Robin Hulbert

Robin James Hulbert (born 14 March 1980) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 297 games in a 17-year career in the Football League and Conference.

Robin Hulbert
Personal information
Full name Robin James Hulbert[1]
Date of birth (1980-03-14) 14 March 1980[1]
Place of birth Plymouth, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
0000–1996 Everton
1996–1997 Swindon Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2000 Swindon Town 29 (0)
1998 → Newcastle United (loan) 0 (0)
2000–2003 Bristol City 39 (0)
2003 → Shrewsbury Town (loan) 7 (0)
2003–2004 Telford United 22 (1)
2004–2008 Port Vale 67 (1)
2008–2009 Darlington 27 (2)
2009–2012 Barrow 65 (0)
2012–2013 Worcester City 1 (0)
2013 Barrow 3 (0)
Total 256 (4)
National team
1997–1998 England U18 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Signing professional forms with Swindon Town in 1996, he spent four years with the club, also spending a brief time on loan at Newcastle United in 1998. Joining Bristol City in 2000, he moved on to Telford United in 2003, following a loan spell at Shrewsbury Town. He transferred to Port Vale in 2004, and stayed with the club for the next four injury-blighted years. Spending the 2008–09 season with Darlington, he moved on to Barrow in 2009. He stayed for three seasons, and again struggled with injuries. He had a brief spell with Worcester City, before making a brief return to Barrow in August 2013.

Playing career

Born in Plymouth, Hulbert started his career with Everton. In August 1996, he was signed by First Division Swindon Town on the agreement that Swindon would pay the "Toffees" £25,000 for every 30 games Hulbert played.[2] He made his senior debut for the club on 25 September 1996, making a substitute appearance in a 3–1 win over Queens Park Rangers in the League Cup. He made his league debut on 18 October 1997, in a 3–1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers, replacing Scott Leitch on 37 minutes. His next appearance was in a 1–1 draw with Port Vale at The County Ground on 29 August 1998, as he won his first start. He went on to make a further seventeen appearances in 1998–99. After thirteen games in 1999–2000, he was sold to Bristol City in March 2000 for a £25,000 fee.[3]

In his first full season with City he made just 21 appearances, having struggled to overcome a groin injury.[4] He went on to have a quiet 2001–02, making just sixteen appearances in all competitions. In April 2003, he was loaned out to Third Division Shrewsbury Town.[5] Overall in 2002–03 he made seven appearances for the "Shrews" and ten appearances for City. Placed on the transfer list by boss Danny Wilson in August 2003,[6] he left for Conference side Telford United on a free transfer three months later.[7] He scored his first competitive goal whilst at Telford, bagging the only goal of the game against Dagenham & Redbridge on 29 November. He went on to play 22 games for Telford in 2003–04, before the club folded in the summer.

His return to the Football League came in July 2004, when he signed with Port Vale in League One,[8] following a trial period.[9] He played 27 times in his maiden season as a "Valiant". Due to a broken foot he played just the one game in 2005–06, turning up for a defeat at home to Hartlepool United on 29 October. Nevertheless, he was offered a six-month contract at the end of the season, having proved his fitness to the management team.[10] He returned to action in 2006–07, scoring one goal – against Crewe Alexandra – in twenty games.[11] He was offered a new one-year contract at the end of the campaign; manager Martin Foyle and his assistant Dean Glover both felt that Hulbert had "a lot to offer the team", and that "he dictates and he puts his foot in for us but he can also play and retain the ball".[12] He made only 24 appearances in 2007–08, having suffered a broken collarbone in mid-season,[13] and was not retained beyond the end of the season.[14]

He signed with Darlington in August 2008,[15] but started only 13 of his 33 games for the League Two side throughout the 2008–09 campaign. In June 2009, Hulbert signed a two-year contract with Conference National side Barrow.[16] After 37 league appearances, at the end of the season he played at Wembley Stadium in the FA Trophy final victory over Stevenage Borough.[17] During the game he was sent off for a challenge on striker Charlie Griffin at the end of normal time, in which he led into the challenge with his elbow, knocking out Griffin. Hulbert stated leading with elbows is "just a part of his game" – leaving Griffin needing stitches around his left eye, a broken nose and broken cheekbone.[18] He was restricted to twenty appearances in 2010–11 due to suspension and a groin injury.[19] At the end of the campaign he signed up for the 2011–12 season.[20][21] However he picked up a cruciate ligament injury in his knee in October 2011, and was ruled out for the rest of the season; a despondent Hulbert said "I feel I have let the managers and supporters down with the injury."[22] In February he began helping out manager David Bayliss following the departure of joint-manager Darren Sheridan.[23]

In November 2012, he joined Worcester City.[24] However he played just 60 minutes of football for the "Dragons". He returned to Barrow on non-contract terms at the start of the 2013–14 season, following their relegation to the Conference North.[25] Three games into the season he announced his retirement for a second time.

Post-retirement

After his second and final retirement from football he founded the Sporting Stars Academy in Stoke-on-Trent with former teammate Shane Tudor.[26]

Statistics
Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Swindon Town1996–97[27]First Division0000100010
1997–98[28]First Division1000000010
1998–99[29]First Division160200000180
1999–2000[30]First Division120001000130
Total 290202000330
Newcastle United (loan)1997–98[28]Premier League0000000000
Bristol City1999–2000[30]Second Division2000000020
2000–01[31]Second Division190002000210
2001–02[32]Second Division11000005[lower-alpha 1]0160
2002–03[33]Second Division7000102[lower-alpha 1]0100
2003–04[34]Second Division0000201[lower-alpha 1]030
Total 390005080520
Shrewsbury Town (loan)2002–03[33]Third Division7000000070
Telford United2003–04[34]Conference National22130002[lower-alpha 2]1[lower-alpha 2]272
Port Vale2004–05[35]League One24020001[lower-alpha 1]0270
2005–06[36]League One1000000010
2006–07[37]League One201000000201
2007–08[38]League One22000101[lower-alpha 1]0240
Total 671201020721
Darlington2008–09[39]League Two27220202[lower-alpha 1]0332
Barrow2009–10[40]Conference National370400000410
2010–11[41]Conference National200000000200
2011–12[42]Conference National8000000080
Total 650400000690
Worcester City2012–13[43]Conference North1000000010
Barrow2013–14[43]Conference North3000000030
Career total 26041301001412975
  1. Appearance/s in the EFL Trophy.
  2. Appearance/s and goal/s in the FA Trophy.

Honours
Barrow

References
  1. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0.
  2. "Robin HULBERT". swindon-town-fc.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  3. "Todd takes on Swindon job". BBC Sport. 29 June 2000. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  4. "Robins duo on road to recovery". BBC Sport. 22 February 2001. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  5. "Wilson lists duo". BBC Sport. 20 August 2003. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  6. "Wilson lists duo". BBC Sport. 20 August 2003. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  7. "Hulbert set for Telford switch". BBC Sport. 21 November 2003. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  8. "Port Vale sign Hulbert". BBC Sport. 15 July 2004. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  9. "Vale check out new talent". BBC Sport. 1 July 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  10. "Hulbert signs six-month contract". BBC Sport. 24 July 2006. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  11. "Port Vale 3-0 Crewe". BBC. 14 April 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  12. "Port Vale duo commit to new deals". BBC Sport. 21 May 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  13. "Hulbert ruled out for six weeks". BBC Sport. 17 January 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  14. "First summer signings for Sinnott". BBC Sport. 29 April 2008. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  15. "Quakers sign Hulbert and Clarke". BBC Sport. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  16. "Hulbert completes Barrow switch". BBC Sport. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  17. "Barrow 2-1 Stevenage (aet)". BBC Sport. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  18. "Robin Hulbert's Wembley blog". North West Evening Mail. 10 May 2010. Archived from the original on 13 May 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  19. "Barrow midfielder Robin Hulbert keen on competition". BBC Sport. 3 June 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  20. "6. Robin Hulbert". barrowafc.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  21. "Robin Hulbert signs one-year Barrow deal". BBC Sport. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  22. "Robin Hulbert fears end to Barrow career after injury". BBC Sport. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  23. "Hulbert Thrilled About New Role". North West Evening Mail. 18 February 2012. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  24. "Hulbert completes City deal". Worcester News. 17 November 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  25. "Four sign up for new campaign". barrowafc.com. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  26. Mason, Aaron (14 November 2014). "Former Cambridge United man Shane Tudor goes back to school to reach out and help his young Stars". Cambridge News. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  27. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 1996/1997". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  28. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  29. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  30. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  31. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  32. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  33. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  34. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  35. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  36. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  37. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  38. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  39. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  40. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  41. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  42. "Games played by Robin Hulbert in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  43. "Stats". Soccerway. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
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