Player Profile for Russell Hoult GK
Name - Russell HoultPosition - Goalkeeper
D.O.B - 22/11/1972
Place of Birth - Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire
Former Clubs - Leicester City, Lincoln City (Loan), Blackpool (Loan), Bolton Wanderers (Loan), Derby County, Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest (Loan), Stoke City
Experienced goalkeeper Russell Hoult is expected to take a starting position between the sticks for the Magpies this season, despite a disappointing and injury ravaged first full season at Meadow Lane. 36 year-old Hoult has had a long and successful career in football, since first breaking onto the scene as a promising youngster at his local club, Leicester City. His most successful spell as a player came during his time at the Hawthorns playing for West Bromwich Albion, where he made 190 appearances for the Baggies, and found himself on the verge of an England call-up.
His early career was made up of loan spells out in the lower leagues at Lincoln City, Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers, before he made an impression on the Foxes' first team, making 10 appearances for the club before a successful loan spell at Derby County saw the Rams splash out £200,000 for his services. He gained promotion with Derby in 1996
A long spell at the Hawthorns followed, where he consistently impressed with his solid displays in goal. He was a key member of the West Brom team that won promotion to the Premiership in 2001/02, keeping a club record number of clean sheets and winning a place in the PFA Team of the Year along the way, England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson had even been tipped to name Hoult in one of his squads, but despite often impressing, he just missed out. He remained with the Baggies for a long spell, but after losing his place in 2005 he joined Nottingham Forest on loan, making him one of few players to have played for Forest, Derby, Leicester and Notts.
A free transfer to Stoke City followed, be he only ever made one appearance at the Britannia Stadium, finding himself behind Steve Simonsen in the pecking order. When Notts goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington picked up a serious injury on the eve of a game towards the end of the 2007/08 season, Hoult was the man to answer Ian McParland's call and joined on loan to the end of the season, and was key to the club's narrow survival from relegation. Following this impressive spell, he joined on a free transfer in the summer, but following an ankle injury in pre-season he could only make 14 appearances up until December, failing to re-gain his form of the previous year, before a shoulder injury ruled him out until the end of the season.
A fit Russell Hoult is a definate asset to any club at this level, so the news that he is back in training and should be fit for the start of the campaign is a massive boost to Notts, who will be hoping that he can get back to his best to help the Magpies keep more clean sheets than their disappointing total last season.
