Bobby Petta
Bobby Petta | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 6, 1974 Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Occupation | Professional footballer (retired) |
| Years active | 1992–2016 |
| Known for | Left winger for Feyenoord, Ipswich Town, Celtic, Fulham, Adelaide United, Sydney FC |
Alfred Manuel "Bobby" Petta (born 6 August 1974) is a retired Dutch professional football player who operated primarily as a left winger.
Developed through the youth system at Feyenoord, Petta spent the majority of his playing years in the United Kingdom, most prominently with Ipswich Town competing in the Football League First Division and with Celtic in the Scottish Premier League. His career also included a loan spell at Fulham during their 2004 Premier League campaign, as well as multiple seasons in Australia's A-League representing Adelaide United and Sydney FC.
Club career
Originating from Rotterdam, Petta started his professional journey at Feyenoord, though he struggled to establish himself regularly in the first team. During this period, he was loaned out to both Dordrecht'90 and RKC Waalwijk to gain playing experience.
In 1996, Petta transferred to English side Ipswich Town, competing in the Football League First Division. Three years later, in July 1999, he moved on a free transfer to Scottish top-flight club Celtic. Throughout his tenure at Celtic, he found the net four times; however, none of these were scored in league fixtures. His goals came against Ayr United in the Scottish League Cup, Jeunesse Esch during UEFA Cup qualification, Ajax in UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds, and Alloa Athletic in the Scottish Cup.
Injuries significantly impacted Petta’s spell at Celtic, sidelining him for crucial fixtures such as the 2001 Scottish Cup Final and the 2003 UEFA Cup Final. After losing favor with manager Martin O'Neill, his first-team opportunities diminished drastically, resulting in just one appearance between late 2002 and his eventual exit in 2004.
In January 2004, Petta secured a loan move to Premier League outfit Fulham for the remainder of that season. Following a trial period with Leeds United, he returned briefly to Celtic before being released. As a free agent, he signed with Darlington of League Two, marking his debut with a goal. In June 2005, he agreed to a two-year deal with Bradford City competing in League One, again scoring on his first appearance.
The year 2006 saw Petta relocating to Australia after an unsuccessful trial at Brisbane Roar; he subsequently joined A-League club Adelaide United. By June 2008, he was playing for South Australian team Para Hills Knights. Later that year, after undergoing trials, he signed with A-League side Sydney FC as injury cover until the conclusion of the 2008–09 season. Upon release from Sydney FC, Petta continued his career at Victorian Premier League club Heidelberg United during 2009.
In June 2011, discussions took place regarding Petta’s potential return to competitive football with Scottish Third Division club Alloa Athletic. Several years later, in February 2016, Scottish Junior team Rossvale announced they had secured his services.
International career
Petta received a call-up from national team coach Louis van Gaal for the Netherlands squad in February 2001 ahead of a friendly encounter against Turkey, but had to withdraw due to injury. He was recalled in August that same year for a friendly match versus England.
Personal life
During Celtic’s Christmas party in December 2002, Petta and fellow players Joos Valgaeren, Johan Mjallby, and Neil Lennon were detained following accusations related to damage caused to two cameras valued at £12,000. Lennon was released without charges; however, Petta and the others spent the night in custody.
In August 2011, Petta appeared as an extra in the film World War Z, which was shot on location in Glasgow.
After retiring from professional football, Petta experienced bankruptcy, joining several former players from Celtic and Rangers who encountered financial hardships during the 2010s.
Beginning in 2017, he transitioned into a career as a house music disc jockey, transforming a longstanding personal interest into a professional pursuit.
Career statistics
| Team | Season | League Matches | Cup Matches | Continental Matches | Other Competitions | Overall Totals | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | Appearances | Goals | Appearances | Goals | Appearances | Goals | Appearances | Goals | Appearances | Goals | ||
| Feyenoord | 1992–93 | Eredivisie | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 0 | ||
| RKC Waalwijk (loan) | 1994–95 | Eredivisie | 21 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 22 | 2 | ||
| Adelaide United | 2006–07 | A-League | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 | ||
| 2007–08 | A-League | 5 | 0 | – | – | 5 | 0 | |||||
| Subtotal | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 1 | ||||
| Sydney FC | 2008–09 | A-League | 9 | 0 | – | – | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Career aggregate | 50 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 54 | 3 | ||
Honours
Dordrecht
- Eerste Divisie championship: 1993–94
Celtic
- Scottish Premier League titles: 2000–01, 2001–02
- Scottish League Cup winner: 2000–01