{{short description|English footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Use British English|date=December 2019}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Ross Lafayette | image = | image_size = | fullname = Ross Lafayette<ref name="BH">{{Hugman|26720|accessdate=25 July 2017}}</ref> | height = {{height|m=1.89}}<ref name="11v11">{{Cite web |title=Ross Lafayette |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/ross-lafayette-241540/ |access-date=25 July 2017 |publisher=11v11}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|11|22|df=y}}<ref name="BH" /> | birth_place = Watford, England | currentclub = | position = Forward | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 2006 | years2 = 2006–2007 | years3 = 2007–2008 | years4 = 2008 | years5 = 2008–2009 | years6 = 2009 | years7 = 2009–2010 | years8 = 2010 | years9 = 2010–2012 | years10 = 2012–2014 | years11 = 2014–2015 | years12 = 2015 | years13 = 2015 | years14 = 2015–2016 | years15 = 2016 | years16 = 2016–2017 | years17 = 2017–2018 | years18 = 2018 | years19 = 2018–2019 | years20 = 2019–2021 | clubs1 = Beaconsfield SYCOB | clubs2 = Chesham United | clubs3 = Barton Rovers | clubs4 = Chesham United | clubs5 = Aylesbury United | clubs6 = Wealdstone | clubs7 = Aylesbury | clubs8 = Burnham | clubs9 = Hemel Hempstead Town | clubs10 = Welling United | clubs11 = Luton Town | clubs12 = → Woking (loan) | clubs13 = → Welling United (loan) | clubs14 = Eastleigh | clubs15 = → Aldershot Town (loan) | clubs16 = Dover Athletic | clubs17 = Sutton United | clubs18 = → Maidstone United (loan) | clubs19 = Billericay Town | clubs20 = Wealdstone | caps2 = 21 | goals2 = 3 | caps3 = 11 | goals3 = 1 | caps4 = 2 | goals4 = 0 | caps5 = 11 | goals5 = 0 | caps6 = 4 | goals6 = 0 | caps7 = 6 | goals7 = 4 | caps8 = 16 | goals8 = 5 | caps9 = 30 | goals9 = 12 | caps10 = 79 | goals10 = 36 | caps11 = 11 | goals11 = 0 | caps12 = 11 | goals12 = 3 | caps13 = 7 | goals13 = 2 | caps14 = 22 | goals14 = 4 | caps15 = 16 | goals15 = 2 | caps16 = 44 | goals16 = 12 | caps17 = 27 | goals17 = 7 | caps18 = 10 | goals18 = 3 | caps19 = 22 | goals19 = 4 | caps20 = 49 | goals20 = 16 | totalcaps = 399 | totalgoals = 114 | club-update = 21:57, 21 November 2020 (UTC) }} '''Ross Lafayette''' (born 22 November 1985) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker.
Lafayette's early career consisted of playing for non-League football clubs in North London and the home counties.
==Football career== Born in Watford,<ref name="sw">{{Soccerway|ross-lafayette/104959|accessdate= 16 January 2021}}</ref> Lafayette played youth football with Garston Boys.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/5734701.royston-celtic-under-17s-0-garston-boys-under-17s-4/|title=Royston Celtic Under-17's 0 Garston Boys Under-17's 4|website=Watford Observer|date=8 October 2002 }}</ref>
After playing for Beaconsfield SYCOB, Chesham United, Barton Rovers and Aylesbury United,<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/players/ross-lafayette|title=Ross Lafayette Profile | Aylesbury United FC|website=www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk}}</ref> Lafayette signed for Wealdstone in summer 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/sport/ryman-trio-ready-for-the-big-kick-off-3675408|title=Ryman trio ready for the big kick-off|date=12 August 2009|website=Kilburn Times}}</ref> He made 6 competitive appearances for Wealdstone without scoring.<ref name="auto1"/> He also had spells at Aylesbury and Burnham during the 2009–10 season.<ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/sport/13432118.nine-man-blues-win-derby/|title=Nine man Blues win derby|website=Slough Observer|date=11 February 2010 }}</ref> He played for Hemel Hempstead Town during the 2010–11 and 2011–12 campaigns.<ref name="auto1"/>
Lafayette signed for Welling United from Hemel Hempstead Town in the summer of 2012.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 February 2013 |title=Welling United stars living the dream |publisher=Bexley Times |url=http://www.bexleytimes.co.uk/news/welling_united_stars_living_the_dream_1_1949936 |access-date=5 October 2014}}</ref> In his first season, he contributed to Welling winning the Conference South by scoring 19 goals. In his second season Lafayette scored 16 goals as Welling established themselves in the Conference Premier.
After two seasons at Welling, Lafayette signed a two-year contract with League Two side Luton Town.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 June 2014 |title=Luton Town sign Ross Lafayette from Welling United |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27794527 |access-date=5 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=11 June 2014 |title=Former Evening Standard man Ross Lafayette signs for Luton Town |work=Evening Standard |publisher=Evening Standard |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/former-evening-standard-man-ross-lafayette-signs-for-luton-town-9528021.html |access-date=5 October 2014}}</ref> He made his league debut against Bury on 19 August 2014, coming off the bench.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 August 2014 |title=Luton v Bury |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28750237 |access-date=5 October 2014}}</ref> He made only one start for Luton before being loaned out to Conference Premier side Woking for a month in January 2015,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/luton-town-striker-ross-lafayette-8455792|title=Woking FC snap up Luton Town striker Ross Lafayette|first=Chris|last=Dyke|date=15 January 2015|website=SurreyLive}}</ref> scoring once in six league and cup appearances.<ref name="sw" /> He was loaned back to former club Welling in March 2015 and scored twice to help the club avoid relegation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nonleague.pitchero.com/uncategorized/lafayette-returns-to-wings-38312/|title=Lafayette Returns to Wings|date=26 March 2015}}</ref>
He was transfer listed by Luton at the end of the 2014–15 season,<ref name="ReleasedTransfer">{{Cite news |date=8 May 2015 |title=Luton Town: Hatters release seven and transfer list six more |work=Bedfordshire on Sunday |url=http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/Luton-Town-Hatters-release-seven-transfer-list/story-26465759-detail/story.html |access-date=14 May 2014}}</ref> and subsequently signed for Eastleigh on a free transfer.<ref name="Eastleigh">{{Cite news |date=3 June 2015 |title=Lafayette to leave Luton for Eastleigh |work=Luton Today |url=http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/luton-town/lafayette-to-leave-luton-for-eastleigh-1-6777991 |access-date=15 June 2015}}</ref> In January 2016, he joined Aldershot Town on loan until the end of the season.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35383481|title=Aldershot sign Eastleigh's Lafayette|work=BBC Sport}}</ref>
He joined Dover Athletic in August 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37023827|title=Dover bring in striker Lafayette|work=BBC Sport}}</ref>
He joined Sutton United in May 2017.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gwillym |first=Warren |date=18 May 2017 |title=Sutton United boss Doswell raids rivals to sign Kenny Davis, Ross Lafayette and Moses Emmanuel |work=Sutton Guardian |publisher=Newsquest |url=http://www.suttonguardian.co.uk/sport/football/nonleague/15294171.Sutton_United_boss_Doswell_raids_rivals_to_sign_Kenny_Davis__Ross_Lafayette_and_Moses_Emmanuel/?ref=rss |access-date=29 May 2017}}</ref> He joined Maidstone United on a one-month loan in February 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/21841/maidstone-united-take-ross-lafayette-and-dean-beckwith-on-loan-from-sutton-united/|title=Maidstone United take Ross Lafayette and Dean Beckwith on loan from Sutton United|date=8 February 2018}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web |date=13 March 2018 |title=Lafayette extends Stones loan |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/sport/lafayette-extends-stones-loan-161462/ |access-date=17 January 2021 |website=Kent Online |language=en}}</ref> In March 2018, his loan was extended until the end of the season.<ref name="auto" /> He was recalled by Sutton United in April 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/22353/maidstone-united-dealt-big-blow-to-survival-hopes-as-sutton-united-recall-striker-ross-lafayette/|title=Maidstone United dealt big blow to survival hopes as Sutton United recall striker Ross Lafayette|date=10 April 2018}}</ref>
In June 2019 he signed with Wealdstone for the second time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wealdstone-fc.com/post/ross-lafayette-returns-to-wealdstone|title=Ross Lafayette signs for Wealdstone FC!|first=Wealdstone|last=FC|date=12 June 2019|website=Wealdstone FC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/sport/transfer-round-up-wealdstone-sign-forwards-ross-lafayette-dennon-lewis-3820786|title=Transfer round-up: Wealdstone sign two forwards|first=Dan|last=Bennett|date=19 June 2019|website=Kilburn Times}}</ref> After scoring six goals in eight games for Wealdstone in August 2019, he was awarded the National League South Player of the Month award for that month.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/lafayette-earns-player-of-the-month-award-in-natio-58626|title=StackPath|website=www.thenationalleague.org.uk|date=6 September 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wealdstone-fc.com/post/august-national-league-south-awards|title=Dean Brennan & Ross Lafayette win August Manager & Player of the Month in the National League South|first=Dec|last=O'Reilly|date=6 September 2019|website=Wealdstone FC}}</ref> Lafayette was the Stones' top scorer in the 2019-20 season, netting 12 times as they were eventually promoted through points per game.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/ross-lafayette/104959/|title = R. Lafayette|website=Soccerway}}</ref> He signed a new one-year deal with Wealdstone ahead of the 2020–21 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wealdstone-fc.com/post/ross-lafayette-commits-to-2020-21|title=Ross Lafayette signs a new contract with Wealdstone FC!|first=Dec|last=O'Reilly|date=5 July 2020|website=Wealdstone FC}}</ref> Lafayette scored 4 times in an injury dominated second season with the Stones, where he made only 20 league appearances.<ref name="auto2"/>
On 1 June 2021, Lafayette announced his retirement<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1399699803811033088|user=Rosslaf10|title=Over and out! ✌🏽<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |date=1 June 2021}}</ref>
==Media career== Alongside his part-time playing career, Lafayette trained in digital media and was employed by ''The Independent'' and ''Evening Standard''. He joined London based company ''esbconnect'' as Sales and Partnerships Director in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thedigitalvoice.co.uk/ross-lafayette-joins-esbconnect-as-sales-partnerships-director|title=Ross Lafayette joins esbconnect as Sales & Partnerships Director|website=www.thedigitalvoice.co.uk|date=8 December 2023 |accessdate=17 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.inpublishing.co.uk/articles/esbconnect-appoints-ross-lafayette-22608|title=esbconnect appoints Ross Lafayette|website=www.inpublishing.co.uk|date=8 December 2023|accessdate=17 April 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerbase}} *[http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/players/ross-lafayette Ross Lafayette career at Aylesbury United]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lafayette, Ross}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:English men's footballers Category:Footballers from Watford Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Chesham United F.C. players Category:Barton Rovers F.C. players Category:Aylesbury United F.C. players Category:Wealdstone F.C. players Category:Aylesbury Vale Dynamos F.C. players Category:Burnham F.C. players Category:Hemel Hempstead Town F.C. players Category:Welling United F.C. players Category:Luton Town F.C. players Category:Eastleigh F.C. players Category:Woking F.C. players Category:Aldershot Town F.C. players Category:Dover Athletic F.C. players Category:Sutton United F.C. players Category:Maidstone United F.C. players Category:Spartan South Midlands Football League players Category:Southern Football League players Category:English Football League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:21st-century English sportsmen