Robert Ullathorne
Encyclopedia
Robert Ullathorne is former a professional footballer, most recently playing for Conference North
side Tamworth
, where he played as a defender
.
He played most of his professional games for Norwich City
.
or midfielder Robert Ullathorne was a successful product of Norwich City
youth team. He chose to join Norwich City despite having schoolboy trials with the likes of Everton
, Cambridge United
, West Ham United
and Luton Town
.
Ullathorne made his first start for Norwich on 22 April 1991 in an away fixture against Nottingham Forest
, he went on to make a total of 115 appearances, scoring seven goals in the process.
He was primarily a squad player making the most of his appearances ironically in his last season with the club, but was out of contract at the end of 1995/96 season.
but took opportunity of a move to Spanish
Segunda División
side CA Osasuna
on a free transfer, where he was joined by fellow Englishman Jamie Pollock
who arrived from Middlesbrough
.
Ullathorne spent just over nine months with the club before leaving to return to England.
in a deal worth £600,000. Ullathorne was only eleven minutes of his debut against Wimbledon
in a Coca Cola Cup semi-final, when he suffered a suspected broken ankle and was substituted.
Ullathorne recovered, but it was reported that he was unhappy at Leicester and sought a transfer despite regular spots in the Leicester City first team. Robert had an impressive game for Leicester in the 1999 League Cup
final where he kept David Ginola
quiet throughout the game. However Tottenham Hotspur
won the game with a last minute goal depriving Robert of silverware.
Ullathorne's career with Leicester was thrown into disaray when he broke his leg at Chelsea
on 18 March 1999 which raised real questions about his future as a footballer and fears that he might be thrown onto the soccer scrapheap. He scored two goals during his spell at Leicester, scoring once against Blackburn Rovers in the league and once against Birmingham City in the FA Cup.
manager Gary Mills at Conference North
side Tamworth
, agreeing a non contract deal.
In a busy day in the transfer market for the club, Ullathorne was also joined at the club by former Notts County team mate Jake Sheridan, as well as another former Notts County team mate Matthew Williams
who committed himself to the club for a further season, following initial doubts over his future with the club.
It was announced on 21 August 2007 that Robert Ullathorne registration with Tamworth had been cancelled following a meeting with manager Gary Mills. It was also confirmed that Ullathorne had decided retired from football, and concentrate on a new career away from full time training, and football.
Runner-Up
Conference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
side Tamworth
Tamworth F.C.
Tamworth Football Club are an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Tamworth, Staffordshire. Nicknamed 'The Lambs', they are currently members of the Conference National, the fifth highest tier in the English league system....
, where he played as a defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
.
He played most of his professional games for Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
.
Norwich City
Predominantly a left-sided defenderDefender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
or midfielder Robert Ullathorne was a successful product of Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
youth team. He chose to join Norwich City despite having schoolboy trials with the likes of Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
, West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
and Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
.
Ullathorne made his first start for Norwich on 22 April 1991 in an away fixture 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...
, he went on to make a total of 115 appearances, scoring seven goals in the process.
He was primarily a squad player making the most of his appearances ironically in his last season with the club, but was out of contract at the end of 1995/96 season.
CA Osasuna
After spending six seasons with Norwich, Robert was subject of interest from Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
but took opportunity of a move to Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
side CA Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
on a free transfer, where he was joined by fellow Englishman Jamie Pollock
Jamie Pollock
Jamie Pollock is a retired professional football player.-Playing career:His career began at Middlesbrough where he played as a defensive midfielder. He left Middlesbrough in 1996 joining Spanish side CA Osasuna. After failing to make an impression in Spain he returned to England, signing for...
who arrived from Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
.
Ullathorne spent just over nine months with the club before leaving to return to England.
Leicester City
On 17 February 1997 Robert returned to the Premier League to play for Leicester CityLeicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in a deal worth £600,000. Ullathorne was only eleven minutes of his debut against Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
in a Coca Cola Cup semi-final, when he suffered a suspected broken ankle and was substituted.
Ullathorne recovered, but it was reported that he was unhappy at Leicester and sought a transfer despite regular spots in the Leicester City first team. Robert had an impressive game for Leicester in the 1999 League 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...
final where he kept David Ginola
David Ginola
David Karl Ginola is a French former international football player who has also worked as an actor and model.Ginola was born in Gassin, Var...
quiet throughout the game. However Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
won the game with a last minute goal depriving Robert of silverware.
Ullathorne's career with Leicester was thrown into disaray when he broke his leg at Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on 18 March 1999 which raised real questions about his future as a footballer and fears that he might be thrown onto the soccer scrapheap. He scored two goals during his spell at Leicester, scoring once against Blackburn Rovers in the league and once against Birmingham City in the FA Cup.
Sheffield United, Northampton & Notts County
Ullathorne left Leicester at the end of the 1999/00 season, joining Newcastle United briefly on trial before signing for Sheffield United as a free agent in December 2000. He played 14 games for United up until the end of the season before being released, but re-signed for the Yorkshire club again in November 2001. In his second spell he played 26 league games but was released at the end of the 2002/03 season, signing for Northampton Town. At Northampton, Ullathorne made 13 league appearances, scoring once against Mansfield Town on the last day of the season, his goal clinching the Cobblers' place in the Division Three play offs. Ironically, their opponents in the play off semi final would be Mansfield. However, Ullathorne was unable to prevent his team from losing on penalties. He then signed for Notts County, where he spent two seasons, scoring once in the League Cup against Bradford City.Tamworth
On 2 July 2007 Ullathorne was re-united with his former Notts CountyNotts 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...
manager Gary Mills at Conference North
Conference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
side Tamworth
Tamworth F.C.
Tamworth Football Club are an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Tamworth, Staffordshire. Nicknamed 'The Lambs', they are currently members of the Conference National, the fifth highest tier in the English league system....
, agreeing a non contract deal.
In a busy day in the transfer market for the club, Ullathorne was also joined at the club by former Notts County team mate Jake Sheridan, as well as another former Notts County team mate Matthew Williams
Matthew Williams (footballer)
Matthew Williams is a Welsh footballer, currently playing as a striker for Welsh Premier League side The New Saints.-Manchester United:...
who committed himself to the club for a further season, following initial doubts over his future with the club.
It was announced on 21 August 2007 that Robert Ullathorne registration with Tamworth had been cancelled following a meeting with manager Gary Mills. It was also confirmed that Ullathorne had decided retired from football, and concentrate on a new career away from full time training, and football.
Leicester City
Runner-Up
- 1998/99 Football League Cup
Trivia
- On 14 April 1996, Ullathorne scored an unlucky own goal against local rivals Ipswich Town when he played the ball back to his goalkeeper Bryan GunnBryan GunnBryan James Gunn is a Scottish former professional goalkeeper and football manager. After learning his trade with Aberdeen in the early 1980s, he spent most of his playing career at Norwich City, the club with which he came to be most closely associated...
with the ball bobbling over his foot and into the empty net. The goal would win the game 2-1 for Ipswich Town.
- Robert and his former Tamworth team mate Gerry TaggartGerry TaggartGerald "Gerry" Taggart is a former professional footballer. On 10 June 2010, he was announced as the new assistant manager at Oldham Athletic.-Manchester City:...
both participated in the Football League Cup Final 1999 for Leicester City in which they lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur.
- On 16 March 2002, an injury sustained by Ullathorne caused the abandonment of a game between Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
and West BromWest Bromwich Albion F.C.West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
. The Battle of Bramall LaneBattle of Bramall LaneThe Battle of Bramall Lane is the informal name given to an English First Division football match between Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion at United's Bramall Lane ground on 16 March 2002...
is the informal name given to the match. When Ullathorne went off injured, in the 82nd minute, reducing UnitedSheffield United F.C.Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
to six men, the referee, Eddie WolstenholmeEddie WolstenholmeEdward K. Wolstenholme is an English former football referee who officiated in the Football League and the Premier League. He now lives in Blackburn, Lancashire, and may be remembered as the referee in charge of a football match in 2002 described as the "Battle of Bramall Lane"...
abandoned the game with West Brom leading 3–0.