Robert Hall (footballer)

Club career

West Ham United

Hall began his career with West Ham United in 2001 and signed his first professional contract in October 2010. Hall was given squad number 46 for the 2011–12 season and was an unused substitute for West Ham's League Cup defeat by Aldershot Town in August 2011.

Oxford United (loan)

In September he signed a one-month loan deal with Oxford United, later extended by a further month. He made his debut on 13 September against Dagenham & Redbridge, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 victory, the first of six goals in his ten appearances in all competitions. West Ham recalled Hall on 31 October as cover for injured players. He did not, however, feature for them and returned to Oxford on a one-month loan on 16 November. Hall played four games for Oxford during his second loan spell, without scoring, before being recalled by West Ham on 21 December. He made his West Ham debut on 31 December in a 2–1 away defeat to Derby County, coming on in the 79th minute as a substitute for Papa Bouba Diop.

Milton Keynes Dons (loan)

In March 2012 Hall signed on loan for League One club Milton Keynes Dons until the end of the 2011–12 season. He was West Ham's Academy Player of the Season for 2011–12.

Hall played once for West Ham in the Premier League and twice in the League Cup in the 2012–13 season before joining Championship club Birmingham City on loan in November.

Birmingham City (loan)

Hall made his Birmingham debut away at Derby County. After an hour, he made a pacy run down the centre and was fouled as he entered the penalty area. Marlon King converted the penalty for Birmingham's equaliser, but they lost 3–2. He provided the assists for both of Curtis Davies's goals in the 2–1 defeat of Barnsley in December. West Ham declined to allow Hall to play for Birmingham in the FA Cup, but were prepared to extend his loan for a further month, to be reviewed on a monthly basis. He made seven assists from thirteen Championship appearances before returning to West Ham for assessment of a groin problem, and underwent surgery on a hernia a few days before his loan formally ended on 16 March.

Bolton Wanderers

On 28 March 2013, he was loaned out by West Ham again, this time for a month initially to link up with Bolton Wanderers. He made only one appearance, starting against Blackpool in a 2–2 draw on the last day of the season. He started the game but was replaced by substitute Marvin Sordell after 37 minutes when Bolton were 2–0 down.

After his contract at West Ham expired, Hall signed for Bolton permanently on 1 July 2013, signing a three-year contract. In August 2013, the Professional Football Compensation Committee set Hall's transfer fee as an initial £450,000 with additional fees payable upon certain conditions occurring. West Ham would also be due 20% of any profit made by Bolton should Hall be transferred. He made his second debut on 6 August as he started in Bolton's 3–1 League Cup away win against Shrewsbury Town. He scored the first goal of the game, his first for Bolton.

At the end of the 2015–16 season, the club confirmed that he would be leaving when his contract expired at the end of June, following a knee injury sustained while on loan at MK Dons.

Milton Keynes Dons (loan)

On 26 March 2015, Hall re-joined Milton Keynes Dons on-loan until the end of the 2014–15 season. On 18 April 2015, Hall scored his first goals for Milton Keynes Dons with a hat-trick in a 6–1 home defeat of Leyton Orient. He dedicated the goals to his friend and former teammate at West Ham United, Dylan Tombides, who died exactly one year previous from cancer.

On 28 July 2015, Hall signed for a second consecutive loan period until the end of the 2015–16 season. On 5 April 2016 Hall suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during training, and returned to Bolton Wanderers for treatment.

Oxford United

On 19 July 2016, Oxford United announced that they had signed the former loanee on a two-year permanent deal, despite his ongoing injury. He made his first appearance as a substitute in an EFL Trophy match against Chelsea U23 on 8 November, and his first league appearance, again as a substitute, against Shrewsbury Town four days later. His first starting appearance came in a League One fixture against Coventry City on 19 November. After a bright start to 2017–18, in which he scored a further 5 goals in 15 appearances (two in the league), he spent four months out of contention due to a long-term injury, before returning to the first team for the final two games of the season. and did not reappear until the last four games of the season. This option was taken up before Hall was released at the end of the 2020-21 season.

Forest Green Rovers (loan)

After signing a one-year contract extension with Oxford, Hall joined League Two club Forest Green Rovers on a six-month loan on 24 January 2020.

Barnet

Following his release by Oxford, Hall went on trial at Gillingham in pre-season. He signed for Barnet on 21 September 2021. He was released at the end of the 2022–23 season.

Later career

Hall joined Hampton & Richmond Borough for the 2023-24 season.

In December 2024, he joined Isthmian League Premier Division side Cheshunt.

On 4 July 2025, Hall announced his retirement from football.

International career

Hall has represented England at under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-19 levels and was a member of the team that won the 2010 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Liechtenstein. His under-19 debut came on 10 November 2011 when he appeared as a substitute for Harry Kane and scored the only goal in a victory against Denmark under-19 at Falmer Stadium.

Personal life

Hall was born Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, A cousin, Reece Hall-Johnson, also played football professionally.

Career statistics

Honours

Milton Keynes Dons

• Football League One runner-up: 2014–15

Oxford United

• EFL Trophy runner-up: 2016–17

England U17

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2010

References

References

1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Oxford United". English Football League.
2. (2012). "Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013". Headline.
3. "Robert Hall". Oxford United F.C.
4. "Rob Hall". West Ham United F.C..
5. (29 October 2010). "Hall signs". West Ham United F.C..
6. (2 June 2011). "Hall aiming higher". West Ham United F.C..
7. (24 August 2011). "West Ham United 1–2 Aldershot FT". West Ham United F.C..
8. (12 September 2011). "Hall heading to Oxford". West Ham United F.C..
9. (6 October 2011). "Oxford United agree Robert Hall loan extension". BBC Sport.
10. (13 September 2011). "Dag & Red 0–1 Oxford Utd". BBC Sport.
11. (16 November 2011). "West Ham striker Robert Hall returns to Oxford United". BBC Sport.
12. (21 December 2011). "Hall recalled". West Ham United F.C..
13. (31 December 2011). "Derby 2–1 West Ham United FT". West Ham United F.C..
14. (16 March 2012). "Loanee update". West Ham United F.C..
15. (5 June 2012). "Hall's season to remember". West Ham United F.C.
16. Walker, Andy. (23 November 2012). "Hall-mark of quality". Birmingham City F.C.
17. Tattum, Colin. (24 November 2012). "Derby 3 Birmingham City 2". Birmingham Mail.
18. (26 December 2012). "Barnsley 1–2 Birmingham". BBC Sport.
19. Bradley, Paul. (4 January 2013). "Birmingham City hope to keep Robert Hall beyond January". Birmingham Mail.
20. Walker, Andy. (8 January 2013). "Hall loan boost". Birmingham City F.C.
21. Tattum, Colin. (16 March 2013). "Robert Hall ends loan spell at Blues with glowing tribute from Lee Clark". Birmingham Mail.
22. (13 March 2013). "The Big Interview – Rob Hall". West Ham United F.C.
23. (28 March 2013). "Hall signs on loan". Bolton Wanderers F.C..
24. Rose, Gary. (4 May 2013). "Bolton 2–2 Blackpool". BBC Sport.
25. (1 July 2013). "Bolton Wanderers sign Alex Baptiste and Robert Hall". BBC Sport.
26. (30 August 2013). "Hall compensation package set". West Ham United F.C..
27. (6 August 2013). "Shrewsbury 1–3 Bolton". BBC Sport.
28. (13 May 2016). "Bolton Wanderers confirm player departures". Bolton Wanderers F.C..
29. (26 March 2015). "Bolton Wanderers: Ex West Ham and Birmingham City striker Rob Hall joins MK Dons on loan confirmed".
30. Lock, Toby. (18 April 2015). "Hall's match ball after Orient trio". Milton Keynes Citizen.
31. (28 July 2015). "Rob returns to stadiummk". Milton Keynes Dons F.C..
32. (5 April 2016). "Hall set for spell on sidelines". Milton Keynes Dons F.C..
33. (19 July 2016). "Rob Hall joins Oxford United". Oxford United F.C..
34. Scott, Ged. (2 April 2017). "EFL Trophy final: Coventry City 2–1 Oxford United". BBC Sport.
35. (16 November 2017). "Rob Hall: Oxford United midfielder's knee injury adds to League One club's woes". BBC Sport.
36. (23 August 2018). "Rob Hall injury update". Oxford United F.C..
37. (29 May 2019). "Oxford United: Rob Hall signs new one-year contract at League One club". BBC Sport.
38. (25 May 2021). "U's announce rRetained list". Oxford United F.C..
39. Edwards, Matt. (24 January 2020). "Signing: Wideman Robert Hall joins on loan from League One Oxford United". Forest Green Rovers.
40. Roberts, James. (1 August 2021). "Ex-Oxford United forward Rob Hall on trial at Gillingham". Oxford Mail.
41. (21 September 2021). "Welcome to Barnet FC, Rob Hall!". Barnet F.C..
42. (5 May 2023). "Retained List 2023". Barnet F.C..
43. "Rob Hall". Hampton & Richmond Borough F.C..
44. (26 December 2024). "Team news 🟠 Rob Hall debut ⚫️ Jack Munns starts 1. R Constable 2. L Akolbire 3. B Roberts 4. J Thomas (c) 5. D Furlong 6. R DaSilva 7. A Vasiliou 8. S Granville 9. T Wood 10. J Munns 11. R Hall 12.Oji, 14.Braney, 15.Bryan-Waugh 16.Murphy 18.Muyembe #COYA 🟠".
45. (4 July 2025). "Football … Thank You!❤️".
46. "Robert Hall". The Football Association.
47. (8 April 2009). "Big Day for Hall". West Ham United F.C..
48. (10 November 2011). "West Ham United's Robert Hall nets England Under-19s winner in Brighton after replacing Tottenham Hotspur team-mate". This is Local London.
49. (10 October 2008). "Grange pupil Hall gets another England call". The Bucks Herald.
50. (28 September 2012). "It's Hall in the family". West Ham United F.C..
51. {{soccerbase season. 61628. 2011
52. {{soccerbase season. 61628. 2012
53. {{soccerbase season. 61628. 2013
54. {{soccerbase season. 61628. 2014
55. {{soccerbase season. 61628. 2015
56. {{Soccerbase season. 61628. 2016
57. {{soccerbase season. 61628. 2017
58. {{soccerbase season. 61628. 2018
59. {{soccerbase season. 61628. 2019
60. {{soccerbase season. 61628. 2020
61. "R. Hall". Perform Group.
62. "Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round – Southall 1–2 Hampton & Richmond Borough".
63. "Rob Hall {{!}} Player Profile - Aylesbury United Archive".
64. "Cheshunt – Appearances – Rob Hall – 2024–2025".
65. (30 December 2015). "2015: Dons clinch promotion in style". Milton Keynes Dons.