Iain Robert Turner (born 26 January 1984) is a Scottish former professional footballer, who played as a goalkeeper and who works as goalkeeping coach at Tranmere Rovers. He represented the Scotland under-21 team, the Scotland B team and been selected for the full Scotland squad. Turner previously played for Stirling Albion, Barnsley, Everton and several other clubs on loan.
Club career Born in Stirling, Turner arrived at Everton after impressing with his local team, Stirling Albion, signing for £50,000 in March 2003. The Scotland under-21 international, also capped at under-16 and under-18 level, has spent time gaining experience on loan at Chester City (where he won a Conference National championship medal in 2004), Doncaster Rovers, Wycombe Wanderers and Crystal Palace.
Turner found national fame when he was sent off after only nine minutes during his Premier League debut for the Toffees against Blackburn Rovers, after picking up a header from one of his own defenders, Alan Stubbs, outside the penalty area.
He signed for Sheffield Wednesday on a month's loan in February 2007 making his debut at home in the win against Southend United on 24 February 2007. Prior to Turner signing for Sheffield Wednesday, the club had failed to win in nine games. His arrival at the club sparked an upturn in form, and he helped them to avoid defeat in each of the eleven games in which he played during his loan spell. In March 2009 Turner signed for Nottingham Forest on loan until the end of the 2008–09 season. During his spell at Forest, Turner saved a penalty hit by Jamal Campbell-Ryce in a league match between Forest and Barnsley. In August 2010 he signed on a month emergency loan to Coventry City as back-up to Keiren Westwood. Turner signed for Preston North End on a 93-day emergency loan on 9 February 2011, replacing Andy Lonergan, the regular Preston goalkeeper.
After Lonergan left Preston to join Leeds United, Turner signed a one-year contract with Preston on 29 July 2011. On 27 August 2011, Turner scored his first ever career goal in the 86th minute of a league match against Notts County, sending a long ball bouncing over the head of his opposite number Stuart Nelson. Turner suffered an injury to his foot on 3 November 2011. Preston then signed a new goalkeeper from Germany, Thorsten Stuckmann, who kept Turner out of the first team when he returned from injury. Turner was loaned to Dunfermline Athletic in January 2012, but this contract was cancelled after he suffered an injury in training. In May 2012, Turner was released from the club after being told his contract would not be renewed.
On 30 January 2014, Turner signed a short-term contract with Barnsley.
On 15 August 2014, Turner signed a six-month contract with Sheffield United. Turner made his Blades début on 7 October 2014 as the Blades won 2–1 away at Hartlepool United in the Football League Trophy. Despite being Sheffield United's second choice goalkeeper, he made several more appearances for the Blades and made some excellent saves in a 2–0 victory over Swindon Town in January 2015.
In July 2017 he signed for Southport as a player and goalkeeping coach.
International career Turner represented the Scotland B side in May 2009. He was called up to the full Scotland squad in August 2010 as a replacement for the injured David Marshall. He was sometimes selected for the squad under the management of Craig Levein, but did not play.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsStirling Albion2002–03Scottish Third Division130000000130Everton2003–04Premier League00000000002004–0500000000002005–0630100000402006–0710001000202007–0800000000002008–0900000000002009–1000000000002010–110000000000Total4010100060Chester City (loan)2003–04Football Conference12000—00120Doncaster Rovers (loan)2004–05League One8000—0080Wycombe Wanderers (loan)2005–06League Two3000001Appearances in the Football League Trophy040Crystal Palace (loan)2006–07Championship5000——50Sheffield Wednesday (loan)2006–07Championship11000——110Nottingham Forest (loan)2008–09Championship300000—30Coventry City (loan)2010–11Championship200000—20Preston North End (loan)2010–11Championship1700000—170Preston North End2011–12League One111001000121Dunfermline Athletic (loan)2011–12Scottish Premier League400000—40Sheffield United2014–15League One110000020130Tranmere Rovers2015–16National League1010—0020Southport2017–18National League North8000—0080Career total11312020301201
References
External links