Stuart Thurgood
Stuart Anthony Thurgood (born 4 November 1981) is an English convicted criminal and former professional footballer. He played professionally for clubs including Southend United and Gillingham. In 2021 he was convicted of drugs smuggling offences and sentenced to eight years in prison.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stuart Anthony Thurgood[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 4 November 1981[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Enfield, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–1999 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | (0) |
| 2000 | Shimizu S-Pulse | 0 | (0[2]) |
| 2001–2003 | Southend United | 79 | (1) |
| 2003–2008 | Grays Athletic | 157 | (26) |
| 2007–2008 | → Gillingham (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | Gillingham | 7 | (0) |
| 2008 | → Grays Athletic (loan) | 13 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | → Grays Athletic (loan) | 27 | (2) |
| 2009 | Grays Athletic | 17 | (1) |
| 2009–2010 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 17 | (0) |
| 2011 | Grays Athletic | 2 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Thurrock | 26 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | East Thurrock United | 20 | (2) |
| 2014 | VCD Athletic | 7 | (1) |
| 2016–2017 | Grays Athletic | 0 | (0) |
| 2017 | Thurrock | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 377 | (33) | |
| International career | |||
| 2004–2006 | England C | 5 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career edit
Born in Enfield, London, Thurgood made his debut for Gillingham in the 2–1 home win over Hartlepool United on 24 November 2007. He signed for Gillingham on a permanent basis in January 2008, keeping him at the club until 2009.[3]
Thurgood rejoined Grays Athletic on 13 March 2008 on loan until the end of the 2007–08 season.[4] He signed for Grays for a third time on 19 August 2008, on loan until the end of the 2008–09 season.[5] This was cut short though when he was released by Gillingham on 23 January 2009, at which point he joined Grays permanently again until the end of the season.[6] After the end of the season, in May, he joined League Two team Dagenham & Redbridge on a two-year contract.[7]
During November 2009 he sustained an injury; in September 2010, he retired aged 28.[8]
However, after a successful period with playing for Grays Athletic's reserve team, Thurgood signed for the Isthmian League Division One club on 11 October 2011.[9]
In November 2011, Thurgood signed for Conference South club Thurrock,[10][11] where he would return for another spell in March 2017.
During the 2013-14 season, he played for East Thurrock United[12] and VCD Athletic[13].
Imprisonment edit
In 2021, Thurgood was sentenced to eight years in prison for drugs smuggling offences. He was a member of an organised crime group which smuggled cocaine into the United Kingdom and distributed it to county lines gangs in Essex and surrounding areas.[14]
Honours edit
- FA Trophy: 2005, 2006
- Conference South (VI): 2005
References edit
- ^ a b c Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2008). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09. Mainstream. ISBN 978-1-84596-324-8.
- ^ J.LEAGUE YEARBOOK 2001 – Jリーグ公式記録集2001, J.League (J.League Enterprise, 2001) ISBN 978-4-88752-103-2
- ^ "Exclusive: Contract Update On Four Gills Stars". gillinghamfootballclub.co.uk. 14 January 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
- ^ . greysathletic.co.uk. 19 March 2008. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
- ^ . greysathletic.co.uk. 19 August 2008. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
- ^ "Thurgood leaves Gills". Sky Sports. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
- ^ "Daggers sign Thurgood from Grays". BBC Sport. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
- ^ "Thurgood forced to retire at 28". daggers.co.uk. Dagenham & Redbridge. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
- ^ "New signings". Grays Athletic F.C. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
- ^ "Thurrock sign Thurgood". Football Conference. 5 November 2011.
- ^ https://uk.soccerway.com/players/stuart-thurgood/84173/
- ^ https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/east-thurrock-united/appearances/2013-2014/stuart-thurgood/18671
- ^ https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/east-thurrock-united/appearances/2013-2014/stuart-thurgood/18671
- ^ Whitehouse, Ellis (31 May 2021). "Former Blues player Stuart Thurgood jailed for cocaine smuggling". Maldon Standard. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
External links edit
- Stuart Thurgood player profile at gillinghamfootballclub.com
- Stuart Thurgood at Soccerbase
- Stuart Thurgood at Soccerbase