Georges Santos

Georges Santos (born 15 August 1970) is a French-born Cape Verde former professional footballer and club scout for Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille.

Georges Santos
Santos warming up for Oxford United in 2007
Personal information
Full name Georges Santos
Date of birth (1970-08-15) 15 August 1970
Place of birth Marseille, France
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Playing position(s) Defender, Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Olympique de Marseille
(Scout)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1998 Toulon 17 (0)
1998–2000 Tranmere Rovers 47 (2)
2000 West Bromwich Albion 8 (0)
2000–2002 Sheffield United 61 (6)
2002–2003 Grimsby Town 26 (1)
2003–2004 Ipswich Town 34 (1)
2004–2006 Queens Park Rangers 74 (6)
2006–2007 Brighton & Hove Albion 11 (0)
2007 → Oxford United (loan) 3 (0)
2007 Chesterfield 0 (0)
2007–2008 Alfreton Town 5 (0)
2008 Farsley Celtic 17 (0)
2008–2009 Fleetwood Town 5 (0)
Total 308 (16)
National team
2002–2004 Cape Verde 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:06, 6 December 2008 (UTC)

As a player he was a defender and a midfielder in a career that lasted from 1997 to 2009. He notably played in the Football League for Tranmere Rovers, West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United, Grimsby Town, Ipswich Town and Queens Park Rangers. Having also had spells with Toulon, Brighton & Hove Albion, Oxford United, Chesterfield, Alfreton Town, Farsley Celtic and Fleetwood Town. He was capped four times by the Cape Verde Islands.

Club career

Tranmere Rovers

Santos turned professional with Toulon, before moving to England to join Tranmere Rovers in 1998 who were managed by former Liverpool striker John Aldridge. He made his debut for Rovers on 8 August 1998 in a 2–0 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the First Division. He went on to make 54 appearances for Rovers, scoring twice between August 1998 and March 2000. After refusing to sign a new contract he was dropped by Aldridge, and as a result missed the 2000 Football League Cup Final,[1] and left the club shortly afterwards.

West Bromwich Albion

On transfer-deadline day in 1999–2000 he moved to Gary Megson's West Bromwich Albion, where he helped the club preserve their Division One status in a toughly fought relegation battle that saw The Baggies and Grimsby Town scramble out of danger at the expense of Port Vale, Walsall and Swindon Town. After featuring in only 8 games for Albion and after refusing to commit to a long-term deal at Albion, he left the club in the middle of 2000.

Sheffield United

Georges signed for Albion's league rivals Sheffield United soon after departing from The Hawthorns.[2] Santos was in and out of the Blades team and notched up 68 appearances, with 6 goals scored during his time under Neil Warnock at Bramall Lane. Santos' 2001–2002 season with Sheffield turned out to be a career low point when he was one of three Sheffield United players to be sent off in the notorious Battle of Bramall Lane, a match against his former club West Brom that was abandoned when United's team was cut down to 6 players following three sending-offs and two injuries. With Goalkeeper Simon Tracey already off the field, the match had its climax in the 65th minute, when Santos, whom United had just brought on seconds earlier, was sent off for a high two-footed lunging tackle on Andy Johnson; Johnson had previously fractured Santos' cheekbone and seriously damaged his eye socket with a swinging elbow while playing for Nottingham Forest, and this was in fact their first encounter since the incident. The two teams then scuffled on the pitch; in the melee, another United substitute, Patrick Suffo, was sent off for head-butting Derek McInnes. Soon after, United captain Keith Curle was fortunate to avoid a sending off after appearing to throw punches at McInnes. Warnock never selected Santos again, and this was his final appearance as a Sheffield United player.

Grimsby Town

After remaining without a club until December 2002, Santos joined Grimsby Town, signing a deal until the end of the season.[3] He notably scored his only goal for Grimsby in a 2–0 victory over local rivals and fellow relegation strugglers Sheffield Wednesday, towering above his marker to power home a header from the centre of the penalty area following a Stuart Campbell corner.[4] Santos became a popular figure amongst the club's supporters and he was singled out for a lot of praise despite the club's overall poor form during the season. Initially signed as a midfielder, Santos had been drafted in as a makeshift centre half when Steve Chettle was ruled out for a lengthy period. He was usually paired with Jamaican youngster Simon Ford or player/manager Paul Groves who incidentally this season had adopted playing at centre half in opposed to his regular central midfield sitting. Despite the best efforts of Santos he was unable to help save the Mariners from relegation from the First Division, but went on to be awarded with the Player of the Season award for his stone wall like performances at the back. Despite winning this award and putting himself in the running for club captain for the 2003–2004 campaign, Santos rejected a new contract in order to stay in the First Division.

Ipswich Town

In the summer of 2003 he parted company with Grimsby and joined Joe Royle's Ipswich Town on a three-month contract.[5] He made his debut on 8 August 2003 in the club's 1–1 league draw with Reading He stayed at Portman Road for the entire 2003–2004 season, scoring once against Cardiff City,[6] and would go on to make a total of 36 appearances in all competitions.

Queens Park Rangers

George moved on again, signing a two-year contract at Queens Park Rangers (QPR) in summer 2004.[7] He remained with Rangers for several seasons notching up an impressive 77 appearances, scoring 6 goals for the London-based Loftus Road club. He would depart the club at the end of the 2005–2006 season.

Brighton & Hove Albion and Chesterfield

Santos joined Brighton & Hove Albion in August 2006,[8] turning down an offer to return to former club Grimsby, something he later admitted in an interview as the biggest mistake in his career. Santos played only 12 times for Albion in all competitions before he joined Oxford United on 5 January 2007 on loan until the end of the 2006–07 season.[9] He was released by Brighton in May 2007.

On 31 August 2007 he joined Chesterfield for a month on non-contract terms,[10] but failed to make an appearance and on 1 November 2007 he left Chesterfield.

Alfreton Town, Farsley Celtic and Fleetwood Town

On 7 November 2007 he went on trial at Rotherham United but failed to impress the staff at Millmoor.[11] He later joined Conference North club Alfreton Town for his first taste of Non-League football.

In January 2008 he moved to Farsley Celtic where he remained for the remainder of the 2007–2008 campaign.[12] Despite being an integral part of the first team, Santos left the club only a few weeks into the 2008–2009 season.

On 29 September 2008 he joined Fleetwood Town, who would go on to be his last club. [13]

International career

Santos, although born in France, qualified to play for Cape Verde through his parents, who are both originally from the islands. He made his international debut for Cape Verde on 6 September 2002 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Mauritania.[14]

Football scout

Santos began working as a European scout for Manchester City in 2013.[15] He went on to scout for RCD Mallorca and Olympique de Marseille.[16]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Tranmere Rovers 1998–99[17] First Division 3711040—421
1999–00[18] First Division 1010020—121
Total 472106000542
West Bromwich Albion 1999–00[18] First Division 800000—80
Sheffield United 2000–01[19] First Division 3141030—354
2001–02[20] First Division 3021020—332
Total 616205000686
Grimsby Town 2002–03[21] First Division 2611000—271
Ipswich Town 2003–04[22] First Division 341002000361
Queens Park Rangers 2004–05[23] Championship 4350020—455
2005–06[24] Championship 3111000—321
Total 746102000776
Brighton & Hove Albion 2006–07[25] League One 110001000120
Oxford United (loan) 2006–07[25] Conference Premier 3000—0030
Farsley Celtic 2007–08[26] Conference Premier 17000—00170
Career total 28116501600030216
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References
  1. "Aldridge - 'Sign or no Wembley'". The Guardian. 27 February 2000. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  2. "Santos joins Blades". BBC Sport. 30 June 2000. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  3. "Santos signs for Mariners". BBC Sport. 2 December 2002. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  4. "Grimsby 2–0 Sheff Wed". BBC. 21 December 2002. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  5. "Santos signs for Ipswich". BBC Sport. 17 July 2003. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  6. "Cardiff 2–3 Ipswich". BBC. 29 November 2003. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  7. "Santos seals QPR switch". BBC Sport. 1 August 2004. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  8. "Brighton snap up defender Santos". BBC Sport. 18 August 2006. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  9. "Oxford sign Brighton star Santos". BBC Sport. 5 January 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  10. "Chesterfield sign Rooney & Santos". BBC Sport. 31 August 2007. Retrieved 31 August 2007.
  11. "Santos Arrives on Trial". Millersmad. 7 November 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2007.
  12. "Farsley recruit Santos & Gardner". BBC Sport. 23 January 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
  13. "Santos comes to Town". Fleetwood Town F.C. 29 September 2008. Archived from the original on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-29.
  14. "Cape Verde's Bramall battler". BBC Sport. 6 September 2002. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  15. "Georges Santos interview". Total Tranmere. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  16. https://uk.linkedin.com/in/georges-santos-9bbb2726
  17. "Games played by Georges Santos in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  18. "Games played by Georges Santos in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  19. "Games played by Georges Santos in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  20. "Games played by Georges Santos in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  21. "Games played by Georges Santos in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  22. "Games played by Georges Santos in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  23. "Games played by Georges Santos in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  24. "Games played by Georges Santos in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  25. "Games played by Georges Santos in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  26. "Games played by Georges Santos in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
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