Alton Thelwell

English footballer

Alton ThelwellPersonal information

Full name|  Alton Anthony Thelwell[1]
Date of birth|  (1980-09-05) 5 September 1980 (age 43)[1]
Place of birth|  Islington, England
Height|  1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s)|  Defender
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
1998–2003|  Tottenham Hotspur|  18|  (0)
2000|  → IFK Hässleholm (loan)|  |
2003–2007|  Hull City|  40|  (1)
2006–2007|  → Leyton Orient (loan)|  6|  (1)
2007–2009|  Leyton Orient|  72|  (0)
2009|  London APSA|  2|  (0)
2009|  Newport County|  8|  (0)
2009–2010|  Kettering Town|  9|  (0)
2012|  Carshalton Athletic|  10|  (0)
2012–2013|  Billericay Town|  |
International career
2001|  England U21|  1|  (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alton Anthony Thelwell (born 5 September 1980) is an English former footballer who played as a defender.

## Career[edit]

Thelwell was born in Islington, London. He began his career at Tottenham Hotspur, for whom he made twenty-one appearances in league and cup competitions. In the summer of 2000, IFK Hässleholm of the fourth-highest division in Sweden, sold Jon Jönsson to Tottenham for £70,000 and also agreed two loan deals for the Swedish club - that of Thelwell and Peter Crouch.[2][3] He also won one England under-21 cap on 27 February 2001, as a substitute in the 4–0 defeat at home to Spain U21.[4] However injuries robbed him of further first-team opportunities at Spurs, and he was released by then boss Glenn Hoddle in 2003.[5]

Thelwell signed for Hull City on 13 June 2003 by manager Peter Taylor after being released from Tottenham.[6] He scored on his debut against Darlington.[7] Fitness problems blighted Thelwell's time at Hull City, and he missed over a year from October 2004 to February 2006 due to a serious knee injury.[8] He signed a new short-term contract in January 2006,[9] and after proving his fitness and featuring in nine of City's last thirteen games of the 2005–06 season, Thelwell was rewarded with a further year's contract extension.[10]

Finding his first team opportunities at the KC Stadium limited, he joined Leyton Orient on loan in October 2006,[11] making his debut in the League One fixture against Cheltenham Town on 21 October 2006, Orient winning 2–0.[12]

Despite his persistent knee injury,[13] Thelwell impressed during his loan spell and was rewarded with a permanent 18-month contract when the transfer window reopened on 1 January 2007. He was named as Leyton Orient club captain at the start of the 2007–08 season, and signed a new one-year contract in May 2008.[14] He was released in May 2009.[15]

Thelwell subsequently had trials at Bournemouth, Milton Keynes Dons, Gillingham and Mansfield Town.[16] He also played two games for London APSA of the Essex Senior League to keep up his match fitness.[17] In October 2009, he joined Newport County, making his debut on 11 October in the 1–0 FA Cup Third round qualifying defeat at Paulton Rovers.[18] On 1 December 2009, Thelwell left Newport[19] and joined Kettering Town on a free transfer,[20] but retired after nine games through injury.[17]

Thelwell returned to football and joined Carshalton Athletic in the autumn of 2012 on a non-contract basis as the club was suffering from a defensive crisis. He made ten appearances for The Robins before moving on to Billericay Town, who were then playing in the Conference South.[17]

## Personal life[edit]

Whilst on loan at IFK Hässleholm, Thelwell lived with fellow Spurs loanee Peter Crouch. During this period, Thelwell was in a brief relationship with a woman named Camilla.[21]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2008). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09. Mainstream. ISBN 978-1-84596-324-8.
2. ^ "Peter Crouch: Former Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City man in Sweden". Les Rosbifs. Archived from the original on 10 June 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
3. ^ "Matchday programmer: Alton Thelwell". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 25 November 2000. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
4. ^ "England v Spain, 27 February 2001". 11v11.com. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
5. ^ "Hoddle's ins and outs". The Guardian. 21 September 2003. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
6. ^ "Thelwell joins Hull". BBC Sport. 13 June 2003. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
7. ^ "Hull 4-1 Darlington". BBC Sport. 9 August 2003. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
8. ^ "Thelwell hoping for new deal". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
9. ^ "Thelwell Signs New Contract". Hull City Mad. 26 January 2006. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
10. ^ "Alton given contract extension". Vital Football. 5 May 2006. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
11. ^ "Thelwell loaned to Orient". Vital Football. 19 October 2006. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
12. ^ "Leyton Orient v Cheltenham Town, 21 October 2006". 11v11.com. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
13. ^ "Pain won't stop me playing, says O's defender Alton". East London and West Essex Guardian. 15 November 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
14. ^ "Thelwell agrees new deal". Sky Sports. 15 May 2008. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
15. ^ "Eight players released by Orient". BBC Sport. 6 May 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
16. ^ "County latest: Gilroy out on loan/Thelwell optimistic". South Wales Argus. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
17. ^ a b c "Ex-Spurs and Orient man joins Billericay". Pitchero Non League. 26 October 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
18. ^ "Rovers shock County to make cup progress". This Is Somerset. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
19. ^ "Deano's disappointment at Thelwell departure". South Wales Argus. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
20. ^ "Kettering sign former Orient defender Alton Thelwell". BBC Sport. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
21. ^ "NEW: That Peter Crouch Podcast: That Loan Move Episode on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 4 May 2023.

## External links[edit]

* Alton Thelwell at Soccerbase

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals