Robbie Earle

Robert Fitzgerald Earle MBE (born 27 January 1965) is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals.

A former youth player with Stoke City, Earle broke into the professional game with Port Vale in 1982.

He spent nine years at the Burslem based club, helping "The Vale" to promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1982–83 and 1985–86, and out of the Third Division via the play-offs in 1989; he was later voted the club's PFA Fans' Favourites.

However, after suffering from a broken leg he was released from the Victoria Ground, at which point he was snapped up by Stoke's local rivals Port Vale, where he turned professional in 1982.

He had been scouted by Ray Williams.

Earle made his Port Vale debut under John McGrath in a 1–0 defeat by Swindon Town at the County Ground on 28 August 1982.

He scored his first goal in his next appearance, in a 4–1 win over Aldershot at the Recreation Ground.

He finished the 1982–83 campaign with one goal in nine appearances, as the "Valiants" won promotion out of the Fourth Division.

He made 13 appearances in 1983–84; John Rudge replaced McGrath as manager in December, but could not stop the club from sliding straight back out of the Third Division.

Earle won a regular first team place in August 1984, and hit 19 goals in 56 games in 1984–85, including a hat-trick against Hereford United at Vale Park on 2 February; Earle and Alistair Brown's partnership got the club a combined total of 40 goals.

Earle made 142 consecutive appearances between September 1984 and January 1987, the run coming to an end due to a groin strain.

An ever-present in the 1985–86 Fourth Division promotion squad, he scored 17 goals in 58 games; he and strike partner Andy Jones bagged a total of 35 goals for the club.

He scored seven goals in 35 games in 1986–87 and scored four goals in 11 games in 1987–88.

That season he played in the FA Cup upset when Vale knocked out Tottenham Hotspur.

The strain led to a hernia operation in the autumn of 1987, but he returned to first team action in January 1988.

A regular in the 1988–89 season, Rudge claimed that Earle and Ray Walker was one of the best-ever midfield partnerships at the Vale.

Over the course of the 1988–89 campaign he scored 19 goals in 57 appearances.

He scored both goals past Bristol Rovers in the two-legged 1989 play-off final that took Vale through to the Second Division.

After the match Earle wept in the tunnel, such was his emotions to have taken his local team to victory in the play-off final.

He scored 12 goals in 52 games in 1989–90, including one in a 1–1 draw with Stoke City at the Victoria Ground on 23 September.

He remained a vital player in 1990–91, hitting the net 11 times in 37 appearances.

In all, 'The Black Pearl', as he was affectionately known, played 357 times for the "Valiants" and scored 90 goals.

A cult hero, he is considered one of the best midfielders ever to play for the club.

He moved on to Wimbledon in 1991, where he also spent nine years.

He made nearly 300 league games for each club, scoring 77 and 59 goals respectively.

In July 1991 he was transferred to Wimbledon for a fee of £775,000 (and 30% of any future transfer fee above that figure).

It was later reported that Wimbledon chairman Sam Hammam had locked Earle in a room during transfer negotiations and only let him out when he agreed to sign for Wimbledon.

Earle played an important part in the South London club's success during the nineties, and in particular, the club's 'Crazy Gang' mentality which fostered team spirit and intimidated opposing players.

He played alongside cult figures such as Aidan Newhouse, John Fashanu, Vinnie Jones, Lawrie Sanchez, Jason Euell, Dean Holdsworth, Marcus Gayle, Andy Clarke and Efan Ekoku.

Earle was known for his late runs into the box and his ability at finishing and agility at heading the ball.

His first season at the club was turbulent, as manager Ray Harford was replaced by Peter Withe, who in turn was replaced by Joe Kinnear; nevertheless Earle scored 14 league goals to help the "Dons" to maintain to their top-flight status.

He scored seven goals in the newly formed Premier League in the 1992–93 season, including two in a 3–2 win over Liverpool at Anfield, and nine goals in 1993–94 – when Wimbledon finished a club best sixth in the final table.

He also represented Jamaica on 8 occasions between 1997 and 1998, scoring one international goal.

He appeared in the 1998 World Cup, scoring his nation's first ever goal in the finals.

Following his retirement in 2000, Earle has established himself in the world of football journalism.

He regularly appears in print, on the radio and on television.

He was dismissed from his punditry role with ITV in 2010 after he passed ITV World Cup tickets to a third party.

After spending time as television broadcast analyst for the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer, he is now a commentator for the Premier League on NBC Sports.

An attacking midfielder, Earle was a junior player at Stoke City whilst he attended Longton High School.