Reuben Agboola
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Reuben Omojola Folasanje Agboola[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 30 May 1962||
Place of birth | Camden, London, England[2] | ||
Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Left back; sweeper[4] | ||
Youth career | |||
1973–1977 | Cheshunt | ||
1978–1980 | Southampton | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1980–1985 | Southampton | 90 | (0) |
1985–1991 | Sunderland | 140 | (0) |
1986 | → Charlton Athletic (loan) | 1 | (0) |
1990 | → Port Vale (loan) | 9 | (0) |
1991–1993 | Swansea City | 28 | (0) |
1993–1994 | Woking | 6 | (0) |
Gosport Borough | |||
Total | 274+ | (0+) | |
International career | |||
1991–1993 | Nigeria | 9 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Reuben Omojola Folasanje Agboola (born 30 May 1962) is a former professional
He began his career as an amateur at
Club career
Southampton
Agboola was born in Camden, London. When he was a schoolboy, his family moved to Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, where he played for Cheshunt's youth teams while also attending Southampton's London Selection Centre. In July 1978, he joined Southampton as an amateur before signing as a professional in April 1980, having made his reserve team debut in April 1979.
His first-team debut came at Old Trafford on 29 November 1980, in the same match as Danny Wallace, when the "Saints" held Manchester United to a 1–1 draw.saintsplayers.co.uk After the match manager Lawrie McMenemy said: "I was thrilled coming to Old Trafford ... knowing I would put the two youngsters in. And why not? Matt Busby showed everyone about playing kids at Old Trafford years ago. Even if we had lost I would have enjoyed the game for their sake."[5] He retained his position in the team for the next few games before the fit again Nick Holmes regained his place.
He made only eleven appearances in his first two seasons as a professional. In November 1982, he eventually claimed the number 3 shirt as his own, ousting
After the first six games of the following season, he was replaced by Kevin Bond. After several sporadic appearances, he was sold to Sunderland in January 1985 for £150,000.[8] During his five years as a professional with the Saints, Agboola made 112 appearances in all competitions.
Sunderland
He made his official debut for Sunderland on 29 January 1985 in a 1–0 defeat at his former club, Southampton.[8] He had started in an earlier match at Roker Park against Liverpool, but this match was abandoned because of a frozen pitch and was expunged from the records.[8] He initially found it difficult to hold down a regular first-team place as Sunderland struggled in vain to avoid relegation from the First Division at the end of his first season. As Sunderland continued to struggle (now under the management of Agboola's mentor, Lawrie McMenemy), Agboola spent a part of the 1986–87 season on loan at Charlton Athletic.
In the following season he had his best season for Sunderland, as (now under manager Denis Smith) they stormed back into the Second Division as champions of the Third Division. This success was followed two years later by a return to the top flight; the "Black Cats" finished sixth and lost 1–0 to Swindon Town in the play-off final at Wembley, however, Swindon were found to have made illegal payments to their players and so Sunderland were promoted instead.[8]
Sunderland again struggled at the highest level, and Agboola was loaned out to Port Vale in November 1990. He played nine games for John Rudge's "Valiants" in 1990–91.[9] He left Roker Park in November 1991, having played 170 games for Sunderland in league and cup competitions.
Later career
Agboola joined Frank Burrows's Swansea City in November 1991 and made 28 appearances before retiring from professional football. The "Swans" battled against relegation in 1991–92, before reaching the play-offs in 1992–93, losing to West Bromwich Albion at the semi-final stage. He subsequently turned out for Woking of the Conference in the 1993–94 season after signing for Geoff Chapple's side in August 1993. He later ended his career at non-League club Gosport Borough.
International career
Agboola was eligible to represent
Later life
He returned to
Career statistics
Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Other | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Southampton | 1980–81 | First Division | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
1981–82 | First Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
1982–83 | First Division | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
1983–84 | First Division | 33 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 0 | |
1984–85 | First Division | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
Total | 90 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 112 | 0 | ||
Sunderland | 1984–85 | First Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
1985–86 | Second Division | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
1986–87 | Second Division | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
1987–88 | Third Division | 38 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
1988–89 | Second Division | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
1989–90 | Second Division | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 47 | 0 | |
1990–91 | First Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
1991–92 | Second Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Total | 140 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 170 | 0 | ||
Charlton Athletic (loan) | 1986–87 | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Port Vale (loan) | 1990–91 | Second Division | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
Swansea City | 1991–92 | Third Division | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
1992–93 | Second Division | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
Total | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 36 | 0 | ||
Career total | 268 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 328 | 0 |
Honours
Sunderland
Nigeria
- 1992
References
- ISBN 978-0-7524-5777-2.
- ^ a b "Sunderland AFC – Statistics, History and Records – from TheStatCat". thestatcat.co.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ISBN 0362020175.
- ^ "Reuben Agboola". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ISBN 0-9534474-3-X.
- ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.
- ^ a b "Reuben Agboola | SaintsPlayers.co.uk". saintsplayers.co.uk. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ ISBN 9781899538157.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
- ^ "1991 African internationals". srcf.ucam.org. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
- ^ "Past Players". swanseacity.net. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
- ^ Reuben Agboola at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- ^ Sunderland career details}