Ross Flitney

Ross Daniel Flitney (born 1 June 1984) is an English footballer who plays for Wimborne Town as a goalkeeper.

Career

Born in Hitchin,<ref name="hugman" /> Flitney started as a youth player at Arsenal before moving to Fulham in 2003 where he was cover for senior keepers such as Edwin van der Sar and Mark Crossley, but never made a first-team appearance despite making the bench on several occasions in the 2004–05 season. He did however have two loan spells with Brighton & Hove Albion<ref>Roberts out over Christmas, BBC Sport</ref> and a further loan spell with Doncaster Rovers. In March 2005 he joined Isthmian League side Yeading on loan.<ref>Cottagers loan Flitney to Yeading, BBC Sport</ref> He was released by Fulham in May 2005,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> joining Barnet the following month.<ref>Barnet set to sign keeper Flitney, BBC Sport</ref>

On 26 October 2005, he became the recipient of the quickest red card in the history of Old Trafford. In a League Cup match for Barnet against Manchester United, he was sent off for handling the ball outside his penalty area, only 80 seconds into the game. It was his first touch in the match, and Barnet went on to lose 4–1.<ref>Man Utd 4–1 Barnet, BBC Sport</ref> The red card was later rescinded on appeal.<ref>Flitney wins red card appeal, BBC Sport</ref> During the 2005–06 season, he lost his place to Lee Harrison who had rejoined Barnet as a player-coach in the summer. He was told he could leave Barnet in November 2006,<ref>Keeper Flitney can leave Barnet, BBC Sport</ref> but was finally released at the end of the season,<ref>Barnet boss releases five players, BBC Sport</ref> joining Grays Athletic in June 2007.<ref>Grays snap up ex-Bees goalkeeper, BBC Sport</ref>

Flitney signed for Croydon Athletic on loan in December 2008,<ref>Player News, graysathletic.co.uk</ref> and just one month later he was transfer listed by Grays, with financial pressures and manager Wayne Burnett's plans being cited as the reason.<ref name="Grays place four on transfer list">Template:Cite news</ref> A fortnight later, Flitney had his contract with the Essex side terminated by mutual consent,<ref>Goalkeeper News, Grays Athletic</ref> and signed a contract to stay with Croydon Athletic until the end of the season.<ref>Player News, Croydon Athletic</ref>

In January 2010, Flitney signed for Conference South club Dover Athletic. Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler said; "He's a keeper I've had my eye on. He brings something different to the table in that he is 6ft 3in and kicks the ball a mile!".<ref name="Whites bag Flitney">Template:Cite news</ref> Flitney made his debut for Dover in the 2–0 defeat to Woking on 23 January.

He was signed by Hessenthaler again, when he joined Gillingham in July 2011,<ref>Six of the best for Gills Template:Webarchive, Gillingham F.C.</ref> and made his debut for Gillingham in the 1–0 win over Cheltenham Town on 6 August 2011.

In October 2012 he joined Eastleigh on an initial loan period of one month.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After his loan at Eastleigh finished in January 2013, and his subsequent release by Gillingham, he rejoined Eastleigh on a permanent basis in February 2013.<ref name="Ross Flitney signs for Eastleigh">Template:Cite web</ref> Flitney played the first nine games of the 2016–17 season for Eastleigh but then signed for Brighton-based National League South side Whitehawk, rejoining his former manager Richard Hill<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and making his debut in a 3–0 away win at Bishop's Stortford on 8 October. Flitney was sent off after the final whistle in the FA Cup first round against Stourbridge on 14 November for protesting to referee Robert Whitton, who had just blown for full-time with the ball in play, seconds before Javier Favarel scored a 30-yard volley which would have been the winning goal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 14 January against Dulwich Hamlet in the FA Trophy second round, with his side leading 1–0, Flitney came off the bench to replace Hawks' injured keeper Tom Stewart in the 65th minute and went on to concede four times as well as give away and then save a penalty in the time remaining.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Flitney left the Hawks at the end of January 2017, his last game being a 1–3 defeat at Hungerford Town on 23 January, a game in which he conceded a penalty after just four minutes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 16 February 2017, Flitney joined Bromley on a short-term deal for the remainder of the campaign.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following 14 league appearances, in which he helped the club to a 10th-place finish, Flitney departed Bromley at the end of the season to eventually rejoin Eastleigh.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 20 June 2023, Flitney joined Wimborne Town.<ref>Template:Cite web </ref>

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Brighton & Hove Albion (loans)	2003–04<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Second Division	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
			2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Doncaster Rovers	2004–05	League One	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Barnet	2005–06<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	League Two	35	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	38	0
	2006–07<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref>		15	0	1	0	2	0	2Template:Efn	0	20	0
	Total		50	0	2	0	4	0	2	0	58	0
Grays Athletic	2007–08<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	Conference Premier	30	0	0	0	—		0	0	30	0
	2008–09<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref>		6	0	0	0	—		0	0	6	0
	Total		36	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	36	0
Croydon Athletic (loan)	2008–09	Isthmian Division One South					—
Croydon Athletic	2009–10	Isthmian Division One South					—
Dover Athletic	2009–10<ref name="Aylesbury">Template:Cite web</ref>	Conference South	16	0	0	0	—		2Template:Efn	0	18	0
	2010–11<ref name="Aylesbury"/>		40	0	7	0	—		1Template:Efn	0	48	0
	Total		56	0	7	0	0	0	3	0	66	0
Gillingham	2011–12<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref>	League Two	27	0	3	0	1	0	0	0	31	0
Eastleigh (loan)	2012–13<ref name="Aylesbury"/>	Conference South	7	0	0	0	—		1Template:Efn	0	8	0
Eastleigh		Conference South	19	0	0	0	—		2Template:Efn	0	21	0
	2013–14<ref name="Aylesbury"/>		40	0	2	0	—		4Template:Efn	0	46	0
	2014–15<ref name="Aylesbury"/>	Conference Premier	46	0	3	0	—		4Template:Efn	0	53	0
	2015–16<ref name="Aylesbury"/>	National League	30	0	5	0	—		2Template:Efn	0	37	0
	2016–17<ref name="Aylesbury"/>		9	0	0	0	—		0	0	9	0
	Total		144	0	10	0	0	0	12	0	166	0
Whitehawk	2016–17<ref name="RFSW">Template:Cite web</ref>	National League South	7	0	2	0	—		2Template:Efn	0	11	0
Bromley	2016–17<ref name="Aylesbury"/>	National League	14	0	0	0	—		1Template:Efn	0	15	0
Eastleigh	2017–18<ref name="RFSW"/><ref name="Aylesbury"/>	National League	20	0	1	0	—		2Template:Efn	0	23	0
	2018–19<ref name="RFSW"/><ref name = "Aylesbury"/>		3	0	1	0	—		1Template:Efn	0	5	0
	2019–20<ref name="RFSW"/><ref name = "Aylesbury"/>		0	0	0	0	—		6Template:Efn	0	6	0
	2020–21<ref name="RFSW"/><ref name = "Aylesbury"/>		0	0	0	0	—		1Template:Efn	0	1	0
	2021–22<ref name="RFSW"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>		2	0	0	0	—		3Template:Efn	0	5	0
	2022–23<ref name="RFSW"/>		0	0	0	0	—		3Template:Efn	0	3	0
	Total		25	0	2	0	0	0	16	0	43	0
Career total			369	0	26	0	5	0	37	0	437	0

External links

• Template:Soccerbase