Robert Earnshaw

At 43 years old, Robert Earnshaw has this physical status:

Robert Earnshaw (born 6 April 1981) is a Welsh footballer who played as a forward.

He is the only player to have scored a hat-trick in the Premier League, all three divisions of the English Football League, the FA Cup, and his country in an international match. Earnshaw was born in Zambia and raised in South Wales and joined Cardiff City as a Youth Training Scheme (YTS) trainee in 1997 and then turned professional a year later.

He served on loan with Greenock Morton for a short time before joining the first team after making his debut at the age of sixteen.

As he helped the club win promotion to the First Division in 2003, his prolific goalscoring saw him smash several club records.

Scoring over 30 times in the First Division after promotion, he joined West Bromwich Albion in August 2004. He played for many English clubs before moving to Israel, Canada, and the United States later in his career.

Earnshaw's transfer fees totaled £12,650,000 after leaving Cardiff City in 2004.

He made his international debut for Wales in 2002 and scored 16 goals in 59 games for the national team, making him the country's seventh-highest goalscorer.

Early life

Earnshaw, one of five children, was born on the outskirts of Mufulira, Zambia, in 1981, to Rita and English-born father David Earnshaw. His mother, a professional footballer in Zambia, later became a boxer, and his father, a mine manager, was a manager of a gold mine in Zambia. Fidelis' uncle, as well as two of his cousins, Kalusha and Johnson Bwalya, represented Zambia at the international level. Kalusha went on to become the president of the Football Association of Zambia later in life.

Earnshaw's family moved to Malawi, where his father tended to a coal mine and his youngest son began attending St. Andrews School in Lilongwe when he was five years old. Earnshaw and his brother David and three sisters, Sharon, Joanne, and Diane, were compelled to fly to the school each Monday and then stay there all week until returning home each Friday. He continued to Viphya School, where he was taught the Chewa language, and was also able to speak Bemba and English.

The family's stay was supposed to be short. Earnshaw's father died in May of that year after suffering with typhoid fever in 1990. Rita decided to relocate the family to Bedwas, a tiny Welsh town near Caerphilly, where her sister lived in 1991. "It was the first time I had been away from Africa," Earnshaw later said. [...] It was much cooler over here, but every little thing was different, and although I could only speak English over here, I had to learn a little bit. But if you're a kid, you'll get on with it." He became friends with David Pipe, who lived nearby, while living in Bed.

He started playing football in Wales, kicking a ball around with classmates in and out of classes at Cardinal Newman RC School, Pontypridd, where the school moved on to after a brief stint at St. Helen's Primary. He grew up supporting Manchester United and then excelled at gymnastics and basketball. Cardinal Newman was a rugby union-playing club, so Earnshaw's first organized football match came at the age of 11 with local youth side Llanbradach. After a year, he joined GE Wales, where he gained a reputation as a prolific goalscorer, scoring 80 times in a single season.

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Club career

GE Wales' youth team, Earnshaw's youth team, played in Treforest on a pitch adjacent to Cardiff City's youth team base. Earnshaw earned his hat-trick during a youth match watched by Gavin Tait, later a youth team coach for Cardiff, who escorted Earnshaw and some of his players to training, and then, on August 1, he signed a one-year YTS deal at Ninian Park. He had also been monitored by scouts from Manchester United, who had been on him before. He progressed through Cardiff's youth development scheme, scoring over 47 goals for the club's youth team in a single season, including a hat-trick against Llanelli, before being handed his first match against Wrexham on October 27, 1997 at the age of 16. During a 2–0 loss to Millwall in the Football League Trophy on September 6, 1997, he made his professional debut as a substitute in lieu of Scott Partridge. He made his league debut four months later, and remained as a replacement in place of Wayne O'Sullivan during a 0–0 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on March 28, 1998.

Earnshaw announced his first full-time professional deal in August 1998 in an away match against Hartlepool United, four days before the season's opener. Earnshaw had a bicycle kick from ten yards out after losing 11-0, earning his team a point. However, after playing in three other games in the first month of the season, he took time away from Cardiff to test Middlesbrough under Kevin Keegan. He returned to Cardiff but struggled to break into the team under new manager Frank Burrows' leadership, with Earnshaw later saying that Burrows thought he would not "make the grade." Earnshaw was loaned by Burrows to gain knowledge and "toughen up" living above a local pub after making one appearance at the start of the 1999-2000 season. Earnshaw later admitted that the Morton experience helped him, saying, "It made me realize that I had to work really hard at my games so I could tell Cardiff City that I could be a good player." During his loan spell, he appeared in three games in the Scottish Football League First Division, scoring twice and one Scottish Cup tie against Rangers. Originally signing a three-month loan contract, Billy Ayre was recalled by Cardiff boss Billy Ayre after just one month when Burrows was recalled and made five appearances in the final three months of the season, scoring once in a 2–1 loss to AFC Bournemouth.

Earnshaw's first season was a fruitful one for him, scoring 25 goals in all competitions, including hat-tricks in a league match against Torquay United and a third round FA Cup tie against Bristol Rovers. His form earned him the Young Player of the Year award at Cardiff and saw him selected in the Football League's Third Division PFA Team of the Year. Earnshaw scored on the first day of the season in a 2–1 win over Oldham Athletic, but the remainder was used mainly as a replacement in the first month, after manager Lennie Lawrence decided to play Andy Campbell after Earnshaw failed to score in pre-season. On September 11, 2002, he was granted a start against Boston United in the League Cup and scored a hat-trick. As Cardiff gained promotion to the First Division after defeating Queens Park Rangers and Tranmere Rovers in the 2003 Football League Second Division play-off Final at the Millennium Stadium, he continued to have a fruitful season, scoring two more hat-tricks in matches against Queens Park Rangers and Tranmere Rovers. Despite scoring just once in his last 11 matches, setting a new club record for most goals scored in a single season, which was previously held by Hughie Ferguson's tally of 32 during the 1926-27 season. Stan Richards' 31 goals in league matches also broke a 56-year-old club record. Earnshaw was named Young Welsh Footballer of the Year at the end of the year and was selected in the PFA Division Two Team of the Year. Earnshaw maintained his form and scored over 30 goals in his first season in the First Division, including a four-goal haul against Leyton Orient in the League Cup, after his club's promotion.

Several clubs, including Scottish side Celtic and Premier League clubs Fulham, Charlton Athletic, and Aston Villa, all paid attention to him. Sam Hammam, Cardiff's chairman, had strongly resisted any potential Earnshaw bids and even said, "They would hang me in the city centre" if he were sold.

Earnshaw was subsequently transferred from Cardiff to West Bromwich Albion for £3 million, a sum that may have surpassed a maximum of £3.62 million with performance-related add-ons at the start of the following season. Mel Eves, his agent, was fined 30,000 Swiss francs (£12,250) by FIFA in July 2007 for his part in the transfer. Eves was found guilty of both his client (Earnshaw) and the buying club (Albion) in the transaction.

Earnshaw made his Albion debut in a 3–0 loss at Liverpool on September 11, 2004 and came as a second-half replacement. In his seventh game for Albion, he scored twice, netting twice in a 2–2 draw with Southampton on 6 November 2004 and scoring in the club's first two matches against Middlesbrough and Arsenal. After arriving as a substitute with 30 minutes remaining, a West Bromwich Albion player scored his first and only Premier League hat-trick against Charlton Athletic on March 19, 2005. In addition, the hat-trick made Earnshaw the sole player to have scored hat-tricks in all four professional divisions in England, the FA Cup, League Cup, and in a international fixture. Although goals like these helped the club retain their Premiership status, manager Bryan Robson preferred to use him as a catalyst rather than a starter. Despite that, Earnshaw finished as Albion's top goalscorer for the season with 14 goals, bringing him the Ronnie Allen trophy.

He stayed in the squad for 2005–06, but West Brom signed Diomansy Kamara and Nathan Ellington as competition for positions became more competitive. Earnshaw made two transfer requests in December 2005, but both were turned down. However, Earnshaw would be allowed to leave if there was a reasonable transfer fee on offer, according to manager Bryan Robson in January 2006. Earnshaw chastised Robson over his hospitalization and the lack of first team opportunities after his release. Robson dismissed Earnshaw's claims and reported, "the percentages when I used Earnshaw relative to the ones we obtained just don't add up."

Earnshaw signed a three-and-a-half-year deal for Norwich City on January 31 for a £2.5 million (rising to £3.5 million). Dean Ashton's signing as a replacement after losing by 2–1 to Ipswich Town on February 5, 2006, he began his Norwich goal scoring career with a brace late in Norwich's 3–0 home victory over Brighton on February 14, 2006. Earnshaw scored six more goals in the remaining games of the 2005–06 season. Earnshaw got off to a good start to the season with braces against Barnsley, Southend United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and by January 2007, he was the top-goalscorer in the division with 17 goals. He sustained a serious groin injury in preparation shortly after, which was expected to keep him out of action for the remainder of the season. Despite that, he returned to first team action in April 2007 to score his 18th and 19th goals of the season against Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday.

Norwich defender Seth Johnson from Crewe Alexandra to break their transfer record, which had been previously held by Seth Johnson's £3 million move to Norwich City, was sold on June 29 by an agreement worth £3.5 million. In a 2–2 draw against Portsmouth on August 11, 2007, he made his Rams debut in a 2–2 draw. Earnshaw failed to make a difference at Derby and was in and out of the team at the start of the season before being dropped. Billy Davies, the man who signed him, had left the club and been replaced by Paul Jewell in his first game for the club on Sunday. In the 6–2 home loss to Arsenal, he didn't score his first Premier League goal for the club until April 28th. Earnshaw made seven starts in his debut season at Derby, with another 17 appearings as sub. He was left out of the squad for the final game of the season against Reading after it was revealed that Jewell had accepted a bid from two unidentified clubs, which later revealed Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United, bringing an end what Earnshaw later described as one of his worst seasons in football.

Earnshaw signed Nottingham Forest for £2.65 million in May 2008, less than a year after signing for Derby. He scored his first competitive goals for Forest in their League Cup first-round tie against Morecambe on August 10, 2008, when he first scored two times on August 13. Forest's first League goal came in their 3–2 victory over Watford in the Championship, which was the City Ground on August 23, 2008. In a 5–1 victory over Leicester City on December 5, 2009, he scored his first hat trick for Nottingham Forest.

Despite some good results, Earnshaw found his feet early on in the 2010-11 season, scoring just one in thirteen games. His scoring has improved, and he has scored six goals in the last 12 games. This included two goals in Forest's 5–2 victory over Derby County at the City Ground, as well as the only goal in Forest's first-ever victory over Derbyshire at Pride Park Stadium. Earnshaw scored for Forest's only goal in the 3–1 loss to Swansea City in the away leg of their play off semi finals, as well as hitting the post in the dying minutes of the game, which would have levelled the scoreline at 2–2. He scored 43 goals in 111 appearances for Forest, making him one of the region's most effective strikers in recent years.

Following failed talks with Nottingham Forest over contract extension, Earnshaw returned to Cardiff City on a free transfer on July 6th. Malky Mackay, Cardiff City's fourth free transfer signing since joining the Bluebirds from Watford, will be his fourth.

Earnshaw won by 1–0 over West Ham United on August 7th, his second appearance in Cardiff. Earnshaws' first goal since his return to the Bluebirds came in a 3–1 home win over Bristol City in the Severnside derby on Sunday. In a 1–1 draw with Burnley on August 20th, he scored his 200th goal in his career, scoring the equalizer.

Earnshaw was knocked to the bench after a change in the system, and he was off form for his work, leaving him out in a one-man assault. Earnshaw got off to a good start since October in a 4–2 loss to former West Bromwich Albion on January 7, 2012, in which he scored. In a 3–0 loss, a league appearance didn't appear until two more months, where he found himself on the bench against Hull City. He will continue to make substitute appearances for the BlueBirds, most of which appeared in the game's dying minutes, up to the season's end. Cardiff City made the play-offs beat 5–0 on aggregate by West Ham United, with Earnshaw making a brief appearance.

Earnshaw and Maccabi Tel Aviv were moved to Israel on a season-long loan after losing the pecking order at Cardiff on September 20. Earnshaw, who joined Maccabi Tel Aviv, said joining the club would make him a better player as he returned to Cardiff City and said he had a chance to work with team Sports Director Jordi Cruyff.

In a 4–0 victory over Hapoel Shmona on September 24, 2012, he made his club debut and came on as a replacement in a second half, and after two appearances, he scored his first goal in a 2–1 victory over Ashdod 2 weeks later. In a 2–1 victory over Maccabi Netanya, his second goal came three months later, when he scored a winner. Earnshaw was wounded in the 2012 Israel-Gaza war in Tel Aviv, during which he expressed his displeasure at the city's incursion under rocket fire, saying, "I looked over at these guys who had many years of army service." They knew what was going on because they knew exactly what was going on. We were told by one of them that we had to cover up by the side of the dressing rooms, so we went after them. The Iron Dome's loud bang was heard near the beginning – a new defense system used to intercept missiles. We had to shield ourselves against all the shrapnel that was coming down."

Earnshaw surplus was expected in January 2013, according to manager Malky Mackay, who announced that he would leave the team.

Earnshaw said on February 28, 2013 that he had left Cardiff City to join Canadian Major League Soccer club Toronto FC. In a 1–0 away loss to fellow Canadians Vancouver Whitecaps FC, he made his debut two days later. In a 2–1 home win over Sporting Kansas City the following week, Earnshaw scored two goals and first, helping him gain new manager Ryan Nelsen's first coaching victory. Earnshaw was named MLS Player of the Week for his two-goal appearance last week, becoming the first Toronto player to be honoured since Danny Koevermans in the previous summer.

Earnshaw joined Blackpool in a short-term contract until the 2013-14 season. Elliot Grandin came as a replacement in the 1–0 loss to Bolton Wanderers on March 25, 2014, and he was released at the end of his deal.

Earnshaw made a free transfer to Chicago on August 15, 2014, rejoining the Chicago Fire. He scored his first goal for the Fire after being a two-goal draw against his former team Toronto in a 2–2 draw; a week later, he made it two goals in two games against Dallas at Chicago's Toyota Park.

Earnshaw was on trial with Vancouver Whitecaps FC on February 15, winning 3–2 over Stabk. The Whitecaps announced his signing on March 25th. Earnshaw made an immediate impression as a late replacement on his Whitecaps debut against the Portland Timbers three days later by scoring the winning goal in the 90th minute on his first touch of the ball in the 90th minute.

In a 3–0 loss of the Houston Dynamo, his second goal was scored as a stoppage time replacement, scoring off of his second touch of the ball.

On January 28, 2016, Earnshaw announced his resignation. He was named head coach of the Vancouver U-14 Pre-Residency team.

International career

Despite being born in Zambia, Earnshaw selected Wales to represent Wales at international level, saying, "I thought long and hard about what to do, but Wales was my country." "I grew up in this area." Bobby Gould, who played for Wales until 1999, told Earnshaw he begged him to change his allegiance, assuaging him from worries about potential playing time. In a 4–1 loss to Belarus, he was captained by Wales at youth level and gained ten caps for the under-21 team, scoring once more. Mark Hughes, the national coach, attracted the attention of his investigation into Cardiff City's promotion campaigns. Earnshaw made his debut in May 2002, scoring the winning goal against Wales on his debut at the Millennium Stadium against Germany; he was also named man of the match. Earnshaw was a key player of Wales' Euro 2004 qualifying campaign, making him a key player. In the 4–0 friendly victory over Scotland in February 2004, he staked his claim for a regular slot in the starting lineup with a hat-trick. Earnshaw was selected in the First Division team of the year at the end of 2003–2004.

He has represented Wales on 59 occasions over a decade, and captained the team against Scotland at the Nations Cup on May 25. England beat England on September 6, 2011, but he came on as a replacement with his team 1–0 down and missed a 'open goal' from six yards as England carried on to victory. Earnshaw, who had been unused since August 2012, reported that he was still available for pick by the national side in the following March, a statement that reiterated that October.

Coaching career

Earnshaw was named as an assistant coach for United Soccer League side Fresno FC on January 30th, 2018, after being a youth coach with the Vancouver Whitecaps for 30 days. Robert Earnshaw, 20, joins the USL Championship side Orange County SC as an assistant coach on December 20, 2021.

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