Calum Willock
{{Short description|Footballer (born 1981)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Calum Willock
| image = Calum Willock 21-01-12.png
| upright = 0.8
| caption = Willock playing for Ebbsfleet United in 2012
| fullname = Calum Daniel Willock{{Cite book |title=The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09 |editor-last=Hugman |editor-first=Barry J. |publisher=Mainstream |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-84596-324-8}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|10|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = Lambeth, England
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}
| position = Forward
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 = {{0|000}}?–2000
| youthclubs1 = Fulham
| years1 = 2000–2003
| clubs1 = Fulham
| caps1 = 5
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2002
| clubs2 = → Queens Park Rangers (loan)
| caps2 = 3
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2003
| clubs3 = → Bristol Rovers (loan)
| caps3 = 5
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2003
| clubs4 = → Peterborough United (loan)
| caps4 = 7
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2003–2006
| clubs5 = Peterborough United
| caps5 = 72
| goals5 = 23
| years6 = 2006–2007
| clubs6 = Brentford
| caps6 = 41
| goals6 = 4
| years7 = 2007–2008
| clubs7 = Port Vale
| caps7 = 15
| goals7 = 3
| years8 = 2008–2009
| clubs8 = Stevenage Borough
| caps8 = 38
| goals8 = 5
| years9 = 2009–2010
| clubs9 = Crawley Town
| caps9 = 16
| goals9 = 2
| years10 = 2010
| clubs10 = → Cambridge United (loan)
| caps10 = 14
| goals10 = 0
| years11 = 2010–2012
| clubs11 = Ebbsfleet United
| caps11 = 86
| goals11 = 39
| years12 = 2012–2013
| clubs12 = Dover Athletic
| caps12 = 27
| goals12 = 5
| years13 = 2013
| clubs13 = Boreham Wood
| caps13 = 6
| goals13 = 0
| years14 = 2013
| clubs14 = → Harrow Borough (loan)
| caps14 = 9
| goals14 = 0
| years15 = 2014–2015
| clubs15 = Staines Town
| caps15 = 39
| goals15 = 7
| years16 = 2015
| clubs16 = Lewes
| caps16 = 10
| goals16 = 0
| years17 = 2015
| clubs17 = Dulwich Hamlet
| caps17 = 15
| goals17 = 5
| years18 = 2015–2017
| clubs18 = Merstham
| caps18 =
| goals18 =
| years19 = 2017
| clubs19 = Farnborough
| caps19 = 2
| goals19 = 0
| years20 = 2018–2019
| clubs20 = Cray Valley Paper Mills
| caps20 =
| goals20 =
| totalcaps = 407
| totalgoals = 93
| nationalyears1 = 2004
| nationalteam1 = Saint Kitts and Nevis
| nationalcaps1 = 3
| nationalgoals1 = 3
}}
Calum Daniel Willock (born 29 October 1981) is a former professional footballer who played as a forward. In his career, he played in each of the top seven levels of English football. Born in England, he represented the Saint Kitts and Nevis national team internationally.
Beginning his career with Fulham in 2000, he enjoyed loan spells with Queens Park Rangers, Bristol Rovers, and Peterborough United, before switching permanently to Peterborough in 2003. In 2006, he signed with Brentford, moving to Port Vale in summer 2007. He switched to Stevenage Borough in January 2008 before joining Crawley Town the following year. He played on loan at Cambridge United 2010, before transferring to Ebbsfleet United later in the year. He helped the club to win promotion out of the Conference South in 2011 before he returned to the division when he signed with Dover Athletic in June 2012. He joined Boreham Wood in July 2013 and was dual registered with Harrow Borough before he joined Staines Town in January 2014. He moved on to Lewes in February 2015 before going on to join Merstham via Dulwich Hamlet later in the year. He went on to help Cray Valley Paper Mills win the Southern Counties East League Premier Division title in 2018–19 and also played on the losing side in the 2019 FA Vase final.
Club career
Willock started his career at Fulham, impressing manager Gary Brazil enough to win the chance to sign schoolboy forms at the club.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Dan |title=Q&A with Calum Willock |url=https://fulhamfocus.com/qa-with-calum-willock/ |accessdate=6 April 2020 |work=Fulham Focus |date=16 April 2018}} He made his professional debut as a substitute in the First Division on 4 November 2000, in a 3–0 over Huddersfield Town at Craven Cottage. The youngster played no further part in the season. He played two games of the 2001–02 Premier League season, both against Blackburn Rovers, both times the home side winning. In November 2002, he was loaned out to Queens Park Rangers of the Second Division,{{Cite news |url=http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2002/november/07/loan-ranger |title=Loan Ranger |date=7 November 2002 |access-date=10 April 2014 |publisher=Fulham Official Website}} playing three games. Willock went on to say playing in the Premier League was a "dream coming true".{{Cite news |url=http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2002/december/18/willocks-dream |title=Willock's Dream |date=18 December 2002 |access-date=11 April 2014 |publisher=Fulham Official Website}}
At the start of the 2003–04 season, he joined Fourth Division club Bristol Rovers. In two months, he made just five appearances, all as a substitute, though at age 21, he had now played at every level of the English Football League. In October 2003, he joined Peterborough United of the Third Division on loan.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/peterborough_united/3189730.stm |title=Posh sign striker |date=14 October 2003 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} He scored his first professional goal on 1 November in a 2–2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion at London Road. On 17 December the loan deal was made permanent for an undisclosed fee.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/peterborough_united/3329089.stm |title=Peterborough sign Willock |date=17 December 2003 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} He finished the season with nine goals for the "Posh". He started the 2004–05 season struggling with hamstring trouble,{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/peterborough_united/3654228.stm |title=Willock boost for Posh |date=14 September 2004 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} also fighting a calf injury at the end of the season,{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/peterborough_united/4283173.stm |title=Posh suffer Willock injury blow |date=21 February 2005 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} as well as rumours of a big money move to Gillingham.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/4252701.stm |title=Gills deny chasing Posh striker |date=10 February 2005 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} Despite all this he finished the season with 14 goals, though this was not enough to save Peterborough from relegation to League Two.
Willock was signed by Brentford on the last day of the 2006 January transfer window as a replacement for DJ Campbell, for an undisclosed fee.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brentford/4669990.stm |title=Willock leaves Posh for the Bees |date=1 February 2006 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} The "Bees" finished the 2005–06 in third place in League One, though failed to gain promotion. Despite being on the transfer list and receiving interest from Mark Wright of Chester City,{{Cite web |url=http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~866026,00.html |title=Brentford {{!}} News {{!}} Latest News {{!}} Latest News {{!}} FITZGERALD AND WILLOCK PLACED ON TRANSFER LIST |date=10 July 2006 |website=world.brentfordfc.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408074037/http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~866026,00.html |archive-date=8 April 2018 |access-date=7 April 2018}}{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chester/6080986.stm |title=Chester target Steele and Willock |date=24 October 2006 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} Willock was a regular in the Brentford team in the 2006–07 season, due to the serious groin injury sustained by striker Lloyd Owusu. After the signing of Neil Shipperley, Willock dropped to the bench. Brentford released him in May 2007.
In August 2007, Willock had a trial with Martin Foyle's Port Vale.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/6934831.stm |title=Port Vale 0–1 Shrewsbury Town |date=7 August 2007 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} He was soon signed on a short-term deal, due to finish at the end of the year.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/6940563.stm |title=Vale sign ex-Bees striker Willock |date=10 August 2007 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} The first ten games of his 2007–08 season went without a goal before he scored in an FA Cup encounter with Morecambe.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/7092968.stm |title=Willock hoping for regular start |date=13 November 2007 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} He was to score a further three goals in nine games before being released in January 2008 by new manager Lee Sinnott, after Willock rejected a longer contract at the club.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/7183104.stm |title=Port Vale snap up Chasetown duo |date=11 January 2008 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} He quickly signed for Stevenage Borough of the Conference National.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stevenage/7175012.stm |title=Stevenage complete Willock swoop |date=10 January 2008 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}} Willock struck six times in 31 games during the 2008–09 season. He was an unused substitute in the FA Trophy 2009 final,{{Cite web |url=http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/8036407.stm |title=Stevenage 2–0 York |date=9 May 2009 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=2 July 2009}} and was released by Stevenage in May 2009.{{Cite web |url=http://www.stevenageborofc.com/index_news_det.php?news_id=1400 |title=Willock Released |date=21 May 2009 |website=stevenageborofc.com |access-date=2 July 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
On 28 July 2009, Willock scored twice for AFC Wimbledon in a friendly against a Fulham XI.{{Cite web |url=http://www.londoninformer.co.uk/london-sport/allsport/2009/07/28/calum-willock-offered-afc-wimbledon-deal-113489-24263033/ |title=Calum Willock offered AFC Wimbledon deal |date=28 July 2009 |website=London informer |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802074316/http://www.londoninformer.co.uk/london-sport/allsport/2009/07/28/calum-willock-offered-afc-wimbledon-deal-113489-24263033/ |archive-date=2 August 2009 |access-date=10 August 2009}} However, a day later it was announced that Willock would not be joining the club as both parties were unable to reach an agreement regarding Willock's contract demands.{{Cite web |url=http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/sport/4518766.Willock_Dons_deal_dead/ |title=Willock Dons deal dead |date=29 July 2009 |website=London informer |access-date=10 August 2009}} He joined Crawley Town on a short-term contract in September.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crawley_town/8243711.stm |title=Crawley bring in striker Willock |date=9 September 2009 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=8 September 2009}} He later signed an extended deal, and went on to play 16 games for the club. Willock joined Cambridge United in February 2010, playing 14 games for the club. At the end of the season, he was a free agent.
In August 2010, he joined Conference South side Ebbsfleet United.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/8834664.stm |title=Ebbsfleet United sign ex-Crawley striker Calum Willock |date=19 July 2010 |access-date=11 August 2010 |publisher=BBC Sport}} He told the press that he believed Liam Daish's team would achieve promotion at the first attempt,{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/9106937.stm |title=Ebbsfleet United striker Calum Willock eyes promotion |date=19 October 2010 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=21 July 2011}} before going on to fulfil this prophecy by scoring in the club's 4–2 play-off final victory over Farnborough.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13380187.stm |title=Farnborough 2–4 Ebbsfleet United |date=15 May 2011 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=21 July 2011}} Finishing as "Fleet's" top scorer, he was rewarded with a new one-year deal.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13881060.stm |title=Calum Willock signs new Ebbsfleet United deal |date=22 June 2011 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=21 July 2011}} Both Willock and the club took to life in the Conference National well, as he scored 19 league goals in 2011–12 to help the Stonebridge Road club to a comfortable mid-table finish.
He dropped back into the Conference South in June 2012 to sign a contract with Dover Athletic.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18342581 |title=Dover Athletic sign Ebbsfleet striker Calum Willock |date=6 June 2012 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=6 June 2012}} He played in the 3–2 play-off final defeat to Salisbury City on 12 May 2013.{{Cite web |url=http://www.bluesqsouth.com/story/0,20970,13042_8709540,00.html |title=Salisbury City 3–2 Dover Athletic |website=bluesqsouth.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621073721/http://www.bluesqsouth.com/story/0%2C20970%2C13042_8709540%2C00.html |archive-date=21 June 2013 |access-date=13 May 2013}}
He joined Boreham Wood, also of the Conference South, in July 2013. He was dual registered with Isthmian League club Harrow Borough to help him overcome an injury. He signed with Conference South rivals Staines Town in January 2014,{{Cite web |url=http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/much-travelled-striker-joins-staines-27849/#_ |title=Much-Travelled Striker Joins Staines |website=nonleague.pitchero.com |date=2 January 2014 |access-date=2 January 2014}} in a move that reunited him with the manager Marcus Gayle, his former teammate at Brentford.{{Cite news |url=http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/staines-town-signing-calum-willock-6488163 |title=Staines Town players 'can learn from me', says new man Willock |last=Youlton |first=Clive |date=10 January 2014 |work=Get Surrey |access-date=5 May 2014}} He played 19 games for the "Swans" in the second half of the 2013–14 season as the club posted an eighth-place finish. He scored six goals in 20 games in the first half of the 2014–15 season, before joining Isthmian League side Lewes in February 2015.{{Cite news |url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/11767723.Lewes_bring_in_experienced_striker/?ref=mac |title=Lewes bring in experienced striker |last=Griggs |first=Howard |date=3 February 2015 |work=The Argus |access-date=9 May 2015}} The "Rooks" finished 19th in the Premier Division in 2014–15.
After his release from Lewes at the end of the season, he signed forms with Dulwich Hamlet ahead of the start of the 2015–16 Isthmian League Premier Division campaign following a successful trial period in pre-season,{{Cite news |url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/willock-signs-1466817.html |title=Willock Signs |last=Hickey |first=Liam |date=2 August 2015 |work=Dulwich Hamlet F.C. |access-date=2 August 2015}} with the signing being funded by the 12th Man Scheme.{{Cite news |url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/12th-man-scheme-bolsters-hamlet-playing-squad-1471094.html |title=12th Man Scheme Bolsters Hamlet Playing Squad |last=Cole |first=Neil |date=10 August 2015 |work=Dulwich Hamlet F.C. |access-date=10 August 2015}} He scored just three minutes into his debut, a 3–0 win over Canvey Island,{{Cite news |url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/dulwich-hamlet-3-0-canvey-island-1470200.html |title=Dulwich Hamlet 3–0 Canvey Island |last=Hickey |first=Liam |date=8 August 2015 |work=Dulwich Hamlet F.C. |access-date=9 August 2015}} before scoring again in his second game, a 2–0 win over Merstham.{{Cite web |url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/merstham-0-2-dulwich-hamlet-1471871.html |title=Merstham 0–2 Dulwich Hamlet |date=12 August 2015 |publisher=Dulwich Hamlet F.C. |access-date=13 August 2015}} He went on to score seven goals in 19 appearances in all competitions before his release from the club in November 2015, with Hamlet manager Gavin Rose commenting "Calum made a fantastic contribution to our club in the time he was with us and was also a great person to have in the dressing room. I'd like to wish him every success and I'm sure he has a long term future in football well beyond his playing days."{{Cite web |url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/ryan-moss-signs-from-margate-as-willock-departs-1524989.html |title=Ryan Moss Signs from Margate as Willock Departs |date=12 November 2015 |publisher=Dulwich Hamlet F.C. |access-date=12 November 2015}} Later in the month he signed with Merstham.{{Cite news |url=http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/Leicester-City-goalkeeper-join-Merstham/story-28226387-detail/story.html |title=Former Leicester City goalkeeper among six to join Merstham |date=23 November 2015 |work=Surrey Mirror |access-date=2 January 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124152750/http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/Leicester-City-goalkeeper-join-Merstham/story-28226387-detail/story.html |archive-date=24 November 2015}} Merstham finished tenth in the 2015–16 campaign and then 14th in 2016–17.
Willock went on to join Southern Counties East League Premier Division club Cray Valley Paper Mills. The "Millers" won the league title at the end of the 2018–19 season and reached the 2019 FA Vase final. Willock was a late substitute in the final at Wembley Stadium, which Mills lost 3–1 to Chertsey Town after extra time.{{cite news |last1=Association |first1=The Football |title=Chertsey Town lift the Buildbase FA Vase after extra-time victory over Cray Valley |url=http://www.thefa.com/news/2019/may/19/fa-vase-final-chertsey-cray-valley-report-190519 |accessdate=6 April 2020 |work=www.thefa.com |date=19 May 2019 |language=en}}
International career
Willock represented Saint Kitts & Nevis at international level, earning a total of three caps in 2004. He scored twice against Barbados in a 3–2 win on 19 June 2004 in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification qualifying game.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/peterborough_united/3823477.stm |title=Willock hits double |date=20 June 2004 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=3 July 2009}}
Career statistics
{{notelist}}
Honours
Fulham
Stevenage Borough
Ebbsfleet United
- Conference South play-offs: 2011
Cray Valley Paper Mills
- Southern Counties East League Premier Division: 2018–19
- FA Vase runner-up: 2019
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willock, Calum}}
Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Lambeth
Category:English people of Saint Kitts and Nevis descent
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Saint Kitts and Nevis men's footballers
Category:Saint Kitts and Nevis men's international footballers
Category:Black British sportsmen
Category:21st-century Black British people
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. players
Category:Bristol Rovers F.C. players
Category:Peterborough United F.C. players
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:Port Vale F.C. players
Category:Stevenage F.C. players
Category:Crawley Town F.C. players
Category:Cambridge United F.C. players
Category:Ebbsfleet United F.C. players
Category:Dover Athletic F.C. players
Category:Boreham Wood F.C. players
Category:Harrow Borough F.C. players
Category:Staines Town F.C. players
Category:Dulwich Hamlet F.C. players
Category:Merstham F.C. players
Category:Farnborough F.C. players
Category:Cray Valley Paper Mills F.C. players
Category:Premier League players
Category:English Football League players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:Isthmian League players