Grégory Wimbée

Grégory Wimbée (born 19 August 1971) is a French retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Grégory Wimbée
Wimbée training with Valenciennes (2010)
Personal information
Date of birth (1971-08-19) 19 August 1971
Place of birth Essey-lès-Nancy, France
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Clairefontaine
1990–1992 Nancy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1997 Nancy 118 (1)
1992–1994 → Charleville (loan) 75 (0)
1997–1998 Cannes 11 (0)
1998–2004 Lille 196 (0)
2004–2006 Metz 67 (0)
2006–2009 Grenoble 111 (0)
2009–2011 Valenciennes 1 (0)
Total 579 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He appeared in 282 Ligue 1 games over 11 seasons, representing in the competition Nancy, Lille, Metz, Grenoble and Valenciennes. In a 19-year professional career, he added 297 matches in Ligue 2.

Club career

Wimbée was born in Essey-lès-Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle. After graduating from AS Nancy's youth system and serving a loan to Ligue 2 side OFC Charleville, he became an undisputed starter for the former, helping them achieve promotion to Ligue 1. On 28 November 1996, in his first top flight season, he scored a last-minute goal from a corner, in a 1–1 home draw against RC Lens, becoming the first goalkeeper to have scored in the competition's history.[1]

After an unassuming year with AS Cannes, Wimbée moved to Lille OSC, achieving another promotion and later qualifying to the 2001–02 edition of the UEFA Champions League, the first-ever participation in the competition for the Nord-Pas de Calais club. During six seasons, he was an automatic first choice.[2]

After two seasons and a further 67 first division matches with FC Metz, Wimbée joined Grenoble Foot 38 in 2006. He made 36 appearances in 2007–08, as the campaign again ended in promotion and the team returned to the top flight after a 45-year absence.[3][4]

On 28 August 2009, the 38-year-old Wimbée signed a one-year deal with fellow league club Valenciennes FC.[5] During the season, which ended with a tenth-place finish, he played only once, in a 1–3 home loss against FC Toulouse on 16 January 2010, renewing his contract in July for one more year.[6]

After no additional league appearances, Wimbée retired from professional football in June 2011, two months shy of his 40th birthday.[6]

References
  1. Bourouf, Alex (October 2012). "Le jour où Wimbée entra dans l'histoire du foot français" [The day where Wimbée entered French footy's history] (in French). Old School Panini. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  2. Carlier, Morgane; Beneytou, Antoine; Teillet, Boris (20 August 2014). "Quand Lille se payait Parme" [When Lille mocked Parma] (in French). So Foot. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  3. "Grenoble en Ligue 1 ce soir?" [Grenoble in Ligue 1 tonight?] (in French). RMC. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  4. "Grenoble-Wimbée: "Un truc fabuleux"" [Grenoble-Wimbée: "A fabulous stunt"] (in French). Sport.fr. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  5. "Grégory Wimbée vient à la rescousse du VAFC" [Grégory Wimbée comes to the rescue of VAFC]. L'Observateur du Valenciennois (in French). 28 August 2009. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  6. Brout, Cédric (15 June 2011). "Wimbée: «Il était temps!»" [Wimbée: «It was the time!»]. Le Républicain Lorrain (in French). Retrieved 17 December 2018.
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