Sofiene Zaaboub

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Sofiene Zaaboub

| image = Sofinene zabboub 18thaug (cropped).JPG

| image_size = 250

| fullname = Sofiene Zaaboub

| height = {{convert|1.78|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|1|23|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Montereau-Fault-Yonne, France

| currentclub = ES Sétif

| clubnumber =

| position = Left midfielder

| youthyears1 = 2000–2003

| youthclubs1 = Saint-Étienne B

| years1 = 2003–2004

| years2 = 2003–2004

| years3 = 2004–2005

| years4 = 2005–2006

| years5 = 2006–2008

| years6 = 2008–2009

| years7 = 2010–2011

| years8 = 2011–2012

| years9 = 2012–

| clubs1 = Modena

| clubs2 = → A.S. Sora (loan)

| clubs3 = Jaén

| clubs4 = FC Brussels

| clubs5 = Swindon Town

| clubs6 = Walsall

| clubs7 = Southend United

| clubs8 = ES Sétif

| clubs9 = Nags Head FC

| caps1 = 10

| goals1 = 0

| caps2 = 6

| goals2 = 0

| caps3 = 0

| goals3 = 0

| caps4 = 20

| goals4 = 1

| caps5 = 56

| goals5 = 1

| caps6 = 29

| goals6 = 0

| caps7 = 3

| goals7 = 0

| caps8 = 14

| goals8 = 0

| caps9 = 27

| goals9 = 88

| pcupdate = 00:00, 27 December 2014 (UTC)

}}

Sofiene Zaaboub (born 23 January 1983) is a French-Algerian football player who currently plays for USM Annaba in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1. He has become renowned for wearing gloves regardless of the weather conditions.{{cite news | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/6540901.stm | title = Quotes of the Week |date = 4 October 2007 | publisher = BBC Sport }}

Club career

=Swindon Town=

Zaaboub was Paul Sturrock's first signing as Town manager and signed on a short-term deal in November 2006 after leaving FC Brussels, just a few days after Sturrock had arrived at the club. Prior to joining Swindon he had many trials at higher-level clubs – including Úbeda CF, Preston North End, Swansea City, Plymouth Argyle, Luton Town, Dundee and FC Metz, but his longest trial was at Sturrock's former club Sheffield Wednesday. He scored his first and what turned out to be only Swindon goal in a 2–1 win over Wrexham on 13 January 2007.{{cite web

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/6236875.stm

|title=Swindon 2–1 Wrexham

|publisher=BBC

|date=13 January 2007 |accessdate=5 February 2010}}

==End of reign at the County Ground==

Due to the reinforcement made to the Swindon Town side with the likes of Anthony McNamee running an un-touchable string of games on the left for the Robins, Zaaboub was deemed surplus to the requirements of the club. Unable to break into the first team, the 2006/07 fans' favourite was told in March 2008 his contract would not be renewed and at the end of the season would be forced to find a new club.{{cite news | url =http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/swindontownfc/display.var.1119172.0.swindon_town_sofis_aiming_to_be_razorsharp.php | title = Sofi's aiming to be razor-sharp|accessdate = 12 January 2007| author = Jon Ritson | date = 12 January 2007 | newspaper =Swindon Advertiser }}

=Walsall=

Zaaboub completed a move to Walsall in July 2008 and became Walsall's fourth signing of the summer.{{cite news |last=Nick |first=Pullen |title=Jimmy Mullen signs Sofiene Zaaboub |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=4 June 2008 |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/walsall-fc/walsall-fc-news/2008/07/04/jimmy-mullen-signs-sofiene-zaaboub-97319-21263786/ |accessdate=13 November 2008}} He suffered injuries to his back and groin in the pre-season and was unable to break into the first team on his return. However, he resolved to keep up his fitness and try his best in training to gain a first team place, he did gain his place back with a number of superb displays down the left wing, he quickly became a favourite with the fans{{cite news |title=Sofienne Zaaboub looks to make up for lost time |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=7 November 2008 |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/walsall-fc/walsall-fc-news/2008/11/07/sofienne-zaaboub-looks-to-make-up-for-lost-time-97319-22207258/ |accessdate=13 November 2008}}

=ES Sétif=

On 6 January 2011, Zaaboub signed an 18-month contract with Algerian club ES Sétif.{{Cite web |title=Un contrat de 18 mois pour Zaâboub |url=http://www.entente-setif.com/Un-contrat-de-18-mois-pour-Zaaboub.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710194112/http://www.entente-setif.com/Un-contrat-de-18-mois-pour-Zaaboub.html |archive-date=2011-07-10 |access-date=13 March 2018 |website=entente-setif.com}}