This article is about the French footballer. For other uses, see William Gross.
William Gros
Birth date31 March 1992 (age 34)
Birth placeSt. Pierre, Réunion
PositionStriker
Youthclubs 1Le Havre
Youthclubs 2JS Saint-Pierroise
Years 12010–2014
Clubs 1Kilmarnock
Caps 150
Goals 12
Years 22014
Clubs 2Oldham Athletic
Caps 21
Goals 20
Years 32015–2016
Clubs 3Bangkok
Years 42014–2015
Clubs 4Toulouse Rodéo
Caps 411
Goals 42
Years 52016–2020
Clubs 5AS Vitré
Caps 557
Goals 514
Years 62020–2021
Clubs 6FC Fleury 91
Years 72022
Clubs 7JS Saint-Pierroise
Caps 73
Goals 70
Nationalyears 12018–2020
Nationalteam 1Madagascar[1]
Nationalcaps 15
Nationalgoals 10
Club-update19:03, 1 March 2025 (UTC)
Nationalteam-update09:55, 2 February 2020 (UTC)

William Gros (born 31 March 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker. At international level, he made four appearances the Madagascar national team.

Club career

Gros played in France for Le Havre and in his native Réunion for JS Saint-Pierroise before signing for Scottish club Kilmarnock in September 2010.[2] After making a substitute appearance, he scored on his first start for the club in March 2011 against St Mirren.[2] Gros signed a new three-year contract with the club in August 2013.[3] In March 2014, following a lack of games, Gros announced he was considering his future at the club.[4]

In June 2014 Gros went on trial with English club Oldham Athletic.[5] On 21 July 2014, Gros signed a one-month contract with the club.[6][7] Oldham manager Lee Johnson told Gros to prove his fitness in order to earn a longer contract with the club.[8] Gros was released by the club on 21 August 2014.[9]

He then returned to France, playing with Toulouse Rodéo and AS Vitré.[10]

Gros then joined FC Fleury 91 in the summer of 2020.[11]

Gros rejoined JS Saint-Pierroise in the summer of 2022.[citation needed]

International career

Gros has distant Malagasy ancestry, a great-great-grandmother,[12] a generation that usually exceeds those allowed by the FIFA eligibility rules (parents and grandparents). However, he was called up to the Madagascar national team on 11 August 2018.[13] He made his professional debut for Madagascar in a 1–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification win over Equatorial Guinea on 16 October 2018.[14]

Personal life

Gros was born to a Martiniquais father and a Réunionnais mother of Malagasy descent.[15] He is the cousin of the footballers Vincent and Mathieu Acapandié.[16]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Kilmarnock2010–11[17]111000000111
2011–12[18]8010000090
2012–13[19]171201000201
2013–14[20]140101000160
Total502402000562
Oldham Athletic2014–15[21]1000100020
Toulouse Rodéo2014–15[10]112000000112
AS Vitré2016–17[10]8300000083
2017–18[10]243100000253
2018–19[10]2585200003010
Total57146200006316
Career total11918102300013220

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ Alan Marshall (1 March 2011). "Kilmarnock chief Mixu Paatelainen: Starlet William Gros can be hit in SPL.. but fans must be patient". Daily Record. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Kris Boyd and William Gros sign new Kilmarnock contracts". BBC Sport. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Kilmarnock striker William Gros considering future". The Scotsman. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  5. ^ Sheldan Keay (26 June 2014). "Oldham boss targeting Sidibe, Featherstone and Gros". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  6. ^ "SIGNING: William Gros". Oldham Athletic A.F.C. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Oldham Athletic: Amari Morgan-Smith & Willie Gros join". BBC Sport. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  8. ^ Matthew Chambers (17 July 2014). "Johnson seeks Gros profit". Oldham Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  9. ^ "William Gros Released". Oldham Athletic A.F.C. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  10. ^
  11. ^ "N2 : William GROS s'engage !" (in French). FC Fleury 91. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Football (N2) : William Gros, de l'AS Vitré, a la CAN en ligne de mire" [Football (N2): William Gros, from AS Vitre, has the AFCON in sight] (in French). Actu. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2019. It is from my great-great-grandmother that I hold my Malagasy origins.
  13. ^ "William Gros et Romain Métanire arrivent chez les Barea de Madagascar" (in French). Orange.mg. 12 August 2018. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  14. ^ "Football : William Gros, de l'AS Vitré, jouera la Coupe d'Afrique des Nations" (in French). 17 October 2018.
  15. ^ Sureau, Julien (11 March 2017). "Football. William Gros, attaquant de l'AS Vitré, globe-trotter du ballon rond" [Football. William Gros, AS Vitré striker, globe-trotter of the round ball] (in French). Actu. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  16. ^ "FC Nantes : Mathieu Acapandié devient le plus jeune Réunionnais à devenir footballeur professionnel" (in French). Linfo.re
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