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Bobby Convey

Personal information
Full name	Robert Francis Convey
Date of birth	May 27, 1983 (1983-05-27) (age 26)
Place of birth	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current club	San Jose Earthquakes
Number	11
Youth career
1999–2000	IMG Soccer Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000–2004	D.C. United	84	(8)
2000	→ MLS Pro-40 (loan)	2	(1)
2004–2009	Reading	98	(7)
2009–	San Jose Earthquakes	26	(1)
National team‡
2000–	United States	45	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 26 October, 2009. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 March, 2009

Robert Francis "Bobby" Convey (born May 27, 1983 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American soccer player who currently plays for San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer.

Career

Youth

Convey attended the William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia, played club soccer for the Philadelphia Soccer Club Coppa^[1], and was a member of the initial class of the Bradenton Academy that also included current national team members Landon Donovan, Oguchi Onyewu and DaMarcus Beasley. Together they helped lead the Under-17 Squad to a fourth-place finish in the 1999 U-17 World Cup in New Zealand.

Professional

Convey was drafted in 2000 by D.C. United of Major League Soccer. That year, he became the youngest player ever signed by MLS. Convey was originally slated to play the majority of the season with the Project-40 squad;^[2] however, as United faltered he was called upon to step in and perform almost immediately. He played 22 games for United in 2000, starting 18 of those. Convey entered his first game in United's 4–0 loss to Los Angeles Galaxy in the home opener at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on March 25, 2000 and was awarded his first start in United's 2–1 loss at the Columbus Crew on May 3, 2000. It was not until July 4, 2000 against the Colorado Rapids that Convey served up Raul Diaz Arce at the far post for a header past a helpless David Kramer. The teenager also was impressive against English Premier League side Newcastle United, when the Magpies visited D.C. during a pre-season training stint in the US. Convey's two assists and high work rate during that friendly were enough to draw the attention of Newcastle's famed manager Bobby Robson. In four and a half seasons in MLS, Convey finished with eight goals and 16 assists.

Convey looked set to move to Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premiership in the summer of 2003,^[3] when the London club agreed to a $3 million move with MLS, but the transfer stalled when his work permit application was denied due to his lack of appearances with the senior national team.^[4] Then, on July 22, 2004, after five seasons with D.C. United, Convey signed a three-year contract^[5] with Reading,^[6] who were then playing in the English Football League Championship, on the highest transfer fee paid by Reading up to that date.

Convey made his début for his new club in a 1–0 loss away to West Ham United, coming on as a substitute. He made his first start a few days later during a 1–0 Reading victory over Sheffield United on August 14, 2004. However, the start of his career in England lacked distinction, as Convey made only seven starts and 15 substitute appearances during the 2004–05 season.

Convey entered the 2005–06 season in much better form, with a starting place in the team, and he helped the Royals win the League Championship title setting a new English record of 106 points in 46 games to gain promotion to the English Premier League for the 2006–07 season. Convey's first goals for the club came during a 5–0 victory over Millwall. Four Four Two, a football magazine in England, named him the tenth best player in The Football League.

Convey's first season in the Premier League started with Reading's 3-2 win over Middlesbrough on August 19, 2006.^[7] However, Convey missed much of the remainder of the season following a training ground injury in October 2006 and subsequent knee operations.^[8]

He returned from injury on July 28, 2007, playing the first half in a pre-season friendly match against Brighton, appearing "comfortable and in good shape," according to the team's match report.^[9] He returned to competitive football for Reading in the club's 1-0 victory over Everton on August 18, 2007.

On February 6, 2009, Convey and Reading reached a mutual agreement on Convey's release from the club.^[10][11]

Four days after being released by Reading, Convey returned to MLS, signing with the San Jose Earthquakes.^[12] He scored his first goal for the Quakes on April 11, 2009, against the Chicago Fire, while playing left back. At halftime he said it was his first time playing left back in six years.

International

Convey received his first cap for the senior United States team on October 25, 2000 against Mexico, becoming the third youngest player in US history to do so. Convey captained the Under-20 team at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates. He was named to the 23-man squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, wearing number 15. He and teammate Marcus Hahnemann were the first Reading players to play in the World Cup.^[13] He played in all three games as the United States exited in the first round.

Personal

Convey is partially blind in his left eye due to optic nerve damage.

Honours

Reading

• Coca-Cola Championship Winners: 2006

Career statistics

^[14]

See also

• List of current MLS players

References

External links

• MLS player profile
• Bobby Convey profile at readingfc.co.uk
• Bobby Convey career stats at Soccerbase
• Bobby Convey FIFA competition record
• Bobby Convey profile at ussoccer.com
• Bobby Convey profile at yanks-abroad.com
• Convey's American Dream

United States squad – 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup 1 Cannon • 2 Hejduk • 3 Berhalter • 4 Mastroeni • 5 Vanney • 6 Cherundolo • 7 Lewis • 8 Stewart • 9 Kirovski • 10 Donovan • 11 Mathis • 12 Bocanegra • 13 Martino • 14 Armas • 15 Convey • 16 Califf • 17 Beasley • 18 Howard • 19 Hahnemann • 20 Twellman • 21 Cunningham • 22 Klein • 23 Gibbs • Coach: Arena

United States squad – 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup Third Place 2 Hejduk • 3 Vanney • 4 Bocanegra • 6 Gibbs • 7 Lewis • 8 Stewart • 10 Reyna • 11 Mathis • 12 Califf • 13 Mulrooney • 15 Convey • 17 Beasley • 18 Keller • 19 Ralston • 20 McBride • 21 Donovan • 24 Brown • 25 Mastroeni • Coach: Arena

United States squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Howard • 2 Albright • 3 Bocanegra • 4 Mastroeni • 5 O'Brien • 6 Cherundolo • 7 Lewis • 8 Dempsey • 9 Johnson • 10 Reyna • 11 Ching • 12 Berhalter • 13 Conrad • 14 Olsen • 15 Convey • 16 Wolff • 17 Beasley • 18 Keller • 19 Hahnemann • 20 McBride • 21 Donovan • 22 Onyewu • 23 Pope • Coach: Arena