Thomas Pinault (born 4 December 1981) is a French former professional footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for Colchester United, Grimsby Town and Brentford, and his native country for Cannes and RC Grasse.

Thomas Pinault
Personal information
Full name Thomas Pinault[1]
Date of birth (1981-12-04) 4 December 1981 (age 42)
Place of birth Grasse, France
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
0000–1998 Cannes
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–1999 Cannes 0 (0)
1999–2004 Colchester United 133 (5)
2004–2005 Grimsby Town 43 (7)
2006–2007 Brentford 27 (1)
2007–2010 Crawley Town 108 (8)
2010–2013 RC Grasse
Total 311 (21)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Colchester United

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A product of the Cannes youth system, Pinault moved to England to join Second Division club Colchester United on a free transfer in June 1999.[3][4] After making just 10 appearances during his first two full seasons at Layer Road,[5][6] he broke into the first team squad during the 2001–02 season and signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract in October 2001.[7][8] Pinault remained with Colchester United until his contract expired at the end of the 2003–04 season,[4] by which time he had made 157 appearances and scored seven goals for the club.[9]

Grimsby Town

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After an unsuccessful trial with Dundee United and turning down a contract from Northampton Town,[10] Pinault signed a one-year contract with League Two club Grimsby Town on a free transfer in July 2004.[11] Pinault was a regular in the team during the 2004–05 season, making 47 appearances and scoring seven goals,[12] but his relationship with manager Russell Slade deteriorated after he was "singled-out for criticism" by Slade for his defensive performance during a 2–2 draw with Notts County late in the season.[13] He was released at the end of the 2004–05 season.[14] In 2006, Pinault's remarks about his time at Blundell Park were chosen as one of BBC Sport's Quotes of the Year:[15]

Brentford

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After a year out of football with an ankle ligament injury,[16] Pinault returned to England sign a one-year contract with League One club Brentford on a free transfer in July 2006.[17] Despite being transfer-listed by incoming manager Scott Fitzgerald in December 2006,[18] Pinault remained at Griffin Park for the duration of the 2006–07 season and made 37 appearances, scoring one goal.[19] He was released in June 2007,[20] after Brentford's relegation to League Two was confirmed.[21]

Crawley Town

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Pinault joined Conference Premier club Crawley Town on a one-year contract in July 2007.[22] Through successive one-year extensions of his contract,[23][24] he remained at the Broadfield Stadium for three seasons and made over 110 appearances for the club.[9] Pinault rejected a new contract and left Crawley at the end of the 2009–10 season.[25]

RC Grasse

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Early in the 2010–11 season, Pinault returned to France to join hometown Championnat de France Amateur 2 club RC Grasse.[26] He remained at the Stade Jean Girard until his retirement at the end of the 2012–13 season.[27]

Personal life

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Thomas is the brother of footballer Clément Pinault.[28] After retiring from football, he became an estate agent.[29]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Colchester United 1999-00[5] Second Division 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 5 0
2000–01[6] 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1
2001–02[7] 42 0 2 0 2 0 2[a] 0 48 0
2002–03[30] 42 4 1 0 1 0 1[a] 0 45 4
2003–04[31] 40 0 7 0 2 1 5[a] 1 54 2
Total 133 5 10 0 6 1 8 1 157 7
Grimsby Town 2004–05[12] League Two 43 7 1 0 2 0 1[a] 0 47 7
Brentford 2006–07[19] League One 27 1 1 0 2 0 1[a] 0 31 1
Crawley Town 2007–08[32] Conference Premier 41 4 0 0 1[b] 0 43 4
2008–09[33] 28 3 1 0 0 0 28 3
2009–10[27] 40 1 2 0 0 0 40 1
Total 109 8 3 0 1 0 113 8
RC Grasse 2012–13[27] Championnat de France amateur 2 23 2 0 0 23 2
Career total 335 29 15 0 10 1 11 1 371 31
  1. ^ a b c d e Appearances in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ Appearance in Conference League Cup

Honours

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Colchester United

  • Harwich Charity Cup Centenary Shield: 1999[34]

References

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  1. ^ "Thomas Pinault". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  2. ^ Thomas Pinault at WorldFootball.net
  3. ^ "Soccer: Colchester net another Frenchman". Gazette. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Soccer: Thomas is shown the door". Gazette. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Games played by Thomas Pinault in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Games played by Thomas Pinault in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Games played by Thomas Pinault in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Soccer: Pinault commits to U's". Gazette. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  9. ^ a b Thomas Pinault at Soccerbase
  10. ^ "Owen Coyle Leaves United". Dundee United Football Club. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  11. ^ "Pinault makes Grimsby move". 24 July 2004. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  12. ^ a b "Games played by Thomas Pinault in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  13. ^ "Russell Slade Said That Any Girl off the Street Could Play Better Than Me. I Want to Show Brentford Fans He Was Wrong". Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  14. ^ "Seven overseas players who were hit or miss". Grimsby Telegraph. 19 September 2018. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Quotes of the Year Part II". 1 January 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  16. ^ "Crawley Town Football Club – Home Page". Archived from the original on 28 January 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  17. ^ "Bees Fourth Signing?". brentfordfc.co.uk. 18 July 2006. Archived from the original on 12 February 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  18. ^ "Goalkeeper Abbey joins Brentford". 29 December 2006. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  19. ^ a b "Games played by Thomas Pinault in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  20. ^ "Bees Announce Retained List". brentfordfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  21. ^ Brentford F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  22. ^ "Crawley sign midfielder Pinault". BBC Sport. 13 July 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2008.
  23. ^ "Crawley keep eight but Bayes goes". 10 May 2008. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  24. ^ "Crawley quartet agree new deals". 21 May 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  25. ^ "Crawley Town Football Club – Home Page". Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  26. ^ "Thomas Pinault, la suprise " anglaise " du chef". nice.maville.com (in French). Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  27. ^ a b c Thomas Pinault at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  28. ^ "Clermont Mourn Pinault". Sporting Life. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  29. ^ "FC Immobilier : Agence immobilière à 90 route de Cannes 06130 Grasse". www.seloger.com. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  30. ^ "Games played by Thomas Pinault in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  31. ^ "Games played by Thomas Pinault in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  32. ^ "Games played by Thomas Pinault in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  33. ^ "Games played by Thomas Pinault in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  34. ^ "Soccer: Another cup for Colchester". Gazette. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
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Thomas Pinault at Soccerbase