Rob Wolleaston

Named as captain during Chairman Lee Power's brief spell in caretaker charge of the team, Rob Wolleaston has relished the responsibility of the unfamiliar role, which has continued under new manager Jimmy Quinn.

"It's not something I've done before so it was a shock to me when I was chosen as captain," he admits.

"When the Chairman was in charge for those games he said 'I'm going to chose you as captain because of the way you play'. He said 'I know you're not the loudest of people but hopefully you can motivate other players with the way you play and show what you can do'.

"I thought I might as well try and lead by example, like he asked me, and hopefully people think I've been doing that and we've been doing OK. I think it's brought the best out of me and given me a little boost as well.

"And I'm hoping the first goal of the season isn't too far away too," he adds.

Rob's career began as a trainee at Chelsea, where he played alongside current team-mates Ritchie Hanlon and Courtney Pitt, and he is grateful for the time he spent there rubbing shoulders with a stable of world class stars.

"I was there for seven years and it was a really good experience," he recalls. "I joined as a schoolboy at 15 and I did my YTS before turning pro, and I played in the reserves and then I got my chance in the first team."

It is only when Rob reels off the names of the players who were at Chelsea at the time, that you realise just what an achievement it was to appear in the first team.

"I was there at the same time as Zola, Ruud Gullit, Vialli, Marcel Desailly, Frank LeBoeuf, Dennis Wise, Jody Morris… there were loads," he says.

"It was really good training with them every day and you learned so much from them, and they would teach us; they would take you after training and talk to you about what your strengths are and what you should be doing, so it was a really good experience."

In addition to the influence from the players at Chelsea, Glenn Hoddle was the manager when Rob first joined, followed by Ruud Gullit, Gianluca Vialli and Claudio Rainieri. He learned a lot from each of them, but he says it wasn't a wrench to leave when he was released in 2003.

"When I look back I wish I had left sooner, just to get games under my belt," he reveals.

"It was a good experience just to be at a big club like that, but I went on loan to Bristol Rovers for a month, then Northampton for three months, which was good and it was nice to be getting games and playing on a Saturday," he adds.

"I had a loan at Portsmouth as well, and then I left Chelsea to go to Bradford and had a season there, but it didn't really work out. I was playing towards the end of the season but because they didn't have any money I wasn't getting paid - I didn't get paid for five months!

"They told everyone to look for new clubs because the club might go under, so I found a new club and I had to leave because I had bills to pay. It was an enjoyable time there, apart from that, but it shows the other side of football when you don't get paid for five months."

Rob's new club was Oxford, under manager Graham Rix whom he knew from his time at Chelsea, but sadly injuries wrecked his time there and almost led to him quitting the game altogether.

"Graham Rix wasn't there for that long, he got the sack and the Argentineans came in," recalls Rob. "There were about eight of them - the manager, the assistant manager, the assistant to the assistant manager and then an assistant for him! - but they were OK and it was a good time until I got injured.

"I was out for about six or seven months, and then Brian Talbot took over and we just didn't get on with each other from the start so I left there."

Rob had trained with United for a fortnight early last season to try to regain his fitness and even took up the invitation of a week in the USA to look into the options of playing there, but decided against the upheaval and returned to train with the U's.

"I didn't like the idea of training and playing on Astroturf out there. It would be no good for my knees and back and I would have spent more time with the physio than playing!" he smiles.

"It was a big decision to move my girlfriend and baby son over there and away from the family," he adds, "so I decided to stay in England and come back to Cambridge.

"Courtney had told Rob Newman about me and said he was looking for midfielders," he recalls. "I wasn't doing anything and Rob Newman called me and invited me to come in and get fit and see what happened, so I came for a couple of weeks, then went to America, then came back and trained for a couple more weeks and that's when they offered me a month-to-month contract."

The short-term deal led to thirteen appearances and three goals in the closing stages of last season, and the offer of a year's contract at the end of the season.

"It wasn't a hard decision to sign the contract," Rob continues. "I was going to give up on football when I left Oxford because I thought I couldn't be bothered with it, with the injuries and the changing managers and everything, but then I got the phone call from Rob Newman and I thought I might as well because I wasn't doing anything.

"I got myself fit and they're a good bunch of lads and after being injured for so long I'd missed the buzz of playing games, so I thought I would sign the contract and try to keep going.

"I'm really pleased to be back in football and it pays the bills as well," he grins.

Rob admits to being surprised at the poor start to this season after the pre-season optimism shared by everyone, but he still believes there is much to be achieved this season.

"We did have high hopes for this season and we still have, actually, but we thought we were going to be flying at the start of the season because of the way we were playing in pre-season and the new signings we had made.

"We thought we would be up there and it hasn't turned out that way, but we'll keep going and we'll be all right."

Asked about the changes under new manager Jimmy Quinn, Rob says "It's a fresh start for everyone so there's that little bit of a spark and a boost for everyone to show what they can do. I think there's a freshness for the supporters and a freshness for the team and I think that's the main reason why we're playing better."

Quinn is also keen to improve the fitness and strength of the players and Rob revealed, "Every day we've got to do sit-ups and press-ups and go in the gym for weights, so that's something that's changed on a daily basis."

Rob has taken up a deeper role in midfield in recent games, filling the holding role usually played by the suspended Ritchie Hanlon, but he is comfortable in whatever role he is asked to play: "I just love being out on the pitch so I'll play anywhere they need me and I'm not really bothered where they want to put me."

He is also quietly amused at finding himself as one of the older heads in the team and admits, "I'm not used to that - I'm 26 and I'm getting old! But I try to help the younger lads when I can.

"We've got a very good squad and some very good players individually as well so I think we'll be OK this season."

Many of the current United squad began their careers at top flight clubs and the midfield often has a strong Chelsea influence when all three ex-Stamford Bridge players - Rob, Courtney Pitt and Ritchie Hanlon - are on the pitch.

"We all started out there and played together there so it does bring back memories, but I think we have a really good midfield and a really good team overall," Rob says.

"I think we're coming together now and once it clicks we'll be flying."

We also invited some questions from supporters via the message board on the official website at cambridgeunited.com and Rob kindly answered them all.

Stephen Thompson asks:
Rob, how do you prepare for match days and do you have particular superstitions that you always like to carry out?

Rob: No superstitions and I prepare on match days by getting up around 9.30am and having some scrambled egg on toast or something like that, then getting my suit ready and then on the road to the game.

Henry asks:
Rob, my favourite aspect of your game is when you drop your shoulder and shimmy when you've got the ball in a tight situation, but what would you say is the best or most effective aspect of your game?

Rob: I think probably I'm best at picking out a pass to try to play someone through.

Chris asks:
Having started out at Chelsea, what would you say are the main differences between styles of football at the top and at this level?

Rob: The quality, and the fitness - some of the guys in the Premier League are unbelievable, they're so strong and fit and they could run all day, some of them are like machines, so that's probably the main difference.

Chris also asks:
Do you still harbour ambitions to play at a higher level, perhaps with Cambridge?

Rob: Yes, of course. This season I thought we were going to try to get promoted and we still can, and it would be nice to be playing in the Football League again next season with Cambridge. I do really want to go up to make the step up again.

Richard asks:
If you had to pick anybody else to be captain, who would you choose?

Rob: Either 'Rhino' (Mark Peters), or Andy Duncan, because they're vocal and there's no messing around with them; if you make a mistake you know about it!

Colin Proctor asks:
Having seen the atmosphere in the dressing room on match days, is this the best dressing room that you've been in?

Rob: Yes, one of them. They're a good bunch of lads and lots of jokes being played every day, so it's one of the best I've been in.

'CBlockU' asks:
Who do you model your game on? Would you describe your style as a Zidane, Beckham, Gerrard or someone else?

Rob: Well, when I was younger everyone used to say I was like Zidane so I've got to say Zidane!

'CBlockU' adds:
Keep up the good work, I think you've been first class over the last few games and well worth the armband!

Rob: Cheers, thanks for that.

Andrew Lang asks:
What is the greatest piece of advice you have been given in your career, and what's your biggest regret in football?

Rob: The advice is just to keep going, whatever happens, and believe in yourself and show everyone what you can do. And regrets... I don't know, I can't really think of any.

Andrew also asks:
When Quinny took over he talked a lot about the psychological side of football, knowing what makes players tick and how to get the best out of them. What would you consider gets the best out of you?

Rob: Giving me the captain's armband!

Andrew's last question:
What did you think about the revelations from the BBC investigation into bungs?

Rob: To be honest I haven't paid any attention to it, sorry.

Coxy asks:
Who is the best player you have ever played alongside?

Rob: That's a difficult one because I've been lucky to play with a few, but I would say Zola or Ruud Gullit.

Coxy also asks:
Who was your role model as a youngster trying to make it as a professional?

Rob: I had quite a few - Paul Ince was one, Maradona another, and Pele.

Coxy also asks:
Who's your best friend at the club, and who's the fastest player at the club?

Rob: My best friend at the club is Courtney (below). The fastest..? Danny thinks he's the quickest player in the league so put that in the programme!

Coxy's final question:
Were you sad to see Rob Newman go or did you think it was the right time for his leaving?

Rob: A bit of both. I was sad to see him go because he and Spearo were great guys and they worked hard, but something needed to be done to make us make that extra step.

Finally, Rob's cousin Jermaine in Canada asked:
Can you guarantee a victory against Morecambe on November 18th when I travel to come watch your match?

Rob: I'm going to try my best!

My favourite game:
It would have to be my debut for Chelsea against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. It was in front of more than 40,000 people and although we lost 4-1 I was happy to have made my debut, so it was funny coming back on the coach. I was buzzing because I had made my debut in the Chelsea first team, but everyone else was wondering why I was so happy.

Andrea Thrussell

*This interview was first published in the programme for the match against Altrincham on 3rd October, 2006.

Previous Featured Players:
25Sep06: Matt Kendrick (scholar)
20Sep06: Jon Brady
14Sep06: Mark Peters
11Sep06: Jordan Collins (scholar)

Last season's Featured Players:
16May06: Jon Brady
04May06: Tommy Jaszczun
26Apr06: David Bridges
20Apr06: Scott Howie
13Apr06: Craig Westcarr
22Mar06: Andy Duncan
15Mar06: David Bridges
01Feb06: David Chick
08Dec05: Michael Morrison
29Nov05: Ritchie Hanlon
25Oct05: Stephen Smith
05Oct05: Fola Onibuje
29Sep05: Mark Peters

15May05: Your Players of the Year 2004/05

Anything to say about the interview? Make your click count for the U's by discussing it on the Message Board!

You are respectfully reminded that any article, as with all content on this website (unless otherwise stated), is subject to copyright and the Official Cambridge United Website must be acknowledged as the original source.

AT061006