Clint Bolton
Encyclopedia
Clint Brian Bolton is an Australian football (soccer) player who plays as a goalkeeper for Melbourne Heart
in the Australian A-League
. He was one of the most experienced goalkeepers in the history of the National Soccer League
, which preceded the A-League
. He played over 300 games for Brisbane Strikers
, Sydney Olympic FC
and Parramatta Power
, and won two A-League championships with Sydney FC
over five seasons.
final in 1997 with the club. In 2000, Bolton signed for Sydney Olympic FC.
in the final. After three seasons at the club, Bolton signed for the Parramatta Power.
where he made 10 appearances and afterwards he signed for APIA Leichhardt
. He then went on to sign for Sydney FC for the inaugural A-League season.
Clint Bolton signed for Sydney FC from APIA Leichhardt for the inaugural A-League season. He made his Sydney FC league debut against the Melbourne Victory
on 28 August 2005. He helped his side to the inaugural Hyundai A-League Grand Final against the Central Coast Mariners
in which Sydney FC won by one goal to nil. He played every game throughout the season in the league (24 games) for Sydney FC making 5 clean sheets. He was voted as Sydney FC player of the year for the 2005-06 season ahead of the other nominees Dwight Yorke
, Alvin Ceccoli
and David Carney
. On receiving the honour Bolton stated
for Sydney, and is currently the club's highest capped player. Bolton was only the 2nd player to reach 100 competitive games for the Sky Blues when he played the first Pre-Season match against Queensland Roar. Clinton received a standing ovation and a guard of honor as he ran out. In a statement given after the 2-1 victory he said he was extremely happy to have reached the milestone and hopes he can continue his career with Sydney for another 3–5 years.
He will be remembered as long serving goalkeeper of Sydney FC. He will be remembered for the "Goalkeeper of the Year" in Season 2005-06 which Sydney won the Grand Final.
club Melbourne Heart
as the team's inaugural goalkeeper. He played in every minute of the Heart's thirty matches in its first season in the A-League, and earned seven clean sheets along the way. He was accoladed for his efforts at the end of the season by receiving the club's 'player of the year' award.
squad for the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship
in Qatar
. He also appeared for the Olyroos
in qualifiers for the 1996 Olympic Games
, but was not included in the squad for the final tournament. He made his senior international debut for Australia against Paraguay
in 2000, and was a squad member when Australia won the 2000 OFC Nations Cup
. He subsequently represented Australia against Tonga
and Fiji
in 2001, keeping clean sheets in all of his three international appearances.
On 16 August 2006, Bolton was recalled to the Socceroos side, after 20 appearances on the bench over the years, in a second-string Australian lineup for an Asian Cup qualifier
against Kuwait
. He kept a clean sheet and helped Australia to a 2-0 win.
|2000||1||0
|-
|2001||2||0
|-
|2002||0||0
|-
|2003||0||0
|-
|2004||0||0
|-
|2005||0||0
|-
|2006||1||0
|-
!Total||4||0
|}
Brisbane Strikers
Sydney Olympic
Sydney FC
Australia
Melbourne Heart FC
Melbourne Heart FC is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 2008, the club has competed in the A-League, the highest division of football in Australia, since its inaugural 2010–2011 season. It is the twelfth club to have played in the league...
in the Australian A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
. He was one of the most experienced goalkeepers in the history of the National Soccer League
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
, which preceded the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
. He played over 300 games for Brisbane Strikers
Brisbane Strikers
The Brisbane Strikers are an Australian football club from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia who play in the Queensland State League.-National Soccer League:...
, Sydney Olympic FC
Sydney Olympic FC
Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian football club that plays in the NSW Premier League. It competed in the National Soccer League from 1977 until the league's demise in 2004, having won the championship in 1989–90, 2001–02, the League Cup in 1980, the minor premiership in 2002–03 and the...
and Parramatta Power
Parramatta Power
Parramatta Power were a football team which was based in western Sydney. They played in the National Soccer League from season 1999/2000 until the league folded in 2004. The Power were runners up to Perth Glory in the 2003/04 season of the NSL after Perth made the Grand Final look easy in...
, and won two A-League championships with Sydney FC
Sydney FC
Sydney FC is a professional football club based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and competes in the country's premier football competition, the A-League...
over five seasons.
Brisbane Strikers
Clint Bolton began his career at the Brisbane Strikers in 1993 signing for the club after spending a year at the Australian Institute of Sport. He spent seven seasons at the club making 178 appearances for the Brisbane Strikers, keeping 51 clean sheets. He also won the National Soccer LeagueNational Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
final in 1997 with the club. In 2000, Bolton signed for Sydney Olympic FC.
Sydney Olympic FC
Sydney Olympic FC was Clint Bolton's second club and he spent three seasons at the club making 95 appearances for the club making 32 clean sheets. In the 2001/02 National Soccer League competition, Sydney Olympic FC won the NSL title. The club also made it to the NSL final in the 2002/03 season, but were defeated by Perth GloryPerth Glory FC
Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League...
in the final. After three seasons at the club, Bolton signed for the Parramatta Power.
Parramatta Power
Parramatta signed Bolton in 2003 after Bolton had spent the previous three seasons at Sydney Olympic FC. He played one season for the club making 27 appearances and keeping 11 clean sheets. In the final National Soccer League competition in 2003/04, Parramatta made it to the NSL Grand Final against the Perth Glory. The winner would be the final winner of the National Soccer League competition which had been running since 1977. Clint Bolton was making his 300th NSL appearance and it was to be his last. The Parramatta Power lost the game in extra-time 1-0 to Perth Glory in the final game of the season and the final game of the NSL competition. After the NSL competition had folded, Bolton was looking for another club to keep his match practice and fitness. He opted to sign for firstly Fraser Park FCFraser Park FC
Fraser Park FC, otherwise known as just Fraser Park, are an Australian association football team founded in the 1960s by Portuguese immigrants as 'Clube Portugues de Sydney'. It was originally founded in Sydney's Paddington in the Eastern suburbs, but is currently based in the Inner West suburb of...
where he made 10 appearances and afterwards he signed for APIA Leichhardt
A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers
APIA Leichhardt Tigers Football Club, also known as APIA Tigers and Sydney Tigers, is an Australian football club based in Sydney, Australia. The club was formed in 1954, known as APIA Leichhardt, by Italian Australians...
. He then went on to sign for Sydney FC for the inaugural A-League season.
Sydney FC
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
on 28 August 2005. He helped his side to the inaugural Hyundai A-League Grand Final against the Central Coast Mariners
Central Coast Mariners FC
Central Coast Mariners Football Club is a professional football club based on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. They participate in the A-League and are one of three teams from the state of New South Wales playing in the competition...
in which Sydney FC won by one goal to nil. He played every game throughout the season in the league (24 games) for Sydney FC making 5 clean sheets. He was voted as Sydney FC player of the year for the 2005-06 season ahead of the other nominees Dwight Yorke
Dwight Yorke
Dwight Eversley Yorke is a Trinidad and Tobago former football player. He played for Aston Villa for most of his career, followed by stints with Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Sydney FC and Sunderland...
, Alvin Ceccoli
Alvin Ceccoli
Alvin Warren Ceccoli is an Australian football player of Sammarinese heritage who played for three A-League clubs and was capped internationally for Australia.-Club career:Alvin started his National Soccer League career at Wollongong Wolves in 1995 as a 21 year old...
and David Carney
David Carney
David Raymond Carney is an Australian football player who plays left winger for Spanish club AD Alcorcón and as a left-back or left winger for the Australian national team.- Junior career :...
. On receiving the honour Bolton stated
"It is always an honour to win an award like this, especially when it is voted on by your team mates. It has been a great year for Sydney FC, winning the Championships and doing well at the Club World Championships, and to receive this award is very flattering. We have all worked incredibly hard over the last 13 months since we started training and to be singled out amongst the players we have is special."On 1 January 2007 he achieved a record 5 consecutive clean sheets, beating Central Coast Stopper Danny Vukovic's record of 4. He again played every match of the A-League season in 2006-07
A-League 2006-07
The 2006–07 A-League season was the second season of the Australian football competition, the A-League. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the first season and on the interest generated by the Socceroos competing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup...
for Sydney, and is currently the club's highest capped player. Bolton was only the 2nd player to reach 100 competitive games for the Sky Blues when he played the first Pre-Season match against Queensland Roar. Clinton received a standing ovation and a guard of honor as he ran out. In a statement given after the 2-1 victory he said he was extremely happy to have reached the milestone and hopes he can continue his career with Sydney for another 3–5 years.
He will be remembered as long serving goalkeeper of Sydney FC. He will be remembered for the "Goalkeeper of the Year" in Season 2005-06 which Sydney won the Grand Final.
Melbourne Heart
On 16 February 2010, it was announced that Bolton had signed for the new A-LeagueA-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
club Melbourne Heart
Melbourne Heart FC
Melbourne Heart FC is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 2008, the club has competed in the A-League, the highest division of football in Australia, since its inaugural 2010–2011 season. It is the twelfth club to have played in the league...
as the team's inaugural goalkeeper. He played in every minute of the Heart's thirty matches in its first season in the A-League, and earned seven clean sheets along the way. He was accoladed for his efforts at the end of the season by receiving the club's 'player of the year' award.
International career
Bolton was part of the Australian Under-20Australia national under-20 football team
The Australia national under-20 association football team, more commonly known as the Young Socceroos, is controlled by Football Federation Australia and represents Australia in international Under 20 or youth football competitions....
squad for the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship
1995 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 10th FIFA World Youth Championship was held in Qatar from April 13 to April 28, 1995. The tournament took place in three venues in one city: Doha.-Qualification:-Group A:-------------------------Group B:--------------------...
in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
. He also appeared for the Olyroos
Australia national under-23 football team
The Australia Olympic football team, more commonly known as the Olyroos, is controlled by Football Federation Australia and represents Australia at association football in the Olympic Games...
in qualifiers for the 1996 Olympic Games
Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The association football competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held in Birmingham, Alabama; Washington, D.C; Orlando, Florida; Miami, Florida; and Athens, Georgia....
, but was not included in the squad for the final tournament. He made his senior international debut for Australia against Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
in 2000, and was a squad member when Australia won the 2000 OFC Nations Cup
2000 OFC Nations Cup
Solomon Islands and Vanuatu* qualified for Oceania Nations Cup 2000* Fiji were replaced by Vanuatu .-Polynesia Cup 2000:--------------------------------------------...
. He subsequently represented Australia against Tonga
Tonga national football team
The Tonga national football team is the national team of Tonga and is controlled by the Tonga Football Association.-Football in Tonga:Tonga's greatest football triumph to date was their triumph in the first ever Polynesian Cup held in 1993 over Samoa and the Cook Islands...
and Fiji
Fiji national football team
The Fiji national football team is the national team of Fiji and is controlled by the Fiji Football Association. Their best finish in the OFC Nations Cup was third in 1998 and 2008.-World Cup record:*1930 to 1978 - Did not enter...
in 2001, keeping clean sheets in all of his three international appearances.
On 16 August 2006, Bolton was recalled to the Socceroos side, after 20 appearances on the bench over the years, in a second-string Australian lineup for an Asian Cup qualifier
2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification
The 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification was held in late 2005 and the final qualification round was held from February to November 2006 with 25 nations participating....
against Kuwait
Kuwait national football team
The Kuwait National Football Team is the national team of Kuwait and is controlled by the Kuwait Football Association. They made one World Cup Finals appearance, in 1982, managing a draw with Czechoslovakia but losing to England and France. During the match against France, France scored a goal...
. He kept a clean sheet and helped Australia to a 2-0 win.
National team statistics
|-|2000||1||0
|-
|2001||2||0
|-
|2002||0||0
|-
|2003||0||0
|-
|2004||0||0
|-
|2005||0||0
|-
|2006||1||0
|-
!Total||4||0
|}
Club
Brisbane StrikersBrisbane Strikers
The Brisbane Strikers are an Australian football club from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia who play in the Queensland State League.-National Soccer League:...
- NSL Championship: 1996–97
Sydney Olympic
- NSL Championship: 2001–02
Sydney FCSydney FC
Sydney FC is a professional football club based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and competes in the country's premier football competition, the A-League...
- A-League Championship: 2005–06, 2009–10
- A-League Premiership: 2009–10
- Oceania Club Championship: 2004–05
International
Australia
- OFC Nations CupOFC Nations CupThe OFC Nations Cup is an international association football tournament held among the Oceania Football Confederation member nations. It was held every two years from 1996 to 2004; before 1996 there were two other tournaments held at irregular intervals, under the name Oceania Nations Cup...
: 20002000 OFC Nations CupSolomon Islands and Vanuatu* qualified for Oceania Nations Cup 2000* Fiji were replaced by Vanuatu .-Polynesia Cup 2000:--------------------------------------------...
Individual
- Sydney FCSydney FCSydney FC is a professional football club based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and competes in the country's premier football competition, the A-League...
Player of the Year: 2005–06 Player of the Year: 2010–112010–11 Melbourne Heart seasonThe 2010–11 season was 's inaugural season in the A-League. The club finished eighth on the ladder, a result not reflecting the overall success of their season, after being placed sixth on the ladder for the better part of the season....