Ex-Blade Goes Non-League

Last updated : 14 July 2003 By @blades_mad1889

Bobby Ford
Bobby, son of former Bristol City and Bristol Rovers star Tony, decided to retire at the age of 29 where it is believed that a host of Dr Martins League clubs are interested in him.

Ford said: "I feel disillusioned about the way it's gone and I won't be coming back to Oxford. I didn't enjoy last season at all. The style of football didn't suit me.

"I'm going to find a job in the Bristol area, where I live, and find a local non-league team who will pay me a couple of hundred pounds a week.

"I want to get back to enjoying my football again because I just didn't enjoy it last season I found the month-to-month offer an insult."

Bobby, started his career at Oxford in 1992 and stayed their until November 1997 where he was snapped up for £400,000 after the Manor Ground club was forced to sell after a huge dept problem.

While at Bramall Lane he made 138 league appearances and scored six goals. Most memorable was a penalty which he converted in the Steel City Derby in 2000/01 season at the lane. Another was a miss hit cross against Tranmere season before which somehow found the net.

In the summer of 2002 he was released after falling out of favour with the Bramall Lane crowed and found himself back at Oxford United where he spend whole of last season.