{{short description|English footballer and coach}} {{Use British English|date=August 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Ross Flitney | image = | full_name = Ross Daniel Flitney<ref name="hugman">{{Hugman|6527}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1984|6|1|df=y}} | birth_place = Hitchin, England | height = {{convert|1.91|m|order=flip}}<ref name="RFSW" /> | position = Goalkeeper | currentclub = Wimborne Town (player and goalkeeping coach) | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 1996–2000 | youthyears2 = 2000–2003 | youthclubs1 = Arsenal | youthclubs2 = Fulham | years1 = 2003–2005 | years2 = 2003 | years3 = 2003–2004 | years4 = 2005 | years5 = 2005 | years6 = 2005–2007 | years7 = 2007–2009 | years8 = 2008–2009 | years9 = 2009–2010 | years10 = 2010–2011 | years11 = 2011–2013 | years12 = 2012 | years13 = 2013–2016 | years14 = 2016–2017 | years15 = 2017 | years16 = 2017–2023 | years17 = 2023– | clubs1 = Fulham | clubs2 = → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | clubs3 = → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | clubs4 = → Doncaster Rovers (loan) | clubs5 = → Yeading (loan) | clubs6 = Barnet | clubs7 = Grays Athletic | clubs8 = → Croydon Athletic (loan) | clubs9 = Croydon Athletic | clubs10 = Dover Athletic | clubs11 = Gillingham | clubs12 = → Eastleigh (loan) | clubs13 = Eastleigh | clubs14 = Whitehawk | clubs15 = Bromley | clubs16 = Eastleigh | clubs17 = Wimborne Town | caps1 = 0 | caps2 = 1 | caps3 = 2 | caps4 = 0 | caps5 = 7 | caps6 = 50 | caps7 = 36 | caps8 = 5 | caps9 = | caps10 = 55 | caps11 = 27 | caps12 = 7 | caps13 = 144 | caps14 = 7 | caps15 = 14 | caps16 = 25 | caps17 = 0 | goals1 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | goals3 = 0 | goals4 = 0 | goals5 = 0 | goals6 = 0 | goals7 = 0 | goals8 = 0 | goals9 = | goals10 = 0 | goals11 = 0 | goals12 = 0 | goals13 = 0 | goals14 = 0 | goals15 = 0 | goals16 = 0 | goals17 = 0 | club-update = 17:26, 21 June 2023 (UTC) }}
'''Ross Daniel Flitney''' (born 1 June 1984) is an English footballer who plays for Wimborne Town as a goalkeeper.
==Career== Born in Hitchin,<ref name="hugman" /> Flitney started as a youth player at Arsenal before moving to Fulham in 2003 where he was cover for senior keepers such as Edwin van der Sar and Mark Crossley, but never made a first-team appearance despite making the bench on several occasions in the 2004–05 season. He did however have two loan spells with Brighton & Hove Albion<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/3346169.stm Roberts out over Christmas], BBC Sport</ref> and a further loan spell with Doncaster Rovers. In March 2005 he joined Isthmian League side Yeading on loan.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/4391789.stm Cottagers loan Flitney to Yeading], BBC Sport</ref> He was released by Fulham in May 2005,<ref>{{cite news|title=Player Released|url=https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2005/may/23/players-released|publisher=Fulham Official Website|date=23 May 2005|accessdate=13 April 2014}}</ref> joining Barnet the following month.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/barnet/4076792.stm Barnet set to sign keeper Flitney], BBC Sport</ref>
On 26 October 2005, he became the recipient of the quickest red card in the history of Old Trafford. In a League Cup match for Barnet against Manchester United, he was sent off for handling the ball outside his penalty area, only 80 seconds into the game. It was his first touch in the match, and Barnet went on to lose 4–1.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/4367004.stm Man Utd 4–1 Barnet], BBC Sport</ref> The red card was later rescinded on appeal.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/barnet/4382212.stm Flitney wins red card appeal], BBC Sport</ref> During the 2005–06 season, he lost his place to Lee Harrison who had rejoined Barnet as a player-coach in the summer. He was told he could leave Barnet in November 2006,<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/barnet/6165586.stm Keeper Flitney can leave Barnet], BBC Sport</ref> but was finally released at the end of the season,<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/barnet/6632741.stm Barnet boss releases five players], BBC Sport</ref> joining Grays Athletic in June 2007.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/g/grays_athletic/6716303.stm Grays snap up ex-Bees goalkeeper], BBC Sport</ref>
Flitney signed for Croydon Athletic on loan in December 2008,<ref>[http://graysathletic.co.uk/news/archives/002849.html Player News], graysathletic.co.uk</ref> and just one month later he was transfer listed by Grays, with financial pressures and manager Wayne Burnett's plans being cited as the reason.<ref name="Grays place four on transfer list">{{cite news | title = Grays place four on transfer list | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/g/grays_athletic/7823934.stm | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 12 January 2009 | access-date = 12 January 2009}}</ref> A fortnight later, Flitney had his contract with the Essex side terminated by mutual consent,<ref>[http://graysathletic.co.uk/news/archives/002901.html Goalkeeper News], Grays Athletic</ref> and signed a contract to stay with Croydon Athletic until the end of the season.<ref>[http://croydonathletic.net/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=425&Itemid=26 Player News], Croydon Athletic</ref>
In January 2010, Flitney signed for Conference South club Dover Athletic. Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler said; "He's a keeper I've had my eye on. He brings something different to the table in that he is 6ft 3in and kicks the ball a mile!".<ref name="Whites bag Flitney">{{cite news |title = Whites bag Flitney |first = Andy |last = White |url = http://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/article.asp?aid=9896&iid=172&sud=456 |newspaper = The Non-League Paper |date = 18 January 2010 |accessdate = 18 January 2010 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110717021816/http://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/article.asp?aid=9896&iid=172&sud=456 |archivedate = 17 July 2011 }}</ref> Flitney made his debut for Dover in the 2–0 defeat to Woking on 23 January.
He was signed by Hessenthaler again, when he joined Gillingham in July 2011,<ref>[http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/PressReleases/0,,10416~2385140,00.html Six of the best for Gills] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905184005/http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/PressReleases/0%2C%2C10416~2385140%2C00.html |date=5 September 2012 }}, Gillingham F.C.</ref> and made his debut for Gillingham in the 1–0 win over Cheltenham Town on 6 August 2011.
In October 2012 he joined Eastleigh on an initial loan period of one month.<ref>{{cite web|title=Spitfires borrow Flitney|url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=88806|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130074811/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=88806|url-status=usurped|archive-date=30 January 2013|publisher=NonLeagueDaily.com|accessdate=25 October 2012}}</ref> After his loan at Eastleigh finished in January 2013, and his subsequent release by Gillingham, he rejoined Eastleigh on a permanent basis in February 2013.<ref name="Ross Flitney signs for Eastleigh">{{cite web |url=https://eastleighfc.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/ross-flitney-signs-for-eastleigh.html |title=Ross Flitney signs for Eastleigh |publisher=Eastleigh F.C. |accessdate=9 February 2013 }}</ref> Flitney played the first nine games of the 2016–17 season for Eastleigh but then signed for Brighton-based National League South side Whitehawk, rejoining his former manager Richard Hill<ref>{{cite web |url=https://m.theargus.co.uk/sport/14790277.Hawks_boss__Why_I_brought_in_Flitney/ |title=National League – Whitehawk FC boss on his move to sign Ross Flitney |publisher=The Argus |author= Brian Owen|date = 8 October 2016|accessdate=8 October 2016}}</ref> and making his debut in a 3–0 away win at Bishop's Stortford on 8 October. Flitney was sent off after the final whistle in the FA Cup first round against Stourbridge on 14 November for protesting to referee Robert Whitton, who had just blown for full-time with the ball in play, seconds before Javier Favarel scored a 30-yard volley which would have been the winning goal.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37807827|title=Whitehawk 1-1 Stourbridge|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> On 14 January against Dulwich Hamlet in the FA Trophy second round, with his side leading 1–0, Flitney came off the bench to replace Hawks' injured keeper Tom Stewart in the 65th minute and went on to concede four times as well as give away and then save a penalty in the time remaining.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/whitehawk-1-4-dulwich-hamlet-1742092.html|title=Whitehawk 1-4 Dulwich Hamlet}}</ref> Flitney left the Hawks at the end of January 2017, his last game being a 1–3 defeat at Hungerford Town on 23 January, a game in which he conceded a penalty after just four minutes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Flitney and Connolly Leave The Hawks|url=http://whitehawkfc.com/flitney-and-connolly-leave-the-hawks/|author=Tom Harris|publisher=Whitehawk F.C.|date=30 January 2017|accessdate=30 January 2017}}</ref> On 16 February 2017, Flitney joined Bromley on a short-term deal for the remainder of the campaign.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38994030|title=Bromley sign Flitney as Julian departs|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> Following 14 league appearances, in which he helped the club to a 10th-place finish, Flitney departed Bromley at the end of the season to eventually rejoin Eastleigh.<ref>{{cite web|title=Squad Update: Tyrone Sterling joins Bromley|url=https://www.bromleyfc.tv/site/squad-update-tyrone-sterling-joins-bromley/|author=Bromley Football Club|publisher=Bromley F.C.|date=24 May 2017|accessdate=24 May 2017}}</ref> On 20 June 2023, Flitney joined Wimborne Town.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ross Flitney joins Wimborne Town|url=https://www.wimbornetownfc.co.uk/ross-flitney-signs/|author=Wimborne Town FC|publisher=Wimborne Town F.C.|date=20 June 2023|accessdate=20 June 2023}} </ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|end of 2022–23 season}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="2"|Brighton & Hove Albion (loans) |rowspan="2"|2003–04<ref>{{soccerbase season|36000|2003|accessdate=6 January 2018}}</ref> |rowspan="2"|Second Division |1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0 |- |2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0 |- |Doncaster Rovers |2004–05 |League One |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |rowspan="3"|Barnet |2005–06<ref>{{soccerbase season|36000|2005|accessdate=6 January 2018}}</ref> |rowspan="2"|League Two |35||0||1||0||2||0||0||0||38||0 |- |2006–07<ref>{{soccerbase season|36000|2006|accessdate=6 January 2018}}</ref> |15||0||1||0||2||0||2{{efn|name=FLT|Appearances in the Football League Trophy}}||0||20||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !50!!0!!2!!0!!4!!0!!2!!0!!58!!0 |- |rowspan="3"|Grays Athletic |2007–08<ref>{{soccerbase season|36000|2007|accessdate=6 January 2018}}</ref> |rowspan="2"|Conference Premier |30||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||30||0 |- |2008–09<ref>{{soccerbase season|36000|2008|accessdate=6 January 2018}}</ref> |6||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||6||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !36!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!36!!0 |- |Croydon Athletic (loan) |2008–09 |Isthmian Division One South | || || || ||colspan="2"|—|| || || || |- |Croydon Athletic |2009–10 |Isthmian Division One South | || || || ||colspan="2"|—|| || || || |- |rowspan="3"|Dover Athletic |2009–10<ref name="Aylesbury">{{cite web |title=Ross Flitney |url=http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/players/ross-flitney |website=aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk |accessdate=6 January 2018}}</ref> |rowspan="2"|Conference South |16||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||2{{efn|Appearances in the Conference South play-offs}}||0||18||0 |- |2010–11<ref name="Aylesbury"/> |40||0||7||0||colspan="2"|—||1{{efn|name=FAT|Appearances in the FA Trophy}}||0||48||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !56!!0!!7!!0!!0!!0!!3!!0!!66!!0 |- |Gillingham |2011–12<ref>{{soccerbase season|36000|2011|accessdate=6 January 2018}}</ref> |League Two |27||0||3||0||1||0||0||0||31||0 |- |Eastleigh (loan) |rowspan="2"|2012–13<ref name="Aylesbury"/> |Conference South |7||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||1{{efn|name=FAT}}||0||8||0 |- |rowspan="6"|Eastleigh |rowspan="2"|Conference South |19||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||2{{efn|Appearances in the Conference South play-offs}}||0||21||0 |- |2013–14<ref name="Aylesbury"/> |40||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||4{{efn|name=FAT}}||0||46||0 |- |2014–15<ref name="Aylesbury"/> |Conference Premier |46||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||4{{efn|One appearance in the Hampshire Senior Cup, one in the FA Trophy and two in the Conference Premier play-offs}}||0||53||0 |- |2015–16<ref name="Aylesbury"/> |rowspan="2"|National League |30||0||5||0||colspan="2"|—||2{{efn|name=FAT}}||0||37||0 |- |2016–17<ref name="Aylesbury"/> |9||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||9||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !144!!0!!10!!0!!0!!0!!12!!0!!166!!0 |- |Whitehawk |2016–17<ref name="RFSW">{{cite web |title=R. Flitney |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/ross-flitney/36054/ |work=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |accessdate=6 January 2018}}</ref> |National League South |7||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||2{{efn|name=FAT}}||0||11||0 |- |Bromley |2016–17<ref name="Aylesbury"/> |National League |14||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||1{{efn|name=KSC|Appearance in the Kent Senior Cup}}||0||15||0 |- |rowspan="7"|Eastleigh |2017–18<ref name="RFSW"/><ref name="Aylesbury"/> |rowspan="6"|National League |20||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||2{{efn|One appearance in the Hampshire Senior Cup, one in the FA Trophy}}||0||23||0 |- |2018–19<ref name="RFSW"/><ref name = "Aylesbury"/> |3||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||1{{efn|name=HSC|Appearance(s) in the Hampshire Senior Cup}}||0||5||0 |- |2019–20<ref name="RFSW"/><ref name = "Aylesbury"/> |0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||6{{efn|Three appearances in the Hampshire Senior Cup, three in the FA Trophy}}||0||6||0 |- |2020–21<ref name="RFSW"/><ref name = "Aylesbury"/> |0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||1{{efn|name=FAT}}||0||1||0 |- |2021–22<ref name="RFSW"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eastleighfc.com/report-spitfires-2-0-havant-waterlooville/|title = REPORT | SPITFIRES 2-0 HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE | Eastleigh FC}}</ref> |2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||3{{efn|name=HSC}}||0||5||0 |- |2022–23<ref name="RFSW"/> |0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||3{{efn|name=HSC}}||0||3||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !25!!0!!2!!0!!0!!0!!16!!0!!43!!0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !369!!0!!26!!0!!5!!0!!37!!0!!437!!0 |}
{{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Soccerbase}}
{{Eastleigh F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flitney, Ross}} Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:English men's footballers Category:English Football League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:Isthmian League players Category:Men's association football goalkeepers Category:Arsenal F.C. players Category:Fulham F.C. players Category:Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players Category:Doncaster Rovers F.C. players Category:Barnet F.C. players Category:Grays Athletic F.C. players Category:Croydon Athletic F.C. players Category:Dover Athletic F.C. players Category:Gillingham F.C. players Category:Eastleigh F.C. players Category:Whitehawk F.C. players Category:Footballers from Hitchin Category:21st-century English sportsmen