Leo Fortune-West

Infobox Football biography
playername = Leo Fortune-West


fullname = Leopold Paul Osborne Fortune-West
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1971|04|9|df=y
cityofbirth = Stratford
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=6|in=4
currentclub = Alfreton Town
clubnumber =
youthyears =
youthclubs = Tiptree United
Bishop's Stortford
position = Striker
years = 1992–1993
1993–1994
1994–1995
1995–1998
1997
1998
1998
1998–1999
1999–2000
2000–2003
2003–2006
2006–2007
2006
2006–2007
2007–2008
2008
2008–
clubs = Dartford
Dagenham
Stevenage Borough
Gillingham
→ Leyton Orient (loan)
Lincoln City
→ Rotherham United (loan)
Brentford
Rotherham United
Cardiff City
Doncaster Rovers
Rushden & Diamonds
→ Torquay United (loan)
→ Shrewsbury Town (loan)
Cambridge United
→ York City (loan)
Alfreton Town
caps(goals) = 0? 0(?)
0? 0(?)
17 0(7)
69 (18)
03 0(0)
09 0(1)
05 0(4)
11 0(0)
61 (26)
92 (23)
90 (19)
06 0(0)
05 0(0)
19 0(7)
23 0(6)
13 0(2)
09 0(6)
pcupdate = 21:30, 16 August 2008 (UTC)

Leopold Paul Osborne "Leo" Fortune-West (born 9 April 1971) is an English footballer who plays for Alfreton Town as a striker.

Fortune-West started his career with Eastern Counties League side Tiptree United, and played for four more non-league sides before securing a move to the Football League with Gillingham for a fee of £5,000. He finished his first season with them as top scorer, and had several short spells with other League clubs before joining Cardiff City, where he played for three seasons. He played for the side as they achieved two promotions, but left on a free transfer.

He spent three seasons with Doncaster Rovers, winning promotion in his first, but was released in 2006. He then moved back to non-league football with Rushden & Diamonds, but soon made loan returns to the League with Torquay United and Shrewsbury Town. He had spells with Cambridge United and York City before joining Alfreton Town in 2008.

Career

Fortune-West was born on 9 April 1971 in Stratford, East London and grew up as a Leyton Orient supporter.cite web
title = Leo Fortune-West
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=2616
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-20] cite news
title = Leo Fortune-West
url = http://www.cambridge-united.premiumtv.co.uk/page/FeaturedPlayer/0,,10423~1152987,00.html
publisher = Cambridge United FC
date = 2007-10-26
accessdate = 2008-03-20] He started his footballing career with Tiptree United in the Eastern Counties League at the age of 17, with whom he played one season, filling the roles of full back, centre back and striker. He moved onto Bishop's Stortford and joined Dartford in the season they went out of business. A spell at Dagenham followed this before he signed for Stevenage Borough in the Football Conference in 1994. He scored seven goals in 17 appearances in his season at Stevenage,cite book
last = Harman
first = John
title = Alliance to Conference 1979-2004: The First 25 Years
publisher = Tony Williams Publications
year = 2005
pages = pp643–650
isbn = 186983352X ] after which he moved into the Football League with Gillingham for a fee of £5,000, which was raised for the cash-strapped Kent team by its Supporters' Club. [cite book | first=Roger|last= Triggs | title=The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club| publisher=Tempus Publishing Ltd | year=2001| id=ISBN 0-7524-2243-X|pages=p123] Becoming a full-time professional necessitated giving up a degree course at the University of Greenwich.cite web
title = SIX PLAYERS TO FOLLOW
url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19950812/ai_n14000141
publisher = findarticles.com
accessdate = 2008-03-27]

His first season at Gillingham, the 1995–96 season, saw him finish as the club's top scorer and them earning promotion to the Second Division. [cite book
last = Brown
first = Tony
coauthors =
title = The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record
publisher = Soccerdata
year = 2003
isbn = 1-8994-6820-X
pages =p105] cite web
title = GILLINGHAM
url = http://www.fchd.info/GILLINGH.HTM
publisher = Football Club History Database
accessdate = 2008-03-20] After having made eight appearances and scored three goals for Gillingham during the 1996–97 season,cite web
title = Leo Fortune-West
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?seasonid=126&playerid=2616
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-20] he joined Leyton Orient on loan in March 1997 until the end of the season, making three appearances.cite web
title = Leyton Orient 1996/1997 player appearances
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?seasonid=126&teamid=1537
publisher = Soccrbase
accessdate = 2008-03-20] He signed for Second Division side Lincoln City on a free transfer in June 1998 and after making 11 appearances and scoring one goal, he was loaned out to Rotherham United in the Third Division.cite web
title = Leo Fortune-West
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?seasonid=128&playerid=2616
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-25] He scored four goals in five appearances during this loan spell and eventually Brentford signed him for £60,000 in November 1998. His debut for the team came in a 2–1 defeat to Leyton Orient on 21 November 1998 and scored one goal in 15 appearances for the side before returning to Rotherham for a fee of £35,000.cite web
title = Football League Two - KO 15:00
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=253411
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-25]

He scored eight goals in 17 appearances as Rotherham made the Third Division play-offs, which saw them lose to Leyton Orient on penalties in the semi-final.cite web
title = League Two Play-Off Semifinal second leg - KO 19:45
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=422929
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] The 1999–2000 saw Fortune-West finish as Rotherham's top scorer with 17 goals in 43 appearances as the club won promotion to the Second Division.cite web
title = Rotherham 1999/2000 player appearances
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?seasonid=129&teamid=2180
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] cite web
title = Final 1999/2000 Football League Two Table
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/league2.sd?seasonid=129&teamid=2180
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] After a month into the 2000–01 season, he joined Cardiff City in the Third Division for a fee of £300,000. Here he again gained promotion to the Second Division,cite web
title = Final 2000/2001 Football League Two Table
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/league2.sd?seasonid=130&teamid=485
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] scoring 13 goals in 41 appearances during that season.cite web
title = Cardiff 2000/2001 player appearances
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?seasonid=130&teamid=485
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] He again gained with the promotion with the side in 2002–03 after they won the play-offs,cite web
title = Final 2002/2003 Football League One Table
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/league2.sd?seasonid=132&teamid=485
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] but was released following the completion of this season,cite news
title = Cardiff release Fortune-West
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/2940882.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2003-05-28
accessdate = 2008-01-31] during which he made 28 appearances and scored four goals.cite web
title = Cardiff 2002/2003 player appearances
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?seasonid=132&teamid=485
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27]

Bristol Rovers denied that they were interested in signing Fortune-West,cite news
title = Rovers rule out Fortune-West
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bristol_rovers/2978382.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2003-06-10
accessdate = 2008-03-27] but Doncaster Rovers of the Third Division eventually moved for him in June, where he signed a two-year contract.cite news
title = Fortune-West joins Doncaster
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/3026052.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2003-06-27
accessdate = 2008-01-31] His first season with the club, 2003–04, saw him score 12 goals in 43 appearances as they won the Third Division.cite web
title = Doncaster 2003/2004 player appearances
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?seasonid=133&teamid=800
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] cite web
title = Final 2003/2004 Football League Two Table
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/league2.sd?seasonid=133&teamid=800
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] He suffered a knee injury caused by wear and tear to the knee joint in October 2004, which resulted in him underdoing surgery, and returned to the side in March 2005.cite news
title = Fortune-West sidelined by injury
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/doncaster/3972207.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2004-11-01
accessdate = 2008-03-27] cite web
title = Leo Fortune-West
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?seasonid=134&playerid=2616
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] He was to be offered a new deal in April and finished the season with seven goals in 28 appearances.cite news
title = Fortune-West poised for new deal
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/doncaster/4439797.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2005-04-13
accessdate = 2008-03-27] cite web
title = Doncaster 2004/2005 player appearances
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?seasonid=134&teamid=800
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] The following season was his last with Doncaster, as he was released after scoring four goals in 33 appearances.cite news
title = Doncaster boss makes big changes
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/doncaster/4763363.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2006-05-11
accessdate = 2008-03-27] cite web
title = Doncaster 2005/2006 player appearances
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?seasonid=135&teamid=800
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] He returned to non-league football after he signed for Rushden & Diamonds in the Conference National in June on a two-year contract.cite news
title = DIAMONDS BAG FORTUNE
url = http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=35751
publisher = Non-League Daily
date = 2006-06-23
accessdate = 2008-01-31] He joined Torquay United of League Two on loan in September as cover for the injured Mickey Evans,cite news
title = Torquay sign Fortune-West on loan
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/5391244.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2006-09-29
accessdate = 2008-01-31] but was recalled by Rushden due to an injury crisis in early November,cite news
title = Fortune-West to end Gulls stint
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/6110032.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2006-11-02
accessdate = 2008-01-31] after making five appearances for the side.cite web
title = Torquay 2006/2007 player appearances
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?seasonid=136&teamid=2589
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] Days later, he signed for Shrewsbury Town, originally on a two-month loan deal,cite news
title = Fortune-West joins Shrews on loan
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/shrewsbury/6123772.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2006-11-07
accessdate = 2008-01-31] which was extended to the end of the 2006–07 season.cite news
title = Transfer Window Open
url = http://www.shrewsburytown.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10443~949896,00.html
publisher = Shrewsbury Town FC
date = 2007-01-02
accessdate = 2008-03-27] His Shrewsbury debut came as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat to MK Dons on 18 November 2006,cite web
title = Leo Fortune-West
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?seasonid=136&playerid=2616
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] after hoping he would be able to play in the FA Cup tie against Hereford United.cite news
title = Fortune-West seeking derby debut
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/shrewsbury/6132182.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2006-11-09
accessdate = 2008-01-31] Following their 2–0 win over Notts County in February, manager Gary Peters referred to Fortune-West as 'Ronseal', as he does "exactly what it says on the tin".cite news
title = Peters hails Shrews battering ram
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/shrewsbury/6381797.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2007-02-21
accessdate = 2008-01-31]

His final game for Shrewsbury came in the League Two play-off final against Bristol Rovers at Wembley Stadium, coming on as a substitute in the 80th minute, as Shrewsbury lost 3–1.cite news
title = Bristol Rovers 3-1 Shrewsbury
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6686951.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2007-05-26
accessdate = 2008-03-27] With the season over, Fortune-West returned to his home club Rushden & Diamonds,cite news
title = Shrewsbury release defensive duo
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/shrewsbury/6701807.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2007-05-29
accessdate = 2008-03-27] who he left by mutual consent in August.cite news
title = Diamonds sign Burgess and Howell
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rushden_and_diamonds/6930143.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2007-08-03
accessdate = 2008-01-31] He signed for Cambridge United later that month after playing in a pre-season friendly for the team.cite news
title = Cambridge seal Fortune-West deal
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cambridge_utd/6933709.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2007-08-09
accessdate = 2008-01-31] cite news
title = Quinn Wants Fortune-West
url = http://www.cambridge-united.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10423~1086640,00.html
publisher = Cambridge United FC
date = 2007-08-07
accessdate = 2008-01-31] He started his Cambridge career by scoring four goals in the first three games, which included a hat-trick in their 5–1 victory over Farsley Celtic on 21 August 2007.cite web
title = Leo Fortune-West
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?seasonid=137&playerid=2616
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-03-27] He was named as the Conference National player of the month for August.cite news
title = Fortune-West scoops monthly prize
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cambridge_utd/6983079.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2007-09-07
accessdate = 2008-01-31] He signed for York City on loan until the end of the 2007–08 season on 31 January 2008 and scored on his debut against Grays Athletic in February.cite news
title = Fortune-West joins York on loan
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/y/york_city/7219697.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2008-01-31
accessdate = 2008-01-31] cite news
title = York 2-0 Grays
url = http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7223877.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2008-02-09
accessdate = 2008-02-10] Cambridge attempted to recall him from his loan in March, but Conference rules meant that he would not be able to return.cite news
first = Dave
last = Flett
title = Leo to stay put
url = http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/yorkcityfc/news/display.var.2161117.0.leo_to_stay_put.php
publisher = The Press
date = 2008-04-01
accessdate = 2008-04-01] He returned to Cambridge following the closure of his loan spell at York in April,cite news
first = Dave
last = Flett
title = Panther packed off
url = http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/yorkcityfc/news/display.var.2228032.0.panther_packed_off.php
publisher = The Press
date = 2008-04-26
accessdate = 2008-04-26] during which he made 13 appearances and scored two goals,cite web
title = York 2007/2008 player appearances
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?seasonid=137&teamid=2910
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-10-03] and featured in their play-off semi-final second leg against Burton Albion, which was won 2–1, meaning Cambridge reached the final 4–3 on aggregate.cite news
title = Cambridge 2-1 Burton (4-3 agg)
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7381796.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2008-05-06
accessdate = 2008-05-22] He came on for the last 15 minutes in the final against Exeter City, but Cambridge lost 1–0,cite news
first = Chris
last = Whyatt
title = Exeter 1-0 Cambridge Utd
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7393784.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2008-05-18
accessdate = 2008-05-22] and was later released by the club after making 28 appearanes and scoring seven goals.cite news
title = Quinn lets five leave the Abbey
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cambridge_utd/7414542.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2008-05-22
accessdate = 2008-05-22] cite web
title = Cambridge 2007/2008 player appearances
url = http://www.soccerbase.com/squad_season.sd?seasonid=137&teamid=483
publisher = Soccerbase
accessdate = 2008-10-03]

On 11 June 2008 Fortune-West joined Conference North outfit Alfreton Town on a one-year deal for the 2008–09 season.cite news
title = Alfreton seal Fortune-West deal
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7448236.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2008-06-11
accessdate = 2008-06-11] He made his debut in a 3–2 victory against Hyde United on 9 August 2008 and scored two headers late on in the following game, a 2–2 draw with Solihull Moors.cite web
title = Player Details: Season 2007-2008
url = http://www.soccerfactsuk.co.uk/player_details.php?playerid=858
publisher = SoccerFactsUK
accessdate = 2008-08-16] cite news
title = Alfreton Town hit back late to grab a point
url = http://www.ripleyandheanornews.co.uk/sport/Alfreton-Town-hit-back-late.4384219.jp
publisher = Ripley & Heanor News
date = 2008-08-12
accessdate = 2008-08-16]

References

External links

*soccerbase|2616|Leo Fortune-West

Persondata
NAME= Fortune-West, Leopold Paul Osborne
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Fortune-West, Leo
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Professional footballer
DATE OF BIRTH= 1971-04-09
PLACE OF BIRTH= Stratford, England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=