gran Canaria commonly known as Las Palmas is the political capital, jointly with Santa Cruz, the most populous city in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands and the ninth largest city in Spain, with a population of 383,308 in 2010. Nearly half of the people of the island... |
0-1 | 0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
International career
Sproule was called into the Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
squad for the first time in September 2005, immediately after his hat-trick for Hibs
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
against Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. He came on as a substitute in the famous 1–0 win over 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 Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
to win his first cap. Sproule scored on his first start for Northern Ireland against Estonia
Estonia national football team
The Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
on 1 March 2006. His goal was the only goal of the game and was scored with his first touch, with only 2 minutes of the game played. During this match, the Northern Ireland fans sang "And I can't – help – falling in love – with – Sproule", after his maiden international goal, to the tune of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's Can't Help Falling In Love With You.
He was left out of the initial Northern Ireland squad for the matches in October 2006 with Denmark and Latvia
Latvia national football team
The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...
, but was later added for the Latvia match due to call-offs by other players.
Personal life
Sproule has a wife, Janet, and one son, Sam. A second child was stillbornStillbirth
A stillbirth occurs when a fetus has died in the uterus. The Australian definition specifies that fetal death is termed a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation or the fetus weighs more than . Once the fetus has died the mother still has contractions and remains undelivered. The term is often used in...
in November 2009, causing him to miss Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
's match against 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...
. City manager
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Gary Johnson
Gary Johnson (footballer)
Gary Johnson is an English football manager and former player. He was most recently the manager of Npower League Two's Northampton Town....
dedicated their equalising goal in the match to Sproule, who had sent a message of support to his teammates. Johnson commented:
External links
- Ivan Sproule profile at bcfc.co.uk