Andy Rinomhota

Andrew Farai Rinomhota (born 21 April 1997) is an English-Zimbabwean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Reading.

Andy Rinomhota
Personal information
Full name Andrew Farai Rinomhota[1]
Date of birth (1997-04-21) 21 April 1997[2]
Place of birth Leeds, England
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Reading
Number 8
Youth career
0000–2014 AFC Portchester
2015–2018 Reading
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 AFC Portchester 30 (10)
2018– Reading 54 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 April 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 09:56, 16 July 2018 (UTC)

Career

Club

Rinomhota was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, and started his career in the youth team of AFC Portchester before he was promoted to the first team in the Wessex League due to an injury crisis.[3] After impressing for the first team, scoring ten goals in 30 league games,[4] manager Graham Rix contacted Reading to send a scout to watch Rinomhota in action, which subsequently resulted in a two-week trial.[5] In April 2015, he signed for EFL Championship side Reading on an initial two-year contract with the option of a further twelve-month extension.[6] He spent the majority of his first season with the club with under-18 and under-21 sides, moving up to the under-23 side in the 2016–17 season to play for the side in the EFL Trophy, amassing a total of thirty-nine appearances in all competitions.[7] He was promoted to the first team in the summer of 2017 and joined the side on the pre-season tour of the Netherlands.[7] In August 2017, he made his professional debut in the 2–0 EFL Cup win over Gillingham, playing the full ninety minutes.[7] On 8 December 2017, Rinomhota signed a new contract with Reading until the summer of 2021.[8] On 25 February 2019, Rinomhota signed a new three-year contract with Reading, lasting until the summer of 2022.[9] Rinomhota scored his first goal for Reading against top of the table Norwich City on 10 April 2019 in the last minute of added time (90+7') in a 2–2 draw at Carrow Road. After an exceptional debut season, Rinomhota was awarded the 2018–19 player of the season.[10]

International

In December 2017, Zimbabwe explored the option of convincing Rinomhota to represent them at international level, which he is qualified to play for through his father.[11] In May 2018, Rinomhota was named in Zimbabwe's provisional squad for the 2018 COSAFA Cup.[12] However, Zimbabwe faced difficulties in getting Rinomhota into their squad, as Zimbabwean law required him to renounce his British citizenship in order to get a local passport.[13]

Career statistics
As of matches played 5 April 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Reading 2015–16[14] Championship 000000—00
2016–17[15] Championship 0000000000
2017–18[16] Championship 000020—20
2018–19[17] Championship 2611010—281
2019–20[18] Championship 2805130—361
Total 541616000662
Career total 541616000662

    References
    1. "EFL Released and Retained List 2016-17" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
    2. "Andy Rinomhota". 11v11. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
    3. Gee, Wendy (17 May 2015). "Portchester bright spark Rinomhota on brink of joining Reading". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
    4. "Andy Rimonhota". The F.A. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
    5. "Andy Rinomhota - From The Creek to the Madejski". A.F.C. Portchester. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
    6. "Royals sign young midfielder". Reading F.C. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
    7. "Andy Rinomhota profile". Reading F.C. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
    8. "Rinomhota pledges future to Royals until 2021". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
    9. "Rinomhota extends Reading deal until 2022". readingfc.co.uk/. Reading F.C. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
    10. https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2019/may/fans-player-of-the-season-2018-19--andy-rinomhota/
    11. "Zimbabwe eyes Reading starlet". thestandard.co.zw. The Standard. 18 December 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
    12. "Chidzambwa Announces COSAFA 2018 Provisional Squad". zimeye.net. Zimeye. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
    13. "Zimbabwe delay announcing Afcon squad due to England based players citizenship". goal.com. Goal.com. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
    14. "Games played by Andy Rinomhota in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
    15. "Games played by Andy Rinomhota in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
    16. "Games played by Andy Rinomhota in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
    17. "Games played by Andy Rinomhota in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
    18. "Games played by Andy Rinomhota in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
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