Rob Edwards
Encyclopedia
Robert Owen "Rob" Edwards (born 25 December 1982) is an English-born Welsh international
footballer who plays for Barnsley
as a centre back.
, Shropshire
, Edwards started his career as an apprentice at Aston Villa
, and worked his way up to his first-team debut on 28 December 2002, in a 1–0 home win over Middlesbrough
. In January 2003, after playing in three consecutive matches at right-back he signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with the club. However, he managed just nine appearances in total for the Villans, all during 2002–03. He was sent on loan to Crystal Palace
in November 2003, where he spent one month, playing six games and scoring one goal in a 1–1 draw with Coventry City
.
Edwards then joined Derby County
on loan in January 2004, where he stayed until the end of the season
. He scored one goal for the club against Gillingham
on 17 January, and played ten games.
In May 2004 Edwards was told by then Aston Villa manager, David O'Leary
, that he could leave the club.
and joined Wolverhampton Wanderers
in July 2004 in a three year deal for £150,000. His Molineux
career made a slow start, after playing in the club's opening four league games following the club's relegation from the Premier League, he suffered ankle ligament damage that kept him sidelined for almost six months.
The defender gained more playing time in the 2005–06 campaign after Jackie McNamara
's first season with the club was curtailed by injury, allowing Edwards to step in. He played the majority of the following season under new manager Mick McCarthy
but suffered knee ligament damage in April 2007. that kept him out of the season's end as the team made the play-offs.
On 5 September 2007 in a reserve team match against Walsall
he again suffered knee ligament injury. He scored his first and only goal for Wolves on 9 February 2008 in a 4–2 home defeat to Stoke City
.
He was placed on the transfer list in May 2008, despite having one year still to run on his contract.
, signing a two year contract with an option for a further year for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for the Seasiders on 9 August 2008 in a 1–0 home defeat to Bristol City
. Edwards was captain of the side for the 1–1 draw at Norwich City
on 16 August as Keith Southern
who had captained the side up to then in the 2008–09 season
, was suspended.
On 29 August, Blackpool manager Simon Grayson
confirmed that Edwards would be team captain for the season. His first goal for the Seasiders came on 29 December 2008 when he scored Blackpool's second equaliser in a 2–2 draw against his former club Wolverhampton Wanderers at Bloomfield Road
.
On 19 July 2010 he agreed a new contract with Blackpool, a one year deal with an option for a further 12 months.
and Zak Whitbread
following Leon Barnett's hamstring injury. He made his debut as a second half substitute for Zak Whitbread in the 1-1 draw against Preston North End
.
|2002–03||Aston Villa
||Premier League
||8||0||1||0||colspan="2"|-||9||0
|-
|2003–04||Crystal Palace
(loan)||First Division
||7||1||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||7||1
|-
|2003–04||Derby County
(loan)||First Division
||11||1||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||11||1
|-
|2004–05||Wolverhampton Wanderers
||Championship
||17||0||colspan="2"|-||1||0||18||0
|-
|2005–06||Wolverhampton Wanderers
||Championship
||42||0||1||0||2||0||45||0
|-
|2006–07||Wolverhampton Wanderers
||Championship
||33||0||2||0||1||0||36||0
|-
|2007–08||Wolverhampton Wanderers
||Championship
||8||1||2||0||2||0||12||1
|-
|2008–09
||Blackpool
||Championship
||36||2||colspan="2"|-||1||0||37||2
|-
|2009–10
||Blackpool
||Championship
||20||0||1||0||3||0||26||0
|-
|2010–11||Blackpool
||Premier League
|1||0|||||||1||0||2||0
|-
184||5||7||0||11||0||203||5
a. 1 league play-off appearance for Blackpool in 2010 (included in 2009–10 total)
Norwich City
at youth level, but not in a UEFA
-recognised game, so qualified for Wales
as his parents are both Welsh. He made his debut for Wales before he left Aston Villa, on 29 March 2003, in a 4–0 European Championship qualifying victory over Azerbaijan
.
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
footballer who plays for Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
as a centre back.
Aston Villa
Born in MadeleyMadeley, Shropshire
Madeley is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, now part of the new town of Telford. The parish had a population of 17,935 at the 2001 census.Madeley is recorded in the Domesday Book, having been founded before the 8th century...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, Edwards started his career as an apprentice at Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, and worked his way up to his first-team debut on 28 December 2002, in a 1–0 home win over 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...
. In January 2003, after playing in three consecutive matches at right-back he signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with the club. However, he managed just nine appearances in total for the Villans, all during 2002–03. He was sent on loan to Crystal Palace
Crystal 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...
in November 2003, where he spent one month, playing six games and scoring one goal in a 1–1 draw with Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
.
Edwards then joined Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
on loan in January 2004, where he stayed until the end of the season
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....
. He scored one goal for the club 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...
on 17 January, and played ten games.
In May 2004 Edwards was told by then Aston Villa manager, David O'Leary
David O'Leary
David Anthony O'Leary is an Irish football manager and former player. His managerial career began at Leeds United and later he managed Aston Villa. He most recently worked as the manager of Al-Ahli Dubai...
, that he could leave the club.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Edwards made the short journey across the MidlandsEnglish Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and joined Wolverhampton Wanderers
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...
in July 2004 in a three year deal for £150,000. His Molineux
Molineux stadium
Molineux Stadium is a Premier League football stadium situated in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, England. It has been the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club since 1889, and has a long and illustrious history as the first 'new build' stadium in Football League history, one of the...
career made a slow start, after playing in the club's opening four league games following the club's relegation from the Premier League, he suffered ankle ligament damage that kept him sidelined for almost six months.
The defender gained more playing time in the 2005–06 campaign after Jackie McNamara
Jackie McNamara
Jackie McNamara is a Scottish football player and manager who currently manages Partick Thistle. He is a former Scottish international and has filled a variety of defensive roles in his career and captained Celtic under the management of Martin O'Neill.-Dunfermline Athletic:The son of former...
's first season with the club was curtailed by injury, allowing Edwards to step in. He played the majority of the following season under new manager Mick McCarthy
Mick McCarthy
Michael Joseph "Mick" McCarthy is an English-born former Irish international footballer who is currently the manager of Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he has been in charge since July 2006....
but suffered knee ligament damage in April 2007. that kept him out of the season's end as the team made the play-offs.
On 5 September 2007 in a reserve team match 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...
he again suffered knee ligament injury. He scored his first and only goal for Wolves on 9 February 2008 in a 4–2 home defeat to Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
.
He was placed on the transfer list in May 2008, despite having one year still to run on his contract.
Blackpool
On 6 August 2008, he left Wolves to join BlackpoolBlackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, signing a two year contract with an option for a further year for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for the Seasiders on 9 August 2008 in a 1–0 home defeat to 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...
. Edwards was captain of the side for the 1–1 draw at 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...
on 16 August as Keith Southern
Keith Southern
Keith William Southern is an English professional footballer who plays for Blackpool. He is a central midfielder and is the longest-serving player currently at Bloomfield Road.-Early career: Everton and loan move to Blackpool:...
who had captained the side up to then in the 2008–09 season
2008–09 in English football
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
, was suspended.
On 29 August, Blackpool manager Simon Grayson
Simon Grayson
Simon Nicholas Grayson is a retired English footballer and current manager of Leeds United. He is the elder brother of cricketer Paul Grayson....
confirmed that Edwards would be team captain for the season. His first goal for the Seasiders came on 29 December 2008 when he scored Blackpool's second equaliser in a 2–2 draw against his former club Wolverhampton Wanderers at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
.
On 19 July 2010 he agreed a new contract with Blackpool, a one year deal with an option for a further 12 months.
Norwich City
On 21 February 2011, Edwards signed for Norwich City on loan until the end of the season, as cover for Elliott WardElliott Ward
Elliott Leslie Ward is an English professional footballer currently playing for Norwich City. He signed for the Canaries on a free transfer from Coventry City in May 2010; officially joining them on 1 July....
and Zak Whitbread
Zak Whitbread
Zak Benjamin Whitbread is an American soccer player who plays for English Premier League club Norwich City as a defender.-Early life:...
following Leon Barnett's hamstring injury. He made his debut as a second half substitute for Zak Whitbread in the 1-1 draw against Preston North End
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...
.
Barnsley
After his released from Blackpool, Edwards was signed for Barnsley on a free transfer.Club career statistics
|-|2002–03||Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
||Premier League
||8||0||1||0||colspan="2"|-||9||0
|-
|2003–04||Crystal Palace
Crystal 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...
(loan)||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....
||7||1||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||7||1
|-
|2003–04||Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
(loan)||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....
||11||1||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||11||1
|-
|2004–05||Wolverhampton Wanderers
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...
||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...
||17||0||colspan="2"|-||1||0||18||0
|-
|2005–06||Wolverhampton Wanderers
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...
||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...
||42||0||1||0||2||0||45||0
|-
|2006–07||Wolverhampton Wanderers
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...
||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...
||33||0||2||0||1||0||36||0
|-
|2007–08||Wolverhampton Wanderers
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...
||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...
||8||1||2||0||2||0||12||1
|-
|2008–09
Blackpool F.C. season 2008–09
The 2008-09 season was Blackpool F.C.s 102nd season in the Football League. It was also their second consecutive season in The Championship, the second tier of English football. They finished sixteenth.D. J...
||Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of 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...
||36||2||colspan="2"|-||1||0||37||2
|-
|2009–10
Blackpool F.C. season 2009–10
The 2009–10 season was Blackpool F.C.s 103rd season in the Football League. It was also their third consecutive season in The Championship, the second tier of English football. The club won promotion, via the play-offs, to the Premier League for the first time, their 28th overall season in the top...
||Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of 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...
||20||0||1||0||3||0||26||0
|-
|2010–11||Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
||Premier League
|1||0|||||||1||0||2||0
|-
184||5||7||0||11||0||203||5
a. 1 league play-off appearance for Blackpool in 2010 (included in 2009–10 total)
Honours
Blackpool- ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe 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...
play-off final winner: 2009–102010 Football League Championship play-off FinalThe 2010 Football League Championship play-off Final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium in London on 22 May 2010 to decide the third team to be promoted from The Championship to the Premier League for the 2010–11 season....
Norwich City
-
- 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....
Champions: 2009–10
- League One
International career
Edwards represented EnglandEngland 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 youth level, but not in a UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
-recognised game, so qualified for Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
as his parents are both Welsh. He made his debut for Wales before he left Aston Villa, on 29 March 2003, in a 4–0 European Championship qualifying victory over Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan national football team
The Azerbaijan national football team is the national football team of Azerbaijan and is controlled by Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan...
.
External links
- Rob Edwards profile at blackpoolfc.co.uk