ROBBIE TURNER

Full Name: Robert Peter Turner

Born: 18 September 1966

Came from: Bristol City   Went to: Notts County

First game: 25 August 1990   Last game: 07 November 1992

Appearances: 77 (77/0)   Goals: 19

Mainly a tall target-man type of forward throughout his career, Turner was born in Littlethorpe, near Ripon, North Yorkshire. He started his career at Huddersfield Town, coming through the Terriers youth system from 1982 to sign his first professional contract in September 1984. He made only two first team appearances, however, before leaving in July 1985 to join Cardiff City.

He played regularly for Cardiff in the 1985-86 season, but when the Bluebirds were relegated at the end of the season he was shipped off to Hartlepool United on loan (seven games, one goal) in October 1986, and was then sold to Bristol Rovers on New Year's Eve 1986. In total he had played 39 times for City and scored eight goals.

The goals dried up at Eastville and after only 29 appearances and two goals for Rovers he was transferred, in improbable circumstances, to First Division side and soon-to-be FA Cup winners Wimbledon for a £15,000 fee. Turner's role at Wimbledon was limited to occasional first team substitute, but he did start two First Division games in October 1988 against Manchester United and then in December against Southampton.

After ten goalless appearances, in January 1989 he returned to the south west, signing for Bristol City, as Wimbledon trebled their money with a £45,000 fee. Back in the Third Division, the goals started to flow again and in 19 starts he scored six times during the remainder of the season. His form continued into the 1989-90 season with a brace against First Division Chelsea in a 3-1 FA Cup 4th Round victory, before his form slumped.

In July 1990 David Kemp's Argyle then paid £110,000 for him. Kemp and Turner had worked together at Wimbledon, and it proved to be an astute signing, as he served the club well in the Second Division. He scored 14 goals in 44 appearances during the 1990-91 season. He was then, however, sent off twice in the early weeks of the 1991-92 season. The signing of fellow target-man Dave Regis in November 1991 also saw Turner make a successful transition to centre-back, but a broken leg sustained away at Ipswich Town, just days before the appointment of Peter Shilton in February 1992 left him facing an uphill battle to secure the affections of the club's high-profile new manager. It later became no secret that Turner and Shilton failed to see eye-to-eye and it was rumoured that Turner enjoyed baiting England's record cap holder in shooting practice, and also deliberately talked to blackballed journalists that Shilton disapproved of. Perhaps not surprisingly, he made just two further appearances for the club under Shilton, before being shipped off to Notts County for £90,000. In total he had scored 19 times in 77 appearances in this time at Home Park.

Turner's time at Meadow Lane was short as manager Neil Warnock left shortly after he arrived. After eight appearances and one goal, he was loaned to Shrewsbury Town in March 1993, where he made nine goalless appearances. After spending the first half of the 1993-94 season frozen out at Notts County, he then moved back to the south west with Exeter City in February 1994. In three years with the Grecians he played 45 times and scored seven goals.

His next move was to Cambridge United in December 1995. He scored three goals in his first five starts, but ill-discipline halted his season again in February 1996 after he received his second red card of the season (the seventh dismissal of his career). He played occasionally in the 1996-97 season, picking up an eighth red card against former club Cardiff City. In 1996 he had a short loan spell at Hull City, where he played five times and scoring twice.

He called time on his senior career during the 1996-97 close season. Across 12 clubs and 13 seasons he had scored over 50 goals and made over 300 appearances, with over half of those goals coming between February 1989 and January 1992 while at Bristol City and Plymouth Argyle.

After a short spell at non-league Taunton Town in the 1997-98 season, he hung up his boots and started a second career as a plumber in Newton Abbot, but also managed a cameo at the age of 40, for Newton Abbot FC in 2006. Robbie has also been a guest of Forever Green, the former players' association at Home Park.

Footnote: Robbie's older brother John was a goalkeeper in the Football League and also played over 300 games for Reading, Chesterfield, Torquay United and Peterborough United, amongst others.