| view Sturrock's match-by-match record |
| Blair STURROCK | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The son of Town boss Paul, Sturrock joined Swindon on a non-contract basis early in December 2006, after a period training with the Town's reserves to regain fitness, following a groin injury that prevented him from training since leaving Rochdale in the summer. Sturrock made his debut as a second half substitute in a 2-1 defeat at Macclesfield on 23rd December, his first goal coming in mid-January, when he netted within seconds of coming on to wrap up a 3-1 win at Boston. After two months of playing without pay, Sturrock was finally awarded a short-term contract in February - days after he secured an undeserved 1-1 draw at Peterborough with an injury time equaliser. Sturrock stayed in and out of the first eleven for the rest of the season - his longest run in the team being at the end of the season, when he started each of the last five games, as the Town secured promotion to League One. With a severe striker shortage at the start of the 2007/08 season, Sturrock started each of the first six games of the season, netting once - but also he became a target of the boo boys - who though frustrated at the lack of a proven goalscorer, failed to recognise Sturrock's hardworking play. The double signings of Simon Cox and Billy Paynter saw Sturrock restricted to a bit part role from September onwards, and though he netted a consolation against Cheltenham as the Town were dumped out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, his next goal was to have more significance. At the end of a week when his father had resigned as boss to return to Plymouth, ironically Sturrock junior came off the bench to net a late winner against Forest Green Rovers, in a match that the Town had been losing 2-1 with twenty minutes to play. After a run in the side in January, Sturrock remained as a squad player for the rest of the season, netting three more goals to take his total for the season to six. With six strikers vying for first team places in 2008/09, Sturrock was allowed to leave on loan in September, when he joined Bournemouth for a month. Shortly after his return, Maurice Malpas - the manager who had replaced his father - was sacked, and caretaker boss Dave Byrne began to utilise Sturrock from the bench. When Billy Paynter was sent off at Crewe, Sturrock was chosen as the man to replace him - and his first start of the season was also the first that new manager Danny Wilson watched from the stands, at Leyton Orient on Boxing Day. Though Sturrock also started Wilson's first game in charge two days later, he was replaced firstly by Barry Corr returning from injury, and then when Corr got injured again, Paynter returned to take his place. Though Sturrock remained a regular feature on the bench through to the end of March, he was allowed out on another loan deal - this time to Conference side Torquay, then come the end of the season, he was released as his contract expired. PLAYING RECORD:
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date of birth
usual positions centre forward youth career senior career website links |
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SCOTLAND
