Bobby Petta

Football player infobox
playername = Bobby Petta
fullname = Bobby Petta


height = height|m=1.72
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1974|8|6|df=y
cityofbirth = Rotterdam
countryofbirth = Netherlands
position = Left Winger
currentclub = Para Hills Knights
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1992–1996 1993–1994 1994–1995 1996–1999 1999–2004 2004 2005 2005–2006 2006–2008
2008–
clubs = Feyenoord → Dordrecht '90 (loan) → RKC Waalwijk (loan) Ipswich Town Celtic → Fulham (loan) Darlington Bradford City Adelaide United
Para Hills Knights
caps(goals) = 01 (0) 09 (0) 21 (1) 87 (9) 81 (4) 13 (0) 12 (1) 31 (4) 20 (1)
00 (0)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 16:05, 12 June 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

Bobby Petta (born 6 August 1974 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands) is a Dutch professional footballer playing as a midfielder for Para Hills Knights in the South Australian League. His playing position is left winger.

Club career

Petta's early playing career was with Feyenoord, from the age of 13 to 21, but he never became a regular in the first team during that period, having loan spells at Dordrecht'90 and RKC Waalwijk. His frustration led to a move to England in 1996 after he was spotted by Ipswich Town scouts. He signed for them, but in his first season found it difficult to adapt to the more physical British game, making only six appearances. The Ipswich manager at the time, George Burley, was determined that his potential would not go to waste, and with hard work he was able to develop his game and physical resilience, with Bobby finally establishing himself in the first team, on the left side of midfield, making more than 70 appearances and scoring nine goals.

However, he eventually became frustrated at Ipswich and did not sign a new contract. This resulted, in July 1999, in a free transfer to Celtic. Possibly the highlight of his career was when, during the early managership of Martin O'Neill, Petta became a regular in the team that achieved the domestic treble in 2001 and played a starring role in the 6–2 victory for Celtic over Rangers in the first Old Firm game of the season - his rampant performance leading to the early substitution of Rangers right-back Fernando Ricksen. His form throughout that season also saw him called up to the Dutch national team but injury prevented him from playing for his country.

Following that, his first team appearances became limited as a result of injury and other factors, and he made only two starts during the 2002–03 season. Fulham signed Petta on loan in January 2004 for the remainder of that season, making 13 appearances before returning to Scotland. However there was no way back into the Celtic first team and he left the club early in 2005.

He tried to revive his career in England, first with Darlington and then Bradford City, finally leaving the country in 2006 to join the Australian club, Adelaide United. He has been released from Adelaide after failing to make much of an impact because of injuries. Petta signed for Para Hills Knights on 11 June 2008 and is expected to make his debut in early July.Fact|date=August 2008 He was invited to have a trial with A-League club Sydney FC in late July.Fact|date=August 2008

A-League career statistics

("Correct as of 14 March 2008") [cite web|url=http://www.adelaideunited.com.au/default.aspx?s=aufc_playerprofile_item&pid=695 |title=Bobby Petta |accessdate=2008-03-14 |publisher=Adelaide United official website]

Honours

With Celtic FC:
*SPL Championship: 2000–01

References

External links

*soccerbase|9533|Bobby Petta
* [http://www.adelaideunited.com.au/default.aspx?s=aufc_playerprofile_item&pid=695 Adelaide United profile]