Bobby Zamora
![]() | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Robert Lester Zamora | ||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Queens Park Rangers | ||
Number | 25 | ||
Youth career | |||
Senrab | |||
West Ham United | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1999–2000 | Bristol Rovers | 4 | (0) |
2000 | → Bath City (loan) | 5 | (7) |
2000 | → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 6 | (6) |
2000–2003 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 119 | (70) |
2003–2004 | Tottenham Hotspur | 16 | (0) |
2004–2008 | West Ham United | 130 | (30) |
2008–2012 | Fulham | 91 | (20) |
2012– | Queens Park Rangers | 14 | (2) |
International career‡ | |||
2002–2003 | England U21 | 6 | (0) |
2010– | England | 2 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:44, 13 May 2012 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 October 2010 |
Robert Lester "Bobby" Zamora (born 16 January 1981) is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers and the England national football team. Zamora began his career at Football League club Bristol Rovers, but was soon signed by Brighton & Hove Albion, where he found first team success. Zamora scored 77 goals in three seasons and helped the club achieve two successive promotions.
Following an unsuccessful spell at Tottenham Hotspur, Zamora was signed by West Ham United, where he played for five years and won promotion to the Premier League. Zamora joined Fulham in 2008, where, in his first season, he played regularly but scored only four goals. However, Zamora's form in the 2009–10 season has gained praise and saw the player gain a call-up for England. Zamora had an important role in Fulham's successes in the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Europa League. Zamora played for the England national under-21 team in his youth.
Background
Born in Barking, London, Zamora attended Essex Junior School (in Manor Park) followed by Little Ilford School before moving onto Barking Abbey Secondary School. As a boy, he played for the Senrab Football Club in east London, alongside John Terry, Ledley King, Paul Konchesky and Jlloyd Samuel.[2][3] A lifelong West Ham United fan,[4] he started his footballing career as an apprentice at the club's "Academy of Football" but was released from the East London club on the same year group as Jlloyd Samuel, Fitz Hall and Paul Konchesky,[5] the last of whom also returned to the Hammers.
Club career
Bristol Rovers
Zamora joined Bristol Rovers as a trainee in August 1999, making a total of six substitute appearances for Bristol Rovers in all competitions,[6] before joining Bath City on a one-month loan in early 2000,[6] where he scored eleven goals in eight games,[7] and then Brighton & Hove Albion on loan in February 2000.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Zamora joined Brighton in February 2000 on a three-month loan until the end of the 1999–00 season, scoring six goals in six games.[6] In August 2000, he made a permanent move to Brighton for £100,000.[8] During his tenure he quickly established himself as a prolific goalscorer, breaking into the England under-21 team[9] and attracting interest from several higher-division clubs.[10][11] He scored 83 times for the club in 136 appearances,[6] helping Brighton win two successive championships as the team won promotion into what became the Championship.[12] The Brighton fans had a chant they used to sing in his honour, to the tune of Dean Martin's That's Amore: "When the ball hits the goal it's not Shearer or Cole, it's Zamora."[13] Zamora left Brighton and Hove Albion as the club's sixth highest-ever goalscorer and remains to this day one of the most revered Brighton players of all time.[citation needed]
Tottenham Hotspur
Having been watched for much of the previous two seasons by the then manager Glenn Hoddle,[14] Zamora moved to Tottenham Hotspur for £1.5 million in July 2003.[7] However, he struggled to gain a consistent first-team place at White Hart Lane, making only 18 cup and league appearances, eleven as substitute,[6] and scoring a single goal, knocking West Ham United out of the League Cup in October 2003.[15]
West Ham United
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Bobby_zamora.jpg)
In January 2004, Zamora joined West Ham in a deal which saw Jermain Defoe go the other way to Tottenham Hotspur.[16] He quickly made his mark, scoring on his debut as West Ham came from behind to beat Bradford City[17] and also on his home debut, when he scored the winning goal against Cardiff City[18] In the 2004–05 season, Zamora scored 13 goals, including one in the first leg[19] and two in the second leg[20] of the Championship play-off semi-final against Ipswich Town and the only goal in West Ham's 1–0 victory over Preston North End in the Championship play-off final sending West Ham into the Premiership.[21] In the 2005–06 season, he made 42 league and cup appearances and scored ten goals[6] as West Ham finished in the top half of the Premier League and reached the FA Cup final,[22] for which he received an FA Cup runners-up medal, missing a penalty in the shootout against Liverpool. He was rewarded for his contribution to the team with a new four year contract in January 2006,[23] and extended it to 2011 in October 2006, saying, "I'm delighted to have extended my contract and I'm now looking forward to spending my long-term future at Upton Park. I've been here for almost three years now, and there is really no other place I would rather be. This is my club and wearing a claret and blue shirt is all I have ever wanted to do."[24]
He started the 2006–07 season well, scoring five of the Hammers' six goals in the first four games of the season[25] but, as West Ham hit a bad patch that saw them struggling in the relegation places, he did not score again until January 2007.[25] However, he ended the season with eleven goals,[25] including a controversial goal against Blackburn Rovers in March 2007[26] and being the first player to score a winning goal against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in April 2007,[27] as West Ham pulled off an unexpected escape from relegation.[28] He made only 14 appearances for West Ham in the 2007–08 season after missing five months of the season with tendinitis suffered in August 2007 but scored against Derby in the Hammers' 2–1 win.[29][30] By the end of the 2007–08 season, Zamora had made 152 appearances in all competitions for West Ham, scoring 40 goals.[6]
Fulham
In July 2008, Zamora and team mate John Paintsil were signed by Fulham for a joint fee of £6.3 million, Zamora being £4.8 million of the total transfer fee.[31] In his first season for Fulham, Zamora struggled to find the net, scoring just twice in the 2008–09 season, despite generally playing well and playing a fairly important part in the team's success in his debut season. On 15 July, Fulham and Hull City agreed a fee, which would see Zamora move to Hull for £5 million.[32]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Bobby_Zamora_2009.jpg/190px-Bobby_Zamora_2009.jpg)
But he decided to stay with Fulham in order to attempt to prove his critics wrong. Shortly after he snubbed Hull City, he played in a friendly against Peterbrough United and scored two goals. Then four days later he made his Europa League debut and scored once and set up two goals to give Fulham a 3–0 away advantage going into the next leg. He opened his 2009–10 Premier League account on the opening day of the season when a Clint Dempsey shot hit him on the back and beat David James in the Portsmouth goal. He scored his second goal of the season against Hull City on 19 October 2009 by heading in a rebound in the 43rd minute. Fulham won the game 2–0.[33] Scoring the lone goal against Sunderland, Zamora doubled his output from the previous season with his fourth goal of the campaign. In Fulham's Europa League match against FC Basel Zamora scored twice in their 3–2 victory in St. Jakob Park. On 19 December 2009 Zamora scored once again against Manchester United in their 3–0 win at Craven Cottage. On 5 January he dislocated his shoulder at the Britannia Stadium in Fulham's 3–2 loss to Stoke City.[34]
Zamora struck the winner in Fulham's Europa League Round of 32 first leg against Shakhtar Donetsk, a match that finished 2–1. The strike was a powerful strike from outside the box that went in off the underside of the crossbar. Zamora then continued his scoring form when he scored a last minute free kick against Birmingham City to win the game 2–1. Zamora also scored Fulham's first goal in what was an historic UEFA Europa League comeback against Juventus, Fulham went on to win the game 4–1. Zamora was widely praised[citation needed] for the trouble he caused Juventus' veteran captain Fabio Cannavaro, a member of Italy's 2006 World Cup winning squad, prior to Cannavaro's sending off. He continued to impress on the European stage for Fulham; scoring in both legs in a 3–1 aggregate win against Wolfsburg as Fulham progressed to the Europa League semi-finals. They eventually reached the final but were beaten 2–1 by Atlético Madrid of Spain.[35][36]
On 10 September 2010, Zamora signed a new four year contract with Fulham, which will keep him at the London club until the summer of 2014.[37] The day after, Zamora broke his leg during a match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.[38] Zamora made his return from injury as a substitute in the FA-Cup encounter against Bolton Wanderers on 21 February 2011.[39] He marked his Premier League return, again as a substitute, with a match-deciding goal from the penalty spot against Blackburn Rovers on 5 March 2011.[40]
Queens Park Rangers
On 31 January 2012, Zamora joined West London neighbours Queens Park Rangers on a 2½ year contract from Fulham.[41] He scored on his debut on 4 February the team losing 2-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers.[42]
International career
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/WilshereZamoraEngland.png/220px-WilshereZamoraEngland.png)
Zamora was called up for the England Under-21 squad for a friendly with Portugal in April 2002.[9] Zamora was named in the England Under-21 squad for the 2002 European Under-21 Championship with David Platt, the then England Under-21 team manager, saying of him, "My mistake was not going to have a look at him earlier than I did. He's been in one squad, did very well in training and came on for 25 minutes and did great. If I need a goal and look at my bench and see a player who has scored 30 for the past two seasons, there is a chance he could come on. He warrants his place. [...]"[43] Zamora was capped six times for the England Under-21 team.[44]
Zamora was watched by the Trinidad and Tobago coach, Leo Beenhakker, who also spoke to Pardew. However, Zamora turned down the chance of playing in the World Cup finals with Trinidad and Tobago, saying in August 2005, "Trinidad is my dad's country and to play in the finals would be a dream but West Ham are more important. I am only thinking about the club at the moment and do not want to be distracted from that.[45]
On 7 August 2009, it was revealed that Zamora and Bolton Wanderers defender Jlloyd Samuel had received their Trinidadian passports, and would play for the Soca Warriors in their World Cup Qualifier against El Salvador on 12 August.[46] However, Zamora did not get his first cap due to an injury he picked up while training. His form in the 2009–10 season led to calls for Zamora to be called up to the England squad, and there had been rumours that Fabio Capello had been visiting Craven Cottage to look at his performances.[47] However, due to an Achilles injury, he was not included in Fabio Capello's provisional squad of 30 players for the run-up to the 2010 World Cup, which was announced on 11 May 2010.[48]
On 7 August 2010, Zamora was one of five uncapped players named in the England squad for their friendly on 11 August against Hungary alongside Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs, Michael Dawson and Gary Cahill.[49] On 11 August 2010, Zamora won his first England cap in a friendly, coming on as a half time substitute against Hungary in a 2-1 win at Wembley.[50] On 23 May 2011, Zamora was selected for the England squad to face Switzerland in the Euro 2012 qualifier on 4 June at Wembley.[51] On 15 November 2011, Zamora made his full England debut by starting in the 1-0 friendly victory over Sweden at Wembley.[52]
Club statistics
Club
- As of 11 September 2011[53]
Season | Club | Division | League | FA Cup | League Cup | FL Trophy | Other | Europe | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
1999–2000 | Bristol Rovers | Division 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Bristol Rovers Total | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
1999–2000 | Bath City (loan) | Southern Premier Division | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1* | 1* | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 |
Bath City Total | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | ||
1999–2000 | Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | Division 3 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
2000–01 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 43 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 31 | |
2001–02 | Division 2 | 41 | 28 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 32 | |
2002–03 | Division 1 | 35 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 14 | |
Brighton & Hove Albion Total | 125 | 76 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 136 | 83 | ||
2003–04 | Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
Tottenham Hotspur Total | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | ||
2003–04 | West Ham Utd | Division 1 | 20** | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 5 |
2004–05 | Championship | 37** | 11*** | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 13 | |
2005–06 | Premier League | 34 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 10 | |
2006–07 | 32 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 11 | ||
2007–08 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | ||
West Ham United Total | 136 | 34 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 152 | 40 | ||
2008–09 | Fulham | Premier League | 35 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 4 |
2009–10 | 27 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 8 | 48 | 19 | ||
2010–11 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 7 | ||
2011–12 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 26 | 7 | ||
Fulham Total | 91 | 20 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 10 | 133 | 37 | ||
2011–12 | Queens Park Rangers | Premier League | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
Queens Park Rangers Total | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | ||
Total | 380 | 140 | 29 | 12 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 10 | 455 | 171 |
- (*) Appearance and goal in Dr. Martens Cup
- (**) Includes three play-off matches
- (***) Includes four play-off goals
Sponsorship
Zamora has been sponsored by Under Armour, the US sportswear company, since 2006. He wears Under Armour's Dominate Boots.[54]
Honours
Brighton & Hove Albion
- Football League Division 3 Winner (2000–01)
- Football League Division 2 Winner (2001–02)
West Ham United
- The Championship Play Off's Winner (2004–05)
- 2005–06 FA Cup runners up
Fulham
- UEFA Europa League runner up (2009–10)
Individual
- Football League Division 3 Golden Boot (28 goals) 2000–01
- PFA Fan's Player of the Year (3rd Division) 2001
- Football League Division 2 Golden Boot (28 goals) 2001–02
- PFA Fan's Player of the Year (2nd Division) 2002
- West Ham United: Hammer of the Year 2006–07 (Runner-up)
References
- ^ "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Lessons from Senrab's soccer school", BBC Sport, 30 March 2004. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
- ^ "Zamora: I want to pick myself", TheFA.com, 5 June 2003. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
- ^ "The Interview: Bobby Zamora meets Just Football", Just Football, 3 June 2009. Retrieved 17 November 2009.
- ^ Sam Pilger (October 2003). "The Boy's A Bit Special", FourFourTwo, issue 110, p. 31.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Soccerbase: Bobby Zamora", Racing Post. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
- ^ a b "Zamora signs in at Spurs", TheFA.com, 18 July 2003. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
- ^ "Seagulls swoop for Zamora", BBC Sport, 10 August 2000. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
- ^ a b "Zamora handed Under-21 chance", BBC Sport, 13 April 2002. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
- ^ "Brighton reject record Zamora bid", BBC Sport, 19 February 2001. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
- ^ "Everton cool on Zamora", BBC Sport, 16 January 2002. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
- ^ "Brighton 0–0 Swindon", BBC Sport, 13 April 2002. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
- ^ "Zamora ready for the big time", BBC Sport, 18 April 2003. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
- ^ Jacob, Gary; Kay, Oliver (2003-06-18). "Hoddle goes for youth with £2m Zamora". London: The Times. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
- ^ "Tottenham 1–0 West Ham", BBC Sport, 29 October 2003. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
- ^ "Spurs sign Defoe", BBC Sport, 2 February 2004. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
- ^ "Bradford 1–2 West Ham", BBC Sport, 6 February 2004. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
- ^ "West Ham 1–0 Cardiff", BBC Sport, 28 February 2004. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
- ^ "West Ham 2–2 Ipswich", BBC Sport, 14 May 2005. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
- ^ "Ipswich 0–2 West Ham", BBC Sport, 18 May 2005. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
- ^ "Zamora puts Hammers back into Premiership", BBC Sport, 30 May 2005. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
- ^ "Liverpool 3–3 West Ham (aet)", BBC Sport, 13 May 2006. Retrieved 9 July 2007.
- ^ "Zamora pens new Hammers contract", BBC Sport, 18 January 2006. Retrieved 10 July 2007.
- ^ "Zamora signs new Hammers contract", BBC Sport, 7 October 2006. Retrieved 10 July 2007.
- ^ a b c "Games played by Bobby Zamora in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Racing Post. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
- ^ Sinnott, John (17 March 2007). "Blackburn 1–2 West Ham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
- ^ Cheese, Caroline (7 April 2007). "Arsenal 0–1 West Ham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
- ^ "Magnusson hails West Ham survival". BBC Sport. 7 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
- ^ "Games played by Bobby Zamora in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Racing Post. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ Lowe (PA Sport), Alex (2007-12-09). "Curbs rules out Zamora sale". Sporting Life. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
- ^ Zamora & Paintsil sign for Fulham, 15 July 2008, BBC Sport, Accessed=2008-07-15
- ^ "Brown still keen to sign Zamora". BBC News. 2009-07-27.
- ^ Jackson, Jamie (2009-10-19). "Diomansy Kamara's clincher is another negative for Hull". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
- ^ "Fulham striker Bobby Zamora suffers collarbone injury". BBC Sport. 2010-01-07. Retrieved 2010-01-07.
- ^ Dawkes, Phil (2010-05-01). "Fulham 2–1 Wolfsburg". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ^ Dawkes, Phil (2010-05-08). "Wolfsburg 0–1 Fulham (agg 1–3)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ^ "Zamora's New Deal". Fulham FC. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
- ^ "Hughes' Wolves Reaction". Fulham FC. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ "Bobby's Boost". Fulham FC. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
- ^ "Match Winner". Fulham FC. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
- ^ "Zamora Pens Deal". QPR FC. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
- ^ "QPR 1-2 Wolves" BBC Sport. 4 February 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
- ^ "Platt hails Zamora". BBC Sport. 9 May 2002. Retrieved 2007-06-30.
- ^ "England Bobby Zamora". The Football Association. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
- ^ "Zamora turns down Trinidad call". BBC Sport. 21 August 2005. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
- ^ "Zamora and Samuel get Trinidad passports". ttgapers.com. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
- ^ "Zamora, Samuel out El Salvador clash". Trinidad&Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
- ^ "Zamora reveals England agony". The Independent. London: Independent Print Limited. 2010-05-13. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
- ^ "Capello calls up Wilshere, Gibbs and Zamora for England". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Company. 2010-08-07. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
- ^ "Gerrard brace saves England blushes". ESPN Soccernet. 2010-08-11. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
- ^ "Fulham's Zamora and Stockdale named in England squad". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Company. 2011-05-23. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
- ^ "Bobby Zamora's display for England against Sweden enough to lay claim for place at Euro 2012". Guardian. Guardian. 2011-11-16. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
- ^ "Bobby Zamora Career Stats". Soccerbase. 2 January 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
- ^ "Under Armour launches football boot range". Sports Insight Magazine. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-10.
External links
- Bobby Zamora at Soccerbase
- ESPN Profile
- Premier League profile
- 1981 births
- Living people
- People from Barking
- English people of Trinidad and Tobago descent
- English footballers
- England under-21 international footballers
- England international footballers
- Association football forwards
- Bristol Rovers F.C. players
- Bath City F.C. players
- Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
- Tottenham Hotspur F.C. players
- West Ham United F.C. players
- Fulham F.C. players
- Queens Park Rangers F.C. players
- Premier League players
- The Football League players
- Southern Football League players
- Sportspeople from London
- Senrab F.C. players