Christopher Matthew Zebroski (born 29 October 1986) is an English former footballer who played as a forward.

Chris Zebroski
Zebroski (left) and Jermaine McGlashan (right) watching the match from the dugout.
Personal information
Full name Christopher Matthew Zebroski
Date of birth (1986-10-29) 29 October 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Swindon, England
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Cirencester Academy
2003–2004 Swindon Town
2004–2005 Plymouth Argyle
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Plymouth Argyle 4 (0)
2006–2008 Millwall 25 (3)
2007Oxford United (loan) 10 (2)
2007–2008Torquay United (loan) 46 (19)
2008–2010 Wycombe Wanderers 48 (9)
2009–2010Torquay United (loan) 7 (4)
2010–2011 Torquay United 67 (19)
2011–2012 Bristol Rovers 39 (3)
2012–2013 Cheltenham Town 21 (5)
2013 Eastleigh 12 (3)
2013–2015 Newport County 71 (19)
2017–2019 Eastleigh 75 (12)
2019–2021 Chippenham Town 28 (5)
2021 Malmesbury Victoria 21 (20)
2021 Swindon Supermarine 5[1] (2)
2021–2022 Wantage Town
2022 Melksham Town 8 (2)
2023 Fleet Town 7 (2)
2023–2024 AFC Croydon Athletic 16 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:57, 27 September 2024 (UTC)

Club career

edit

Zebroski was a youth player for his hometown club Swindon Town, but was released after failing to earn a professional contract.[2] After his release there he trained under the watch of former Wales international Steve Lowndes at Cirencester football academy, it was from here that he was spotted by scouts of Championship club Plymouth Argyle and signed as a youth player by the club. He later signed a professional contract,[3] and made four first-team appearances for Argyle before his contract was terminated after he was found guilty of gross misconduct by the club. This followed an incident involving the club captain Paul Wotton.[4]

Three weeks after leaving Plymouth Argyle, he was signed for Millwall by manager Nigel Spackman.[5] On 21 March 2007, Zebroski joined Oxford United on a month's loan.[6] On 31 July 2007, Zebroski signed for Conference National side Torquay United on loan until May 2008, and went on to score 19 goals in league and cup competitions during the 2007–08 season.

He was transferred to Wycombe Wanderers for £20,000 in June 2008.[7] Zebroski finished the 2008–09 season with seven goals from 33 league matches, mostly from the wing, helping the team win promotion to League One. The start of the 2009–10 season saw Zebroski score two goals in a 3–2 defeat at Charlton Athletic.On 20 November 2009, Zebroski returned to Torquay United on loan with a view to permanent transfer in January.[8] On 26 November 2010 Zebroski was given a 12-month community order and fine for kicking and punching a soldier in a street fight in Torquay in August 2010.[9] He scored twice in a 5–0 home win against Darlington on 12 December and the move later became permanent.

After helping the club avoid relegation from League Two during the 2009–10 campaign, Zebroski scored 16 league goals[citation needed] to help the club finish seventh and reach the play-offs the following season. In the semi-final first leg versus Shrewsbury at Plainmoor, Zebroski scored the first goal to set up a 2–0 victory. The second leg finished 0–0, leaving Torquay to play Stevenage in the play-off final at Old Trafford. Stevenage won the match 1–0. In July 2011 he followed former Torquay manager Paul Buckle to his new club, Bristol Rovers.[10]

In August 2012 Zebroski joined Cheltenham Town. His contract with Cheltenham was cancelled by mutual consent on 4 January 2013 after Zebroski withdrew from the matchday squad at short notice on a number of occasions.[11]

On Monday 25 February 2013, it was announced that Zebroski had joined Conference South side Eastleigh.[12] He scored his first goal for the club in the 1–0 win over Eastbourne Borough on 2 March 2013.[13]

On 5 June 2013 Zebroski signed for newly promoted League Two club Newport County.[14] He was selected as Newport County's Player of the Year for the 2013–14 season. In April 2015 he was jailed for 4 years and 4 months after he "admitted four charges of robbery, attempted robbery and assault relating to two incidents".[15] Zebroski attributed the incidents to alcoholism, and failed in an appeal against the sentence.[16] He served two years of his sentence at HMP Prescoed, and was released in 2017.[17]

Following his release from prison, Zebroski rejoined Eastleigh in June 2017.[18]

On 8 August 2019, Zebroski signed for National League South side Chippenham Town. He departed the club in May 2021.[19]

Zebroski joined Hellenic Football League Division One side Malmesbury Victoria in August 2021.[20] Less than one month later, he joined Southern Football League Premier Division South side Swindon Supermarine.[21] In December 2021 he transferred to Wantage Town.[22] Following Wantage Town's relegation, Zebroski joined Melksham Town in July 2022.[23]

Coaching career

edit

On 12 December 2022, Zebroski signed for Combined Counties League Premier Division South club Fleet Town as a player-coach.[24]

On 11 October 2023, Zebroski, was appointed assistant manager of AFC Croydon Athletic, following manager Jermaine McGlashan from Fleet Town.[25] He stepped down from his role alongside McGlashan in September 2024.[26]

Career statistics

edit
As of match played 30 December 2017
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
Plymouth Argyle 2005–06[27] Championship 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 5 0
Millwall 2006–07[28] League One 25 3 4 0 1 0 2[a] 0 32 3
Oxford United (loan) 2006–07[28] Conference National 8 2 0 0 2[b] 0 10 2
Torquay United (loan) 2007–08[29] Conference Premier 46 18 1 0 5[c] 1 52 19
Wycombe Wanderers 2008–09[30] League Two 33 7 2 0 1 0 1[a] 0 37 7
2009–10[31] League One 15 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 18 2
Wycombe total 48 9 4 0 2 0 1 0 55 9
Torquay United (loan) 2009–10[31] League Two 7 4 7 4
Torquay United League Two 23 2 23 2
2010–11[32] 44 14 4 0 1 0 4[d] 1 53 15
Torquay total 67 16 4 0 1 0 4 1 76 17
Bristol Rovers 2011–12[33] League Two 39 3 3 1 2 1 0 0 44 5
Cheltenham Town 2012–13[34] League Two 21 5 2 1 1 0 0 0 24 6
Eastleigh 2012–13[35] Conference South 12 3 0 0 2[e] 1 14 4
Newport County 2013–14[36] League Two 35 12 1 0 2 0 1[a] 1 39 13
2014–15[37] 36 7 1 0 0 0 1[a] 0 38 7
Newport total 71 19 2 0 2 0 2 1 77 20
Eastleigh 2017–18[38] National League 22 11 0 0 1[f] 0 23 11
Career total 370 85 20 2 10 1 19 4 419 92
  1. ^ a b c d Appearances in the Football League Trophy
  2. ^ Appearances in the Conference National play-offs
  3. ^ Three appearances in the FA Trophy; two appearances and a goal in the Conference Premier play-offs
  4. ^ One appearance in the Football League Trophy; three appearances and a goal in the League Two play-offs
  5. ^ Appearances in the Conference South play-offs
  6. ^ Appearance in the FA Trophy

Honours

edit
Wycombe Wanderers

References

edit
  1. ^ "Appearances, Goals and Cards: Season 2021/22". Swindon Supermarine F.C. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Youngster's Pilgrim's joy". 4thegame.com. 15 March 2006. Archived from the original on 10 October 2007.
  3. ^ "Plymouth youngster offered deals". Plymouth Argyle. BBC Sport. 28 February 2006. Retrieved 4 July 2007.
  4. ^ "Argyle sack Zebroski after fracas". BBC Sport. 18 August 2006. Retrieved 4 July 2007.
  5. ^ "Ex-Argyle striker joins Millwall". Millwall. BBC Sport. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 4 July 2007.
  6. ^ "Smith swoops for Millwall striker". Oxford Utd. BBC Sport. 21 March 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2007.
  7. ^ "Chairboys seal Zebroski signing". BBC Sport. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2008.
  8. ^ "Zebroski clinches Torquay return". BBC Sport. 20 November 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  9. ^ "Zebroski guilty of street brawl".
  10. ^ "Bristol Rovers capture Torquay United's Chris Zebroski". BBC Sport. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  11. ^ "Robins cancel Zebroski contract". BBC Sport.
  12. ^ "Zebroski signs for Eastleigh". Eastleigh F.C. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  13. ^ Montigue, Jamie (2 March 2013). "Eastleigh 1–0 Eastbourne Borough". Eastleigh F.C. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  14. ^ "Exiles snap up Adam Chapman and Chris Zebroski". South Wales Argus.
  15. ^ "Newport footballer Chris Zebroski jailed for attacks". BBC News. 17 April 2015.
  16. ^ Service, Strand News; Mosalski, Ruth (25 November 2015). "Former Newport County striker Chris Zebroski loses appeal against jail term". WalesOnline.
  17. ^ "Zebroski reveals he was close to Exiles return after jail term". South Wales Argus.
  18. ^ "Eastleigh re-sign Zebroski and Flitney". BBC Sport.
  19. ^ "LATEST TEAM NEWS". pitchero.com.
  20. ^ "The Vics play welcome Chris Zebroski to the Flying Monk". Malmesbury Victoria F.C.
  21. ^ "TPlayer Update – 8th September 2021". Swindon Supermarine F.C.
  22. ^ Roberts, James (27 December 2021). "Ex-Oxford United striker Chris Zebroski joins Wantage Town". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  23. ^ @MELKSHAMTOWNFC (12 July 2022). "🚨New signing🚨 Melksham Town FC are delighted to sign experienced striker @Chriszebroski. Zebroski has played for Swindon Town, Plymouth Argyle, Millwall and Bristol Rovers, among others. We wish him all the best during his time at MTFC. #blackandyellowfamily" (Tweet). Retrieved 14 July 2022 – via Twitter.
  24. ^ @FCFleetTown (12 December 2022). "We would like to welcome Chris Zebroski who joins the club as a player coach" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 April 2023 – via Twitter.
  25. ^ "BREAKING NEWS – MANAGERIAL APPOINTMENT". www.afccroydonathletic.co.uk. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  26. ^ "Jermaine McGlashan Steps Down as Manager". www.afccroydonathletic.co.uk. 15 September 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  27. ^ "Games played by Chris Zebroski in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  28. ^ a b "Games played by Chris Zebroski in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  29. ^ "Games played by Chris Zebroski in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  30. ^ "Games played by Chris Zebroski in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  31. ^ a b "Games played by Chris Zebroski in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  32. ^ "Games played by Chris Zebroski in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  33. ^ "Games played by Chris Zebroski in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  34. ^ "Games played by Chris Zebroski in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  35. ^ "Chris Zebroski". aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  36. ^ "Games played by Chris Zebroski in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  37. ^ "Games played by Chris Zebroski in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  38. ^ "C. Zebroski". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
edit