Tony Thorpe
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Tony" Thorpe is an English
footballer
who plays as a striker
for Thurmaston Town
. As a professional he notably played for Luton Town
, Bristol City
and Queens Park Rangers
. He also played in the Football League for Reading
, Rotherham United
, Swindon Town
, Colchester United
and Grimsby Town
. In the Non-League game he has previously appeared for Stevenage Borough
, Tamworth
, Barton Rovers
, Woking
, Brackley Town
, Stamford and Halesowen Town
, where he also had a brief speall as player/manager.
, but he was transferred to Luton Town
in August 1992. During his time at Luton he switched from attacking-midfielder to striker, with outstanding success. He scored 28 league goals in the 1996-97
season, and soon a move to Fulham
was completed. His time at Craven Cottage
was short and he joined Bristol City
in the summer of 1998. He took time to adapt as Ashton Gate
, and he was then sent out on loan to Reading
and back to Luton twice. He eventually found form at Bristol, before he re-joined Luton on a Bosman
free transfer in 2002.
After 13 goals in his first season back, Thorpe left the financially crippled club for Queens Park Rangers
for a cut-price £50,000 fee, after Thorpe threatened to invoke a rule where he could move to QPR for free. Many Luton fans were outraged at Thorpe and have never forgiven the talented forward. He scored 10 goals in his first season at QPR, helping them win promotion to the newly-formed Coca-Cola Championship, but the next season was loaned to relegation strugglers Rotherham United
. He was then released by QPR, and joined Swindon Town
, along with another ex-QPR striker, Jamie Cureton
.
His time at Swindon was unsuccessful, and he was allowed to join fellow League One
side Colchester United
. After their promotion to the Championship
, Thorpe was released and he move to Stevenage Borough
in July 2006. However, he struggled to settle there, and he was sent to Grimsby Town
on loan in September 2006, and he signed for the Mariners in January 2007.
Thorpe was released from Grimsby Town
at the end of the 2006-07
season and went on to join Conference North
team Tamworth
, while signing on for Sunday league side Hockley Rangers in Leicester's Alliance League.
On 1 November 2007 Thorpe left Tamworth by mutual consent, after an eye condition prevented him from playing. The eye was injured when he scratched the eye on a tile while working, and his vision deteriorated with little sign of improvement. However, he went on to sign for Barton Rovers
later in the month.
He signed for Woking
on 1 September 2008 but was released after just one game following the dismissal of the clubs manager. On 4 September 2008 he signed for Brackley Town
.
It was announced in late November, 2008, that due to new job commitments, Brackley Town and Tony Thorpe came to a mutual agreement for him to move on, as he was unable to find the time commitment needed. He signed for Stamford A.F.C. in December 2008. He remained with Stamford until May 2009, where he then became a free agent until signing for Halesowen Town
in December 2009. He was appointed player/manager of Halesowen in November 2010, but resigned in January 2011. He then resumed his playing career at Hinckley in the East Midlands Counties League.
Tony Now plays for Leicester Senior League Thurmaston Town,
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...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who plays as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
for Thurmaston Town
Thurmaston Town F.C.
Thurmaston Town F.C. is a football club based in Thurmaston, near Leicester, Leicestershire, England. In 1980, they changed their name from Thurmaston Progressive Working Mens Club F.C. to their present name...
. As a professional he notably played for 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...
, 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...
and Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
. He also played in the Football League for 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...
, 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...
, Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
and Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
. In the Non-League game he has previously appeared for Stevenage Borough
Stevenage Borough F.C.
Stevenage Football Club is an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club currently participate in League One, the third tier of English football, having won promotion from League Two in the 2010–11 season...
, 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....
, Barton Rovers
Barton Rovers F.C.
Barton Rovers F.C. are a semi-professional association football club located in the village of Barton-le-Clay, near Luton in Bedfordshire, England. They currently play in the Southern Football League Division One Central and play their home games at Sharpenhoe Road.The club is affiliated to the...
, Woking
Woking F.C.
Woking Football Club is a football club from in Woking, Surrey, England, formed in 1889. They are playing in the Conference South in the 2011–12 season. For the 2011/2012 season, Woking are sharing their ground with Conference National club Hayes & Yeading United.-Promotion to the...
, Brackley Town
Brackley Town F.C.
Brackley Town Football Club are a football club based in Brackley, England, who play their home games at St. James Park. They were established in 1890. They have won the Hellenic League twice in their history...
, Stamford and Halesowen Town
Halesowen Town F.C.
Halesowen Town is an English association football club formed in 1873, since 2011 playing in the Southern League Division One South & West]]. The team is nicknamed "The Yeltz".-History:...
, where he also had a brief speall as player/manager.
Career
Thorpe began his career at 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...
, but he was transferred to 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...
in August 1992. During his time at Luton he switched from attacking-midfielder to striker, with outstanding success. He scored 28 league goals in the 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 :...
season, and soon a move to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
was completed. His time at Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage is the name of a football stadium in the Hammersmith and Fulham area that has been the home ground of the association football team Fulham F.C. since 1896....
was short and he joined 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 the summer of 1998. He took time to adapt as Ashton Gate
Ashton Gate
Ashton Gate Stadium is a stadium in Ashton Gate, Bristol, England, and is the home of Bristol City F.C. Located in the south-west of the city, just south of the River Avon, it has an all-seated capacity of 21,497, with an effective capacity for football matches of around 19,500, with an average...
, and he was then sent out on loan to 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...
and back to Luton twice. He eventually found form at Bristol, before he re-joined Luton on a Bosman
Bosman ruling
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
free transfer in 2002.
After 13 goals in his first season back, Thorpe left the financially crippled club for Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
for a cut-price £50,000 fee, after Thorpe threatened to invoke a rule where he could move to QPR for free. Many Luton fans were outraged at Thorpe and have never forgiven the talented forward. He scored 10 goals in his first season at QPR, helping them win promotion to the newly-formed Coca-Cola Championship, but the next season was loaned to relegation strugglers 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...
. He was then released by QPR, and joined Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, along with another ex-QPR striker, Jamie Cureton
Jamie Cureton
Jamie Cureton is an English professional footballer who currently plays for Leyton Orient.-Early years:Cureton began his professional career with Norwich City, before moving on to Bristol Rovers...
.
His time at Swindon was unsuccessful, and he was allowed to join fellow 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....
side Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
. After their promotion to 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...
, Thorpe was released and he move to Stevenage Borough
Stevenage Borough F.C.
Stevenage Football Club is an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club currently participate in League One, the third tier of English football, having won promotion from League Two in the 2010–11 season...
in July 2006. However, he struggled to settle there, and he was sent to Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
on loan in September 2006, and he signed for the Mariners in January 2007.
Thorpe was released from Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
at the end of the 2006-07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season and went on to join 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...
team 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....
, while signing on for Sunday league side Hockley Rangers in Leicester's Alliance League.
On 1 November 2007 Thorpe left Tamworth by mutual consent, after an eye condition prevented him from playing. The eye was injured when he scratched the eye on a tile while working, and his vision deteriorated with little sign of improvement. However, he went on to sign for Barton Rovers
Barton Rovers F.C.
Barton Rovers F.C. are a semi-professional association football club located in the village of Barton-le-Clay, near Luton in Bedfordshire, England. They currently play in the Southern Football League Division One Central and play their home games at Sharpenhoe Road.The club is affiliated to the...
later in the month.
He signed for Woking
Woking F.C.
Woking Football Club is a football club from in Woking, Surrey, England, formed in 1889. They are playing in the Conference South in the 2011–12 season. For the 2011/2012 season, Woking are sharing their ground with Conference National club Hayes & Yeading United.-Promotion to the...
on 1 September 2008 but was released after just one game following the dismissal of the clubs manager. On 4 September 2008 he signed for Brackley Town
Brackley Town F.C.
Brackley Town Football Club are a football club based in Brackley, England, who play their home games at St. James Park. They were established in 1890. They have won the Hellenic League twice in their history...
.
It was announced in late November, 2008, that due to new job commitments, Brackley Town and Tony Thorpe came to a mutual agreement for him to move on, as he was unable to find the time commitment needed. He signed for Stamford A.F.C. in December 2008. He remained with Stamford until May 2009, where he then became a free agent until signing for Halesowen Town
Halesowen Town F.C.
Halesowen Town is an English association football club formed in 1873, since 2011 playing in the Southern League Division One South & West]]. The team is nicknamed "The Yeltz".-History:...
in December 2009. He was appointed player/manager of Halesowen in November 2010, but resigned in January 2011. He then resumed his playing career at Hinckley in the East Midlands Counties League.
Tony Now plays for Leicester Senior League Thurmaston Town,
Colchester United
Runner-Up- 2005-062005-06 in English footballThe 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...
League OneFootball League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....