Tony Rougier
{{short description|Trinidadian former footballer (born 1971)}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Tony Rougier
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Anthony Leo Rougier{{Hugman|17172|accessdate=19 February 2017}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|7|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = Sobo Village, Trinidad and Tobago
| death_date =
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}{{cite web |title=FootballSquads - Port Vale - 1999/00 |url=http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/1999-2000/d1/portv.htm |website=www.footballsquads.co.uk |accessdate=24 June 2019}}
| position = Midfielder
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1986–1989| clubs1 = La Brea Angels| caps1 = | goals1 =
| years2 = 1990–1992| clubs2 = Trintoc| caps2 = | goals2 =
| years3 = 1992–1993| clubs3 = United Petrotrin| caps3 = | goals3 =
| years4 = 1994| clubs4 = Trinity Pros| caps4 = | goals4 =
| years5 = 1995–1997| clubs5 = Raith Rovers| caps5 = 56| goals5 = 2
| years6 = 1997–1999| clubs6 = Hibernian| caps6 = 45| goals6 = 4
| years7 = 1999–2000| clubs7 = Port Vale| caps7 = 51| goals7 = 8
| years8 = 2000–2003| clubs8 = Reading| caps8 = 84| goals8 = 6
| years9 = 2003| clubs9 = → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan)| caps9 = 6| goals9 = 2
| years10 = 2003–2004| clubs10 = Brentford| caps10 = 31| goals10 = 4
| years11 = 2004| clubs11 = Bristol City| caps11 = 6| goals11 = 1
| years12 = 2004| clubs12 = Nanjing Yoyo| caps12 = 14| goals12 = 2
| years13 = 2005| clubs13 = Rochester Rhinos| caps13 = 6| goals13 = 0
| years14 = 2006–2007| clubs14 = United Petrotrin| caps14 = | goals14 = 3
| years15 = 2008| clubs15 = East Stars| caps15 = 0| goals15 = 0
| years16 = 2009–2011| clubs16 = FC South End| caps16 = 11| goals16 = 4
| totalcaps = 310| totalgoals = 38
| nationalyears1 = 1995–2005{{Cite news|title=Anthony Rougier – International Appearances|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/rougier-intl.html|accessdate = 8 January 2013}}| nationalteam1 = Trinidad and Tobago| nationalcaps1 = 67| nationalgoals1 = 5
| manageryears1 = 2009–2011| managerclubs1 = FC South End (Technical Director)
}}
Anthony Leo Rougier (born 17 July 1971) is a Trinidadian former footballer. A former international with 67 caps to his name, he came close to making the 2006 FIFA World Cup team for Trinidad and Tobago.
He played for La Brea Angels, Trintoc, United Petrotrin, and Trinity Pros before signing with Scottish club Raith Rovers in March 1995. He helped the club to the First Division title in 1994–95 before joining Hibernian in July 1997 for a £250,000 fee. He helped "Hibs" to secure the First Division title in 1998–99, before he was sold on to English club Port Vale for £175,000 in January 1999. He moved on to Reading for £325,000 in August 2000 and helped the "Royals" to promotion out of the Second Division in 2000–01. He switched to Brentford in May 2003 before joining Bristol City in March 2004. He then had spells in China with Nanjing Yoyo and in America with Rochester Rhinos before returning to Trinidad to play for United Petrotrin, North East Stars, and FC South End.
Club career
Starting his career in his native Trinidad and Tobago with La Brea Angels, Trintoc, United Petrotrin, and Trinity Pros, Rougier switched to the Caribbean for Raith Rovers of Kirkcaldy, Scotland in March 1995. He would have signed for Bradford City but could not secure a work permit in time.
He spent the first half of 1998–99 with Hibernian, playing 18 games and scoring once against Morton. It would prove to be an easy campaign for Alex McLeish's "Hibs", as they eventually finished 23 points clear of second place Falkirk. Rougier was not at Easter Road for the celebrations, however, having been sold to English club Port Vale for £175,000 in January 1999. He arrived at Vale Park with the club about to suffer a drastic downturn in fortunes as chairman Bill Bell replaced manager John Rudge with Brian Horton. He made twelve appearances for Vale at the end of the season. Rougier scored nine goals in 41 games in 1999–2000, becoming a crowd favourite and the club's top scorer, but it was not enough to prevent the "Valiants" from losing their First Division status.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/801960.stm|title=Vale slide into Division Two|date=28 June 2000|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}} Chairman Bill Bell was not as keen on the player as the supporters, bemoaning Rougier's international commitments by stating "he may have been on the pitch nearly 40 times, but he did not play 40 games".{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Mike |title=Vale in talks about player deal |url=https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/p/vale-in-talks-about-player-deal |access-date=14 August 2024 |work=Valiant's Substack |date=14 August 2024}}
In August 2000 he was sold on to fellow Second Division side Reading for £325,000, signing a three-year contract.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/reading/876467.stm|title=Reading snap up Rougier|date=11 August 2000|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}} Reading got to the play-off final at the end of the 2000–01 season, but Rougier scored an own goal as they lost to Walsall after extra time.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/1352124.stm|title=Walsall break Reading hearts|publisher=BBC|date=27 May 2001 |accessdate=24 October 2017}}
{{blockquote|"He's almost becoming a Cantona sort of figure for us, everything's coming off him. And as long as Nicky Forster is scoring and others are chipping in, he doesn't need to score."|Reading manager Alan Pardew speaking in February 2002.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/1798982.stm|title=Pardew happy with point|date=3 February 2002|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}}}}
The following season, the club pushed for a second-successive promotion, aiming for the Premier League. Rougier was loaned out to Brighton & Hove Albion late in the season,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/2781385.stm|title=Rougier joins Brighton|date=19 February 2003|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/2797517.stm|title=Rougier plots great escape|date=25 February 2003|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}} scoring twice for the "Seagulls" in six appearances, leading to speculation of a permanent transfer.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/2939064.stm|title=Rougier fancies Brighton return|date=26 May 2003|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}} Returning to the Madejski Stadium in time for the play-offs, he played a part of the semi-final second leg, replacing Darius Henderson after 64 minutes. Eventual play-off winners Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Reading 3–1 on aggregate. At the end of the campaign, Rougier was not offered a new contract,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/reading/3042745.stm|title=Rougier exits Reading|date=20 May 2003|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}} and instead signed with Brentford.{{Cite web|url=http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~411507,00.html|title=Brentford {{!}} News {{!}} Latest News {{!}} Latest News {{!}} BEES COMPLETE SIGNING|website=world.brentfordfc.co.uk|access-date=19 February 2018}}
Rougier played 34 games for Brentford in the 2003–04 season before switching to Bristol City in late March.{{Cite web|url=http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~505741,00.html|title=Brentford {{!}} News {{!}} Latest News {{!}} Latest News {{!}} ROUGIER DEPARTS|website=world.brentfordfc.co.uk|access-date=19 February 2018}} On 2 May, his 21st-minute winner over Barnsley proved not enough to catch Queens Park Rangers, though the club had easily qualified for the play-offs. He scored the opener of the semi-final with Hartlepool United at Victoria Park, City winning 2–1 on aggregate, before falling 1–0 at the Millennium Stadium to his old club Brighton. He was then released by City.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bristol_city/3768825.stm|title=Robins release five|date=2 June 2004|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}}
After a short spell with Chinese club Nanjing Yoyo and speculation of signing with Northampton Town in September 2005,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/northampton_town/4244684.stm|title=Rougier may get Cobblers contract |date=14 September 2005|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}} he spent a brief period in the US with USL Pro club Rochester Rhinos. He ended his playing career back in Trinidad with United Petrotrin before becoming a Technical Advisor at North East Stars under manager David Farrell in 2008. In 2009, he co-founded FC South End, which is the newest club to compete in the TT Pro League. In July 2009, he registered himself as a player-coach to boost the fortunes of his struggling side.{{cite web|url=http://www.socawarriors.net/league/tt-pro-league/5738-rougier-to-south-ends-rescue.html|title=Rougier to South End's rescue |last=Bando|first=Randy|date=27 July 2009|work=socawarriors.net|accessdate=3 August 2009}}
International career
Rougier earned 67 caps for the Trinidad and Tobago national team between 1995 and 2005, scoring five goals. He served as captain on numerous occasions.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2002/1386088.stm|title=Yorke dropped by Trinidad|date=13 June 2001|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}} During this time his country won the Caribbean Cup in 1996 and 1999, beating Cuba on home soil in the final on both occasions. They also reached the final in 1998, but were beaten 2–1 by Jamaica. He was also in the squad for the 1996 and 2000 editions of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
He was on the 24-man shortlist for the squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4905272.stm|title=Trinidad announce World Cup squad |date=13 April 2006|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}} but was excluded from the final 23. Manager Leo Beenhakker said: "The guy worked fantastically and he did everything he had to do to try and make it and in the end I had to make a decision."{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/trinidad_and_tobago/4768231.stm|title=Trinidad name 23-man final squad |date=13 May 2006|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 August 2009}}
Personal life
A "proud and passionate Christian", Rougier used to celebrate goals with a prayer.
{{Blockquote|"My team-mates found it funny at first. But now that they know me, they understand and respect it. My christian life comes first, my football second. Without Him I couldn't do what I'm doing. I can get strength to achieve anything I want, because with God all things are possible."|Rougier speaking on his religious views.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/power-of-prayer-is-catalyst-behind-rougiers-advance-742799.html|title=Power of prayer is catalyst behind Rougier's advance|last=Shaw|first=Phil|date=11 December 1999|work=The Independent|accessdate=3 August 2009}}}}
He advised good friend and fellow footballer Dwight Yorke to "calm down a bit with the ladies" following Yorke's love life being splashed across the British tabloids. He grew up next door to cricketer Gus Logie and worked at an airport in New York City before trying his luck with football in England.
Rougier is a lifelong teetotaler. On multiple occasions during his playing career, he was awarded a bottle of champagne for winning the man of the match award, only to refuse it and hand it back to the organisers.{{cite book |last1=Coleman |first1=Michael |title=Foul Football: Prize Players |date=2003 |publisher=Scholastic |isbn=0-439-97818-1 |page=25 }}
His family include his wife Trisha and daughters Alishia-Kae and Maya-Kai.{{cite web|url=http://www.socawarriors.net/archives/1725-anthony-rougier-reflects-on-his-pro-career.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403234654/http://www.socawarriors.net/archives/1725-anthony-rougier-reflects-on-his-pro-career.html|archivedate=3 April 2013|title=Anthony Rougier reflects on his pro career |last=Liburd|first=Lasana|date=10 September 2003|work=socawarriors.net|accessdate=3 August 2009}}
Career statistics
=Club=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup ! colspan="2" |League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Raith Rovers
|1996–97{{Soccerbase season|id=9268|season=1996|access-date=9 April 2019}} |29 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | colspan="2" | — | 31 | 4 | ||
| rowspan="3"|Hibernian
|1997–98{{Soccerbase season|id=9268|season=1997|access-date=9 April 2019}} |Scottish Premier League |30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2" | — | 31 | 3 | ||
| 1998–99{{Soccerbase season|id=9268|season=1998|access-date=9 April 2019}}
|15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2" | — | 18 | 1 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!45 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | 49 | 4 | ||
| rowspan="3"|Port Vale | 1998–99
|13 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| 1999–2000{{Soccerbase season|id=9268|season=1999|access-date=9 April 2019}}
|First Division |38 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2" | — | 41 | 9 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!51 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2" |— | 54 | 9 | ||
| rowspan="4" |Reading
|2000–01{{Soccerbase season|id=9268|season=2000|access-date=9 April 2019}} |33 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2Appearances in Football League Trophy | 0 | 38 | 2 | |
| 2001–02{{Soccerbase season|id=9268|season=2001|access-date=9 April 2019}}
|Second Division |33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 0 | |
| 2002–03{{Soccerbase season|id=9268|season=2002|access-date=9 April 2019}}
|First Division |20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1Appearance in First Division play-offs | 0 | 22 | 3 | |
| colspan="2" |Total
!86 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 99 | 6 | |
| Brighton & Hove Albion (loan)
|First Division |6 | 2 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | 6 | 2 | ||||
| Brentford
|2003–04{{Soccerbase season|id=9268|season=2003|access-date=9 April 2019}} |Second Division |31 | 4 | 2 | 1
|0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 5 | ||
| Bristol City
|Second Division | 6 | 1 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | 3Appearances in Second Division play-offs | 1 | 9 | 2 | ||
| Nanjing Yoyo
|2004{{NFT player|id=7979|accessdate=}} |14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | 14 | 2 | |||
| Rochester Rhinos
|2005 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | 6 | 0 | ||
| colspan="3" |Career total
!274 | 28 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 1 | !9 | 1 | 301 | 32 |
=International=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan=3 | Trinidad and Tobago national team | ||
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | 10 | 2 |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 | 8 | 0 |
| 1999 | 9 | 1 |
| 2000 | 11 | 1 |
| 2001 | 8 | 0 |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 10 | 1 |
| 2005 | 9 | 0 |
| Total||67||5 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Trinidad and Tobago squads
| bg = #ce1126
| fg = white
| bordercolor = black
| list1 =
{{Trinidad and Tobago squad 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{Trinidad and Tobago squad 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{Trinidad and Tobago squad 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
}}
{{Raith Rovers F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rouguer, Tony}}
Category:Trinidad and Tobago Christians
Category:Trinidad and Tobago men's footballers
Category:20th-century Trinidad and Tobago sportsmen
Category:Trinidad and Tobago men's international footballers
Category:Trinidad and Tobago expatriate men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:United Petrotrin F.C. players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland
Category:Raith Rovers F.C. players
Category:Hibernian F.C. players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Port Vale F.C. players
Category:Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:Bristol City F.C. players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in China
Category:Nanjing Yoyo F.C. players
Category:China League One players
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
Category:Rochester New York FC players
Category:AC Port of Spain players
Category:F.C. South End players
Category:TT Pro League players
Category:Scottish Football League players
Category:English Football League players
Category:USL First Division players
Category:Trinidad and Tobago expatriate sportspeople in China
Category:Trinidad and Tobago expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Trinidad and Tobago expatriate sportspeople in Scotland
Category:Trinidad and Tobago expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Category:1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup players
Category:1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup players
Category:2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup players