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Tony Rougier

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Anthony Leo Rougier (born 17 July 1971) is a Trinidadian former footballer. A former international with 67 caps to his name, he came close to making the 2006 FIFA World Cup team for Trinidad and Tobago.

Tony Rougier
Personal information
Full name Anthony Leo Rougier[1]
Date of birth (1971-07-17) 17 July 1971 (age 53)
Place of birth Sobo Village, Trinidad and Tobago
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1989 La Brea Angels
1990–1992 Trintoc
1992–1993 United Petrotrin
1994 Trinity Pros
1995–1997 Raith Rovers 56 (2)
1997–1999 Hibernian 45 (4)
1999–2000 Port Vale 51 (8)
2000–2003 Reading 84 (6)
2003 → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 6 (2)
2003–2004 Brentford 31 (4)
2004 Bristol City 6 (1)
2004 Nanjing Yoyo 14 (2)
2005 Rochester Rhinos 6 (0)
2006–2007 United Petrotrin (3)
2008 East Stars 0 (0)
2009–2011 FC South End 11 (4)
Total 310 (38)
International career
1995–2005[3] Trinidad and Tobago 67 (5)
Managerial career
2009–2011 FC South End (Technical Director)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He played for La Brea Angels, Trintoc, United Petrotrin, and Trinity Pros before signing with Scottish club Raith Rovers in March 1995. He helped the club to the First Division title in 1994–95 before joining Hibernian in July 1997 for a £250,000 fee. He helped "Hibs" to secure the First Division title in 1998–99, before he was sold on to English club Port Vale for £175,000 in January 1999. He moved on to Reading for £325,000 in August 2000 and helped the "Royals" to promotion out of the Second Division in 2000–01. He switched to Brentford in May 2003 before joining Bristol City in March 2004. He then had spells in China with Nanjing Yoyo and in America with Rochester Rhinos before returning to Trinidad to play for United Petrotrin, North East Stars, and FC South End.

Club career

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Starting his career in his native Trinidad and Tobago with La Brea Angels, Trintoc, United Petrotrin, and Trinity Pros, Rougier switched to the Caribbean for Raith Rovers of Kirkcaldy, Scotland in March 1995. He would have signed for Bradford City but could not secure a work permit in time.[4]

He spent the first half of 1998–99 with Hibernian, playing eighteen games and scoring once against Morton. It would prove to be an easy campaign for Alex McLeish's "Hibs", as they eventually finished 23 points clear of second place Falkirk. Rougier was not at Easter Road for the celebrations, however, having been sold to English club Port Vale for £175,000 in January 1999. He arrived at Vale Park with the club about to suffer a drastic downturn in fortunes as chairman Bill Bell replaced manager John Rudge with Brian Horton. He made twelve appearances for Vale at the end of the season. Rougier scored nine goals in 41 games in 1999–2000, becoming a crowd favourite and the club's top scorer, but it was not enough to prevent the "Valiants" from losing their First Division status.[5] Chairman Bill Bell was not as keen on the player as the supporters, bemoaning Rougier's international commitments by stating "he may have been on the pitch nearly 40 times, but he did not play 40 games".[6]

In August 2000 he was sold on to fellow Second Division side Reading for £325,000, signing a three-year contract.[7] Reading got to the play-off final at the end of the 2000–01 season, but Rougier scored an own goal as they lost to Walsall after extra time.[8]

"He's almost becoming a Cantona sort of figure for us, everything's coming off him. And as long as Nicky Forster is scoring and others are chipping in, he doesn't need to score."

— Reading manager Alan Pardew speaking in February 2002.[9]

The following season, the club pushed for a second-successive promotion, aiming for the Premier League. Rougier was loaned out to Brighton & Hove Albion late in the season,[10][11] scoring twice for the "Seagulls" in six appearances, leading to speculation of a permanent transfer.[12] Returning to the Madejski Stadium in time for the play-offs, he played a part of the semi-final second leg, replacing Darius Henderson after 64 minutes. Eventual play-off winners Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Reading 3–1 on aggregate. At the end of the campaign, Rougier was not offered a new contract,[13] and instead signed with Brentford.[14]

Rougier played 34 games for Brentford in the 2003–04 season before switching to Bristol City in late March.[15] On 2 May, his 21st-minute winner over Barnsley proved not enough to catch Queens Park Rangers, though the club had easily qualified for the play-offs. He scored the opener of the semi-final with Hartlepool United at Victoria Park, City winning 2–1 on aggregate, before falling 1–0 at the Millennium Stadium to his old club Brighton. He was then released by City.[16]

After a short spell with Chinese club Nanjing Yoyo and speculation of signing with Northampton Town in September 2005,[17] he spent a brief period in the US with USL Pro club Rochester Rhinos. He ended his playing career back in Trinidad with United Petrotrin before becoming a Technical Advisor at North East Stars under manager David Farrell in 2008.[18] In 2009, he co-founded FC South End, which is the newest club to compete in the TT Pro League. In July 2009, he registered himself as a player-coach to boost the fortunes of his struggling side.[18]

International career

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Rougier earned 67 caps for the Trinidad and Tobago national team between 1995 and 2005, scoring five goals. He served as captain on numerous occasions.[19] During this time his country won the Caribbean Cup in 1996 and 1999, beating Cuba on home soil in the final on both occasions. They also reached the final in 1998, but were beaten 2–1 by Jamaica. He was also in the squad for the 1996 and 2000 editions of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

He was on the 24-man shortlist for the squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup,[20] but was excluded from the final 23. Manager Leo Beenhakker said: "The guy worked fantastically and he did everything he had to do to try and make it and in the end I had to make a decision."[21]

Personal life

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A "proud and passionate Christian", Rougier used to celebrate goals with a prayer.[4]

"My team-mates found it funny at first. But now that they know me, they understand and respect it. My christian life comes first, my football second. Without Him I couldn't do what I'm doing. I can get strength to achieve anything I want, because with God all things are possible."

— Rougier speaking on his religious views.[4]

He advised good friend and fellow footballer Dwight Yorke to "calm down a bit with the ladies" following Yorke's love life being splashed across the British tabloids.[4] He grew up next door to cricketer Gus Logie and worked at an airport in New York City before trying his luck with football in England.[4]

Rougier is a lifelong teetotaler. On multiple occasions during his playing career, he was awarded a bottle of champagne for winning the man of the match award, only to refuse it and hand it back to the organisers.[22]

His family include his wife Trisha and daughters Alishia-Kae and Maya-Kai.[23]

Career statistics

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Club

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Club Season Division League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Raith Rovers 1996–97[24] Scottish Premier League 29 1 1 1 1 2 — 31 4
Hibernian 1997–98[25] Scottish Premier League 30 3 0 0 1 0 — 31 3
1998–99[26] Scottish First Division 15 1 0 0 3 0 — 18 1
Total 45 4 0 0 4 0 — 49 4
Port Vale 1998–99[26] First Division 13 0 — — — 13 0
1999–2000[27] First Division 38 8 1 0 2 1 — 41 9
Total 51 8 1 0 2 1 — 54 9
Reading 2000–01[28] Second Division 33 2 2 0 1 0 2[a] 0 38 2
2001–02[29] Second Division 33 1 1 0 3 0 2[a] 0 39 0
2002–03[30] First Division 20 3 0 0 1 0 1[b] 0 22 3
Total 86 6 3 0 5 0 5 0 99 6
Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 2002–03[30] First Division 6 2 — — — 6 2
Brentford 2003–04[31] Second Division 31 4 2 1 0 0 1[a] 0 34 5
Bristol City 2003–04[31] Second Division 6 1 — — 3[c] 1 9 2
Nanjing Yoyo 2004[32] China League One 14 2 0 0 — — 14 2
Rochester Rhinos 2005[32] USL First Division 6 0 0 0 — — 6 0
Career total 274 28 6 2 12 1 !9 1 301 32
  1. ^ a b c Appearances in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ Appearance in First Division play-offs
  3. ^ Appearances in Second Division play-offs

International

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Trinidad and Tobago national team[3]
Year Apps Goals
1995 1 0
1996 10 2
1997 1 0
1998 8 0
1999 9 1
2000 11 1
2001 8 0
2002 0 0
2003 0 0
2004 10 1
2005 9 0
Total 67 5

References

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  1. ^ "Tony Rougier". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  2. ^ "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 1999/00". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Anthony Rougier – International Appearances". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d e Shaw, Phil (11 December 1999). "Power of prayer is catalyst behind Rougier's advance". The Independent. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  5. ^ "Vale slide into Division Two". BBC Sport. 28 June 2000. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  6. ^ Baggaley, Mike (14 August 2024). "Vale in talks about player deal". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Reading snap up Rougier". BBC Sport. 11 August 2000. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  8. ^ "Walsall break Reading hearts". BBC. 27 May 2001. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Pardew happy with point". BBC Sport. 3 February 2002. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  10. ^ "Rougier joins Brighton". BBC Sport. 19 February 2003. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  11. ^ "Rougier plots great escape". BBC Sport. 25 February 2003. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  12. ^ "Rougier fancies Brighton return". BBC Sport. 26 May 2003. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  13. ^ "Rougier exits Reading". BBC Sport. 20 May 2003. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  14. ^ "Brentford | News | Latest News | Latest News | BEES COMPLETE SIGNING". world.brentfordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Brentford | News | Latest News | Latest News | ROUGIER DEPARTS". world.brentfordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  16. ^ "Robins release five". BBC Sport. 2 June 2004. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  17. ^ "Rougier may get Cobblers contract". BBC Sport. 14 September 2005. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  18. ^ a b Bando, Randy (27 July 2009). "Rougier to South End's rescue". socawarriors.net. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  19. ^ "Yorke dropped by Trinidad". BBC Sport. 13 June 2001. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  20. ^ "Trinidad announce World Cup squad". BBC Sport. 13 April 2006. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  21. ^ "Trinidad name 23-man final squad". BBC Sport. 13 May 2006. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  22. ^ Coleman, Michael (2003). Foul Football: Prize Players. Scholastic. p. 25. ISBN 0-439-97818-1.
  23. ^ Liburd, Lasana (10 September 2003). "Anthony Rougier reflects on his pro career". socawarriors.net. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  24. ^ "Games played by Tony Rougier in 1996/1997". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  25. ^ "Games played by Tony Rougier in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  26. ^ a b "Games played by Tony Rougier in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  27. ^ "Games played by Tony Rougier in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  28. ^ "Games played by Tony Rougier in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  29. ^ "Games played by Tony Rougier in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  30. ^ a b "Games played by Tony Rougier in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  31. ^ a b "Games played by Tony Rougier in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  32. ^ a b Tony Rougier at National-Football-Teams.com

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