Robert Earnshaw

PROFILE
A prolific goalscorer who’s appeared in over 500 professional matches at the club level, Robert Earnshaw joined Whitecaps FC in March 2015. At the same time, Earnshaw confirmed that he is retiring from international football. In more than a decade playing with Wales, the 5-foot-8 striker earned 59 caps and scored 16 goals.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
2014 (Chicago): On 23 August 2014 he scored his first goal for the Fire, heading in a Grant Ward cross in a 2-2 draw against his former club Toronto FC. A week later he made it two goals in two games when he headed in the game winner against FC Dallas in a game at Toyota Park.
2013 (Toronto): Earnshaw made his debut for Toronto on 2 March in a 1-0 away defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The following week on March 9, Earnshaw scored two goals and first for the club in a 2-1 home victory over Sporting Kansas City, helping earn new manager Ryan Nelsen his first coaching victory. Earnshaw was awarded MLS player of the week for his two-goal performance.

ENGLAND
2013-14 (Blackpool): Making only one appearance, Earnshaw entered as a second half substitute. 2012-13 (Cardiff City): In his second seasons of return to Cardiff City Earnshaw was loaned to Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv. 2011-12: In his return to Cardiff City, Earnshaw started eight of 20 appearances scoring three goals. 2010-11 (Nottingham Forest): During his third season at Nottingham Forest, the Welsh striker played over 2200 minutes in 27 starts recording nine assists. 2009-10: Starting 21 of 34 appearances Earnshaw scored 17 goals for Nottingham Forest. 2008-09: During his first year with Nottingham Forest, Earnshaw played over 2000 in 26 starts that included 12 goals. 2007-08 (Derby County): In his most recent English Premier League season, Earnshaw started seven of 23 appearances and scored one goal.
2006-07: By January 2007, Earnshaw was top-scorer in the Championship division with 17 goals, but suffered a severe groin injury in training, that looked to have put him out of action for the rest of the season. 2005-06 (Norwich City): He opened his Norwich goal scoring account with a brace, late on in Norwich's 3–0 home win against Brighton on 14 February 2006. Earnshaw scored six more goals in the remaining matches of the 2005–06 season. 2004-05 (West Bromwich): In 2004 Earnshaw was transferred from Cardiff to West Bromwich Albion. Earnshaw made his Albion début in a 3–0 defeat at Liverpool on 11 September 2004, coming on as a second-half substitute. It took Earnshaw seven games to notch his first Albion goal, netting twice in the 2–2 draw at Southampton on 6 November 2004. His first and only Premier League hat-trick came against Charlton Athletic on 19 March 2005. Earnshaw finished as Albion's top goalscorer for that season with 14 goals, earning him the Ronnie Allen trophy. 2003-04: At the end of 2003–04, Earnshaw was named in the First Division team of the year after scoring 21 goals in 46 matches. 2002-03: Earnshaw was named Young Welsh Footballer of the Year, and was named in the PFA Division Two Team of the Year for 2002–03 after a prolific season saw him score 35 goals in all competitions, with 31 scored in the league meaning he broke the 56-year old club record of Stan Richards. 2001-02: Playing in the English Second Division with Cardiff City, Earnshaw scored 12 goals in 32 league appearances. 2000-01: In 36 league appearances Earnshaw scored 19 goals helping promote Cardiff City from the Third Division to the Second Division. 1999-2000: Playing part of the season with Cardiff Earnshaw scored one goal in six appearances before being loaned to Scottish side Greenock Morton. 1998-99: Scoring his first professional goal in his second professional season, the Welsh striker played in five Third Division games as well as one FA Cup for Cardiff City helping the team get promoted to the Second Division. 1997-98: In his first professional season, Earnshaw played in five league games.

ISRAEL
2012-13: Earnshaw was loaned to Israeli Premier League side Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he made 10 appearances and scored two goals.

INTERNATIONAL
Earnshaw has earned 59 caps and scored 16 goals for the Welsh National Team. In his debut appearance, Earnshaw scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over 2002 FIFA World Cup finalists Germany at Millennium Stadium, in Cardiff Wales.

PERSONAL
Born in Mufulira, Zambia, and spent the first five years of his life there before moving to Malawi. In 1990, Earnshaw's mother moved the family to Bedwas in south Wales. 

INTERESTING FACTS
Earnshaw remains the only player to record a hat-trick in every professional division in England, including the FA Cup and League Cup competitions as well as internationally for Wales.