Robert Julian Apter (born 23 April 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a right midfielder for EFL League One club Blackpool. Born in England, he has represented Scotland at under-19 level.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Julian Apter[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 23 April 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Position(s) | Right midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Blackpool | ||
| Number | 25 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2012–2019 | Motherwell | ||
| 2019–2020 | Blackpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020– | Blackpool | 2 | (0) |
| 2021 | → Bamber Bridge (loan) | 18 | (9) |
| 2022 | → Chester (loan) | 17 | (2) |
| 2022–2023 | → Scunthorpe United (loan) | 19 | (4) |
| 2023–2024 | → Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 18 | (4) |
| 2024 | → Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 10 | (4) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021– | Scotland U19 | 6 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:38, 9 March 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:30, 8 May 2022 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Born in Liverpool,[2] Apter signed for Tranmere Rovers academy at the age of 8 and remained until he was released at 16. Apter secured a two-year scholarship at Blackpool in May 2019 and signed a two-year professional contract with the option of an additional year in November 2020.[3] He made his senior debut later that month as a substitute in a 3–0 EFL Trophy win Leeds United U21.[4][5] Apter made his league debut on 26 January 2021 as a late substitute in a 5–0 win away to Wigan Athletic and provided the assist for their final goal.[6][7] In February 2021, he was one of 33 players awarded with the League Football Education's The 11 award for under-18 players.[8]
On 13 August 2021, Apter joined Bamber Bridge on loan.[9] As of 2 December, he had scored ten goals in all competitions, including one goal from the halfway line in November in a 4-1 win away at Witton Albion.[10] He returned to his parent club on 15 December.[11]
Apter signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with Blackpool on 3 December 2021, with an option of a further year.[12] In December 2021, Apter joined Scottish side Livingston on a week long trial with a view to signing on loan. However no transfer materialised following the trial.[13]
On 12 January 2024, he signed a new two-year contract with the club.[14]
On 3 January 2022, Apter joined Chester on an initial 28-day loan.[15] On 1 February, it was extended until the end of the season.[16]
On 28 August 2022, Apter joined National League club Scunthorpe United on a short-term loan until January 2023.[17] He made his debut the following day in a 2–0 home defeat to FC Halifax Town.[18]
On 1 September 2023, Apter joined Tranmere Rovers on loan until January 2024.[19][20] He was nominated for League 2 Player of the Month for November.[21]
On 12 January 2024, Apter signed a new three-and-a-half year contract with Blackpool, returning to Tranmere for a second loan until the end of the season.[22][23][24]
International career
In September 2021, Apter was called up to the Scotland under-19s.[25]
He made his debut for the under-19s on 10 November 2021 against Armenia. He scored his first goal for them three days later in a 3–0 victory over Gibraltar.[26]
Career statistics
- As of match played 28 October 2022
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Blackpool | 2020–21[27] | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021–22[28] | Championship | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2022–23[29] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| Bamber Bridge (loan) | 2021–22[30] | NPL Premier Division | 18 | 9 | 2 | 1 | — | 1[b] | 0 | 21 | 10 | ||
| Chester (loan) | 2021–22[1] | National League North | 17 | 2 | — | — | — | 17 | 2 | ||||
| Scunthorpe United (loan) | 2022–23[1] | National League | 19 | 4 | — | — | — | 19 | 4 | ||||
| Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 2023–24[31] | League Two | 19 | 4 | |||||||||
| Career total | 56 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 60 | 16 | |||
Honours
Individual
References
External links
- Rob Apter at Soccerbase