Robbie Gotts (born 9 November 1999) is an English professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who plays for club

Doncaster Rovers Doncaster Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The team currently competes in EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system after winning the 202 ...

, as a

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

right-back In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring. Defenders fall into four main categories: centre-backs, full-backs, sweepers ...

Career

Leeds United

He impressed for

Carlos Corberán Carlos Corberán Vallet (born 7 April 1983) is a Spanish Association football, football Coach (sport), coach and former Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper who is currently head coach of La Liga club Valencia CF, Valencia. Previously ...

's Leeds United under 23 side over the course of the 2018–19 season, winning the PDL Northern League 2018–19 season, then becoming the national

Professional Development League The Professional Development League is a system of Football in England, English youth association football, football leagues that are managed, organised and controlled by the Premier League or by the Football League. It was introduced by the Th ...

champions by beating

Birmingham City Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. The team compete in the ...

in the final. As of 12 December 2019, he had featured on the first-team substitutes' bench over 30 times for the first team, but had yet to make his senior debut. He made his long-awaited debut by starting in the

FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...

on 6 January 2020 in a 1–0 defeat against

Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...

side

Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...

at the

Emirates Stadium The Emirates Stadium (known as Arsenal Stadium for UEFA competitions) is a association football, football stadium in Holloway, London, England. It has been the home stadium of Arsenal F.C., Arsenal Football Club since its completion in 2006. ...

. After the English professional football season was paused in March 2020 due to

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

, the season was resumed during June, where Gotts earned promotion with Leeds to the

and also become the

EFL Championship The English Football League Championship, known simply as the Championship and for sponsorship purposes as Sky Bet Championship, is a professional association football league in England and Wales. Contested by 24 clubs, it is the highest divi ...

champions for the 2019-20 season in July. Gotts won Leeds United's Academy Player of the Year award at the club's end of season awards on 24 July 2020. On 15 October 2020, Gotts joined Lincoln City on a season-long loan deal. He made his debut at home against

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

on 3 November 2020 and scored his first goal in what would be his final game, a

EFL Trophy The English Football League Trophy, officially known as the Vertu Motors, Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football, football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL League Two and ...

tie against

Accrington Stanley Accrington Stanley Football Club is a professional association football club based in Accrington, Lancashire, England, that compete in the , the fourth level of the English football league system. They have spent their entire history playing a ...

on 12 January 2021. He was recalled by Leeds United a few days later and immediately sent on loan to Salford City for the remainder of the season. He was cup-tied for Salford's victory in the 2020 EFL Trophy Final (played in March 2021).

Barrow

Gotts left Leeds and signed for Barrow on 31 August 2021. He won Player of the Year in his first season with the Bluebirds. He was offered a new contract at the end of the 2024–25 season.

Doncaster Rovers

On 15 May 2025, Gotts agreed to join recently crowned League Two champions

on 1 July 2025, on a two-year deal with the option for a further twelve months.

Style of play

Gotts was primarily a

but was converted by

Marcelo Bielsa Marcelo Alberto Bielsa Caldera (, nicknamed ''El Loco Bielsa'' , meaning 'The Madman Bielsa'; born 21 July 1955) is an Argentine professional Association football, football manager who is the current manager of the Uruguay national football team ...

to play as a

central midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

. Bielsa described that he had never seen a player as "dynamic" as Gotts in his career, saying that "he's a number eight, a midfielder. He is not offensive and not defensive. He's a number eight."

Career statistics

Honours

Individual * Barrow Player of the Year: 2021–22 *

Leeds United Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The team compete in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system. Leeds United have won the League Championship th ...

Academy Player of the Year: 2019–20

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gotts, Robbie 1999 births Living people Footballers from Harrogate English men's footballers Leeds United F.C. players Lincoln City F.C. players Salford City F.C. players Barrow A.F.C. players Doncaster Rovers F.C. players English Football League players Men's association football midfielders Men's association football fullbacks 21st-century English sportsmen