Leroy Rosenior

Infobox Football biography
playername = Leroy Rosenior


fullname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1964|8|24
cityofbirth = Clapham, London
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
position = Striker
currentclub =
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1982 - 1985
1985 - 1987
1987 - 1988
1988 - 1992
1990 - 1991
1991 - 1992
1992 - 1994
clubs = Fulham
QPR
Fulham
West Ham United
→ Fulham (loan)
→ Charlton Athletic (loan)
Bristol City
Fleet Town
Gloucester City
caps(goals) = 54 (15)
38 (8)
34 (20)
53 (15)
11 (3)
03 (0)
51 (12)
nationalyears =
nationalteam = England U21
Sierra Leone
nationalcaps(goals) = 02 (0)
01 (0)
manageryears = ca. 2000
2001 - 2002
2002 - 2006
2006
2007
managerclubs = Gloucester City (player-manager)
Merthyr Tydfil
Torquay United
Brentford
Torquay United

Leroy Rosenior (born 24 August 1964 in Clapham, London) is an English-born Sierra Leonean football coach. He is a former professional footballer whose clubs included Fulham, Queens Park Rangers (for whom he appeared as a substitute in the 1986 League Cup Final), Bristol City and West Ham United.

As one of the few black football managers in England, Rosenior has spoken openly about the racism that he experienced as a player and a manager. He has said that there is a glass ceiling holding back qualified black coaches from getting the top jobs. [cite web |title=Bees board choose Rosenior for top job |work=Tony Flood (This is Local London) |url=http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/archive/display.var.797529.0.bees_board_choose_rosenior_for_top_job.php |accessdate=2007-05-17 ] Rosenior has managed clubs including Merthyr Tydfill Torquay, Brentford and was assistant to Gary Peters at Shrewsbury Town F.C..His son, Liam, is a professional footballer.

Playing career

Rosenior was a striker for most of his career although towards the end of his playing days at Gloucester City A.F.C. he also turned out at centre-back, even in goal in a match against Kingstonian.

He played for the following clubs during his career:
*Fulham
*Queens Park Rangers
*West Ham United
*Fulham (loan)
*Charlton Athletic (loan)
*Bristol City
*Fleet Town
*Gloucester City

He played for England at Under-16 and Under-21 level but changed allegiance to Sierra Leone to gain one cap for the country.

Honours

*1986 League Cup runner-up (QPR 0-3 Oxford United)
*1982 Fulham F.C. Young Player of the Year
*1987 Fulham F.C. Player of the Year

Coaching and managerial career

*Bristol City (youth team coach)
*Gloucester City (player-manager)
*Bristol City (youth, reserve and caretaker first team coach)
*Merthyr Tydfil (manager)
*Torquay United (manager)
*Shrewsbury Town (first team coach)
*Brentford (manager)

Rosenior's first go at management was a successful stint with Southern League Premier side Gloucester City. His first full season in charge saw Gloucester lose a 3rd replay in the FA Trophy semi-final to Dagenham and Redbridge and defeat on the final day of the season to Salisbury City cost a place in the Vauxhall Conference with bitter local rivals Cheltenham Town being promoted. Rosenior then left the following season, taking over Bristol City's reserve side.

Rosenior was manager of Torquay United from July 2002 to January 25, 2006, when he left the club by mutual consent after the 3-1 home defeat to Rochdale. In his second season in charge he took Torquay to promotion to Football League One, but was unable to keep them there, experiencing relegation on the last day of the season.

The return to Football League Two heralded the departure of Alex Russell and Adebayo Akinfenwa, two of the club's best players. After languishing near the bottom of the league for half the season, Leroy eventually left the club by mutual consent.

On March 30, 2006, he was named first team coach at Shrewsbury Town, acting as assistant to manager Gary Peters. He left on June 13, 2006 to take up the managerial position at Brentford.

He was appointed manager of Brentford on June 14, 2006, succeeding Martin Allen. [cite web | title=Rosenior appointed as Manager | work=Brentford FC | url=http://www.brentfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10421~839419,00.html | accessdate=May 17 | accessyear=2007 ] Twenty years earlier he had replaced Allen when he came on as a substitute for in the 1986 League Cup final. Just five months after his appointment, Rosenior left the club on November 18 2006. [cite web | title=Rosenior sacked as Brentford boss | work=BBC Sport | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brentford/6162076.stm | accessdate=May 17| accessyear=2007 ] , after a run of 16 games without a win, which culminated in a 4-0 home defeat to Crewe.

He was scheduled to take charge of the Sierra Leone national side for a friendly against Leyton Orient F.C. in May 2007, [cite web | title=Rosenior gets Sierra Leone chance | work=BBC Sport | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/6611593.stm | accessdate=May 17 | accessyear=2007 ] , which they won 4-2 [cite web | title=Leyton Orient 2-4 Sierra Leone Pictures | work=Leyton Orient Official Site | url=http://www.leytonorient.premiumtv.co.uk/page/GalleryArchive/0,,10439~1022142,00.html | accessdate=June 4 | accessyear=2007 ] . It was announced on BBC Radio 5 Live on 27th May 2007 that he would indeed take charge of Sierra Leone in their upcoming African Nations Qualifiers.

Rosenior returned to Torquay United as head coach on 17 May, 2007, replacing Keith Curlecite news
title = Rosenior makes return to Torquay
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/6665151.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2007-05-17
accessdate =2007-05-17] but was reportedly sacked after 10 minutes, which gave him the record of the shortest managerial reign in the history of English football. This was because at the same time Torquay were bought by a local consortium who installed Colin Lee as Chief Executive, Lee then appointed former Gulls Player & Exeter Assistant Manager Paul Buckle as manager..cite news
title = Rosenior loses job in 10 minutes
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/6675217.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2007-05-20
accessdate =2007-05-21]

Honours

*Promoted to League One with Torquay United in May 2004.

Media career

Leroy works as a presenter and pundit on G-Sports, an African Pay-Per-View channel who deliver Premier League, Serie A and International Football across Africa. He is also a pundit for the BBC's coverage of the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

He also works as a pundit on BBC Radio 5 Live where he famously celebrated the Israel goal against Russia by screaming "Go on! Go on! YEEEEEES!" in the background.Fact|date=February 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.t-ender.co.uk/explayers/rose.htm Gloucester City website]
* [http://www.soccerbase.com/managers2.sd?managerid=1595 Soccerbase]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2005/11/13/sfntor13.xml Daily Telegraph] - article where Leroy discusses racism in football.