Robert Earnshaw facts for kids
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Earnshaw in 2007
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Earnshaw | ||
| Date of birth | 6 April 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Mufulira, Zambia | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1997–1998 | Cardiff City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–2004 | Cardiff City | 183 | (86) |
| 2000 | → Greenock Morton (loan) | 3 | (2) |
| 2004–2006 | West Bromwich Albion | 43 | (12) |
| 2006–2007 | Norwich City | 45 | (27) |
| 2007–2008 | Derby County | 22 | (1) |
| 2008–2011 | Nottingham Forest | 102 | (38) |
| 2011–2013 | Cardiff City | 19 | (3) |
| 2012–2013 | → Maccabi Tel Aviv (loan) | 10 | (2) |
| 2013 | Toronto FC | 26 | (8) |
| 2014 | Blackpool | 1 | (0) |
| 2014 | Chicago Fire | 5 | (3) |
| 2015 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 9 | (2) |
| 2015 | → Whitecaps 2 (loan) | 3 | (2) |
| Total | 471 | (186) | |
| International career | |||
| 1998–2001 | Wales U21 | 10 | (1) |
| 2002–2012 | Wales | 59 | (16) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2018–2019 | Fresno (assistant) | ||
| 2021–2022 | Orange County (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Robert Earnshaw (born 6 April 1981) is a Welsh former professional footballer. He played as a forward. Earnshaw is famous for being the only player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League, all three divisions of the English Football League, the League Cup, the FA Cup, and for his country in an international match.
He was born in Zambia and grew up in South Wales. Earnshaw joined Cardiff City in 1997 as a youth player. He became a professional footballer a year later. After playing his first game at age sixteen, he spent a short time on loan with Greenock Morton. Then, he became a regular player for Cardiff City.
His amazing goal-scoring helped Cardiff City get promoted to the First Division in 2003. He scored over 30 goals in that division. In August 2004, he moved to Premier League club West Bromwich Albion for £3.5 million.
Earnshaw played for several English clubs. Later in his career, he also played in Israel, Canada, and the United States. He made his international debut for Wales in 2002. He scored 16 goals in 59 games for Wales, making him one of their top goal-scorers ever.
Contents
Early Life and Football Beginnings
Robert Earnshaw was one of five children. He was born in Mufulira, Zambia, on 6 April 1981. His mother was a professional footballer in Zambia. His father managed a gold mine. Robert's uncle and two cousins were also professional footballers for Zambia.
When Robert was five, his family moved to Malawi. His father managed a coal mine there. Robert went to school in Lilongwe, which was a long journey from his home. He learned the Chewa language, and already spoke Bemba and English.
In 1990, Robert's father passed away. His mother decided to move the family to Bedwas, a small town in Wales, in 1991. Robert found Wales much colder and different, but he quickly adapted. He became friends with David Pipe who lived nearby.
He started playing football in Wales. He kicked a ball around with friends at school. His first organized football match was at age 11 with a local youth team called Llanbradach. After a year, he joined GE Wales. There, he became known for scoring many goals, once netting 80 goals in a single season.
Club Football Journey
Cardiff City Days
Earnshaw's youth team, GE Wales, played near Cardiff City's youth base. In 1997, a Cardiff youth coach saw Earnshaw score three goals in a match. He invited Robert to train with Cardiff. On 1 August, Earnshaw signed a youth contract with Cardiff City. He had also been noticed by scouts from Manchester United.
He scored over 47 goals for Cardiff's youth team in one season. He made his first team debut on 27 October 1997, at just sixteen years old. His first league game was on 28 March 1998.
In August 1998, Earnshaw signed his first full professional contract. He scored his first professional goal in his first start for the club. He struggled to get into the team for a while. In January 2000, he was loaned to Scottish team Greenock Morton to gain experience. He scored twice in three games there.
The 2000–01 season was a big year for Earnshaw. He scored 25 goals, including hat-tricks in league and FA Cup matches. He won Cardiff's Young Player of the Year award. In the 2002–03 season, he scored another three hat-tricks. Cardiff won promotion to the First Division that season. He finished with 35 goals, breaking a club record.
Earnshaw continued his great form in the First Division. He scored over 30 goals, including four goals in one game. Many big clubs became interested in him.
Moving to West Bromwich Albion
At the start of the 2004–05 season, Earnshaw moved from Cardiff to West Bromwich Albion. The transfer fee was £3 million. He made his debut for Albion on 11 September 2004. He scored his first two goals for the club in November 2004.
On 19 March 2005, he scored his first and only Premier League hat-trick against Charlton Athletic. This made him the first West Bromwich Albion player to score a Premier League hat-trick. This hat-trick also meant Earnshaw was the only player to score hat-tricks in all four professional English divisions, the FA Cup, League Cup, and an international match. He finished as Albion's top scorer that season with 14 goals.
In December 2005, Earnshaw asked to leave the club. He felt he was not getting enough chances to play.
Time at Norwich City
On 31 January 2006, Earnshaw signed with Norwich City for £2.75 million. He made his debut on 5 February 2006. He scored his first goals for Norwich with two goals in a 3–0 win against Brighton. He scored six more goals that season.
The next season, he started very well. By January 2007, he was the top goal-scorer in the division with 17 goals. He suffered a groin injury but returned in April 2007 to score two more goals.
Derby County and Nottingham Forest
In June 2007, Derby County signed Earnshaw for £3.5 million. He struggled to make an impact at Derby. He scored his first goal for the club in January 2008. His first Premier League goal for Derby came in April 2008. He later said this was one of his worst seasons in football.
In May 2008, Earnshaw joined Nottingham Forest for £2.65 million. He signed a three-year deal. He scored his first goals for Forest in a League Cup match in August 2008. He scored his first league goal for Forest later that month. On 5 December 2009, he scored a hat-trick against local rivals Leicester City. He scored 43 goals in 111 games for Forest.
Back to Cardiff City
On 6 July 2011, Earnshaw rejoined his boyhood club, Cardiff City, on a free transfer. He made his second debut for Cardiff on 7 August. He scored his first goal back at Cardiff the following Sunday. On 20 August, he scored his 200th career goal in a 1–1 draw with Burnley.
He later found himself playing less often for Cardiff. He made substitute appearances until the end of the season.
Loan to Maccabi Tel Aviv
On 20 September 2012, Earnshaw moved to Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel on a season-long loan. He believed this move would help him improve as a player. He made his debut on 24 September 2012. He scored his first goal two weeks later. He was in Tel Aviv during a time of conflict and had to take cover, which was a new experience for him.
When he returned to Cardiff, the manager decided he was no longer needed.
Later Career in North America
On 28 February 2013, Earnshaw joined Canadian Major League Soccer club Toronto FC. He made his debut two days later. On 9 March, he scored two goals for the club, helping his new manager get his first win. He was named MLS Player of the Week for his performance.
On 21 March 2014, Earnshaw joined Blackpool in England for a short time. He made one appearance before leaving.
On 15 August 2014, Earnshaw returned to MLS, joining Chicago Fire. He scored his first goal for the Fire eight days later. A week after that, he scored again.
In February 2015, Earnshaw joined Vancouver Whitecaps. He made an immediate impact, scoring the winning goal in his debut in the 90th minute with his first touch of the ball. He scored his second goal in a similar way, coming on as a substitute and scoring with his second touch.
Retirement from Playing
Earnshaw announced his retirement from playing football on 28 January 2016. He was then named head coach of the Vancouver U-14 Pre-Residency team.
International Career for Wales
Even though he was born in Zambia, Earnshaw chose to play for Wales. He said Wales was his country where he grew up. He played ten games for the under-21 team, scoring once.
His great goal-scoring for Cardiff City caught the eye of the Wales national coach, Mark Hughes. Earnshaw made his debut for Wales in May 2002. He scored the winning goal against Germany at the Millennium Stadium and was named man of the match.
Earnshaw became an important player for Wales during the Euro 2004 qualifying games. He scored three goals in a friendly match against Scotland in February 2004.
He played for Wales 59 times over ten years. On 25 May 2011, he was the captain for Wales against Scotland in the Nations Cup. He last played for Wales in August 2012.
Coaching Career
After working as a youth coach for the Vancouver Whitecaps, Earnshaw became an assistant coach for United Soccer League team Fresno on 30 January 2018.
On 20 December 2021, Robert Earnshaw joined USL Championship team Orange County as an assistant coach.
Since May 2020, he has been studying in Wales to earn his UEFA Pro License. This license will allow him to coach at a high level in Europe.
Personal Life
Earnshaw grew up in Lansbury Park in Caerphilly, Wales, after moving there from Zambia as a teenager.
Earnshaw's son, Silva Mexes, signed for the Manchester United under-14 football team at the end of the 2023–24 season. He also plays for the Thailand national U-17 team through his mother, who is half-Thai.
In June 2024, Earnshaw married Bollywood actress Zarah Shah at Luttrellstown Castle.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cardiff City | 1997–98 | Third Division | 5 | 0 | – | – | – | 5 | 0 | |||
| 1998–99 | Third Division | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 6 | 1 | |||
| 1999–2000 | Second Division | 6 | 1 | – | – | – | 6 | 1 | ||||
| 2000–01 | Third Division | 36 | 19 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | – | 41 | 25 | ||
| 2001–02 | Second Division | 32 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 36 | 15 | ||
| 2002–03 | Second Division | 46 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | – | 55 | 35 | ||
| 2003–04 | First Division | 46 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | – | 49 | 26 | ||
| 2004–05 | Championship | 4 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 5 | 2 | |||
| Total | 183 | 86 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 10 | – | 203 | 105 | |||
| Greenock Morton (loan) | 1999–2000 | Scottish First Division | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 2 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | 2004–05 | Premier League | 31 | 11 | 3 | 3 | – | – | 34 | 14 | ||
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | – | 16 | 3 | ||
| Total | 43 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | – | 50 | 17 | |||
| Norwich City | 2005–06 | Championship | 15 | 8 | – | – | – | 15 | 8 | |||
| 2006–07 | Championship | 30 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 32 | 19 | ||
| Total | 45 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 47 | 27 | |||
| Derby County | 2007–08 | Premier League | 22 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 25 | 2 | |
| Nottingham Forest | 2008–09 | Championship | 32 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | – | 36 | 17 | |
| 2009–10 | Championship | 34 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 37 | 17 | ||
| 2010–11 | Championship | 36 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 | 9 | ||
| Total | 102 | 38 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | – | 111 | 43 | |||
| Cardiff City | 2011–12 | Championship | 19 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 4 |
| Maccabi Tel Aviv (loan) | 2012–13 | Israeli Premier League | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | 11 | 3 | |
| Toronto | 2013 | MLS | 26 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 | 8 | |
| Blackpool | 2013–14 | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | |
| Chicago Fire | 2014 | MLS | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 | 3 | |
| Vancouver Whitecaps | 2015 | MLS | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 2 |
| Career total | 468 | 184 | 27 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 519 | 216 | ||
International
- Scores and results list Wales' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Earnshaw goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 May 2002 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  Germany |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 12 February 2003 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1–1 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 3 | 11 October 2003 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  Serbia and Montenegro |
2–3 | 2–3 | UEFA Euro 2004 qualification |
| 4 | 18 February 2004 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  Scotland |
1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 5 | 2–0 | |||||
| 6 | 3–0 | |||||
| 7 | 31 March 2004 | Ferenc Puskás Stadium, Budapest, Hungary |  Hungary |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 8 | 8 September 2004 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  Northern Ireland |
2–2 | 2–2 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 13 October 2004 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  Poland |
1–0 | 2–3 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10 | 27 May 2006 | UPC-Arena, Graz, Austria |  Trinidad and Tobago |
1–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 11 | 2–1 | |||||
| 12 | 11 October 2006 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  Cyprus |
2–0 | 3–1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualification |
| 13 | 17 October 2007 | San Marino Stadium, Serravalle, San Marino |  San Marino |
1–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualification |
| 14 | 29 May 2009 | Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli, Wales |  Estonia |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 15 | 25 May 2011 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Republic of Ireland | Scotland |
1–0 | 1–3 | 2011 Nations Cup |
| 16 | 27 May 2011 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Republic of Ireland | Northern Ireland |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2011 Nations Cup |
Hat-trick Record
Robert Earnshaw holds a unique record. He is the only player to have scored hat-tricks in the Premier League, Divisions 1, 2 and 3, the FA Cup, the League Cup, and in an international match.
- Premiership, West Bromwich Albion vs. Charlton, 19 March 2005
- Championship (Division 1), Cardiff vs. Gillingham (13 September 2003) and Nottingham Forest vs. Leicester City (5 December 2009)
- League One (Division 2), Cardiff vs. QPR (29 November 2002) and vs. Tranmere Rovers (14 March 2003)
- League Two (Division 3), Cardiff vs. Torquay United (2 December 2000)
- FA Cup, Cardiff vs. Bristol Rovers (19 November 2000)
- League Cup, Cardiff vs. Boston United (11 September 2002) and vs. Leyton Orient (12 August 2003)
- International, Wales vs. Scotland (18 February 2004)
Honours
Cardiff City
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2011–12
Maccabi Tel Aviv
- Israeli Premier League: 2012–13
Individual
- Cardiff City Young Player of the Year: 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01
- PFA Fans' Player of the Year: 2002–03 Second Division
- PFA Team of the Year: 2000–01 Third Division, 2002–03 Second Division, 2003–04 First Division
- Cardiff City Player of the Year: 2002–03
- Football League Second Division Top Scorer: 2002–03
- Welsh Footballer of the Year: 2004
Images for kids
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Earnshaw in Forest colours, 2010
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Earnshaw in action for Cardiff in 2011
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Earnshaw (No.18) warming up for Wales, 2011
See also
In Spanish: Robert Earnshaw para niños
