Byron Joseph Anthony (born 20 September 1984) is a Welsh former professional footballer who is currentlyAcademy Manager at Bristol Rovers.
Born in Newport, he began his career with Cardiff City, progressing through the club's youth system after signing in 2000. He made his professional debut for the club at the age of 20 in 2004 but only made one further senior appearance before being released following a brief loan spell with Forest Green Rovers. He joined Bristol Rovers, helping the club win promotion to League One after winning the 2007 Football League Two play-off final. He remained in the first team for several years, making over 150 appearances in all competitions for the club before joining Hereford United in 2012 after an initial loan spell.
However, he was released by Hereford after making just two league appearances following his permanent transfer. He instead joined his hometown club Newport County in November 2012 but suffered a serious double break in his ankle during a match in August 2013. Although he made a brief return to playing, the injury would eventually result in his retirement from playing after struggling to regain fitness. Following his retirement, he was appointed as a youth coach at Newport and was eventually promoted to academy manager after a spell as the interim academy manager.
Early life
Growing up in Newport, Wales, Anthony attended St Joseph's Roman Catholic High School. As well as playing football, Anthony was a keen rugby player and was part of a Newport under-16 side that toured France.|Newport County]] and Barry Town.
Club career
Cardiff City
Having played for local amateur club Cromwell, Anthony was invited for a trial with his hometown club Newport County at the age of fifteen but was forced to cancel. He was later invited to a trial with Cardiff City, joining the club in 2000. He was part of the club's youth side that won the 2002 Welsh Youth Cup, defeating Llanelli 3–2 in the final, and captained the side the following season. He was called up to the Wales U19 squad for the Milk Cup in 2003 and captained the side in six of his seven appearances. He was also capped eight times by Wales at Under-21 level.
Having signed junior forms with Cardiff at the age of sixteen, in May 2004, Anthony signed his first professional contract at the club. After captaining the club's reserve side, Anthony was called into the senior team for several pre-season friendlies at the start of the 2004–05 season, featuring in a match against Chester City. After being an unused substitute for a league match against Stoke City, on 21 September 2004, Anthony made his professional debut, being named in the starting line-up in a 4–1 victory over Milton Keynes Dons in the Football League Cup after Rhys Weston pulled out due to injury. He scored Cardiff's fourth goal of the match, heading in from a Paul Parry corner. Following this, Anthony signed a contract with the club in late October 2004.
In February 2006, Anthony joined Football Conference side Forest Green Rovers on a one-month emergency loan deal, He made his debut in a 3–2 defeat to Morecambe. He made three further league appearances for the club before returning to Cardiff at the end of his loan spell. At the end of the 2005–06 season, Anthony was released by Cardiff.
Bristol Rovers
After being released by Cardiff, he joined Bristol Rovers on 1 July 2006, linking up with former Cardiff manager Lennie Lawrence. After being an unused substitute for the first three matches, Anthony made his Rovers debut in a 1–0 victory over Grimsby Town in a League Two match on 12 August 2006. On 17 October 2006, he scored his first goal for Bristol Rovers against Torquay United in the first round of Football League Trophy. Despite being restricted to twenty-three appearances in his first season, due to a knee injury, Anthony signed a contract extension with Rovers, keeping him at the club until 2009. Forming a partnership with the club's established defensive players Craig Hinton and Steve Elliott, Anthony was part of a Rovers defence that conceded fewer goals at home than any other League Two side during the 2006–07 season. Finishing in sixth place, the team won promotion after defeating Shrewsbury Town in the 2007 Football League Two play-off final.