ON THIS DAY

2012 – Bobby Olejnik leaves the Gulls for Peterborough United

Austrian goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik started his football career as a youth player at Aston Villa, and then signed for Falkirk in 2007, playing over a hundred games for the Scottish club during the next four years, including Europa League Football.

He left Falkirk in the summer of 2011 and was snapped up by new Torquay manager Martin Ling, making the somewhat surprising move down to Plainmoor! It wasn’t long before Olejnik was impressing the Yellow Army with his commanding presence and quick reflexes, becoming one of the most important players at the club as the team gathered momentum for a promotion charge.

With the likes of Mark Ellis, Kevin Nicholson and Brian Saah in defence, the United rear-guard became formidable, and Bobby played every game, keeping a club record 20 clean sheets in what eventually became an ‘if only’ season for Lingy’s battling squad. A near miss for the 3rd promotion spot and a semi-final defeat to Cheltenham was a tough end to 2011-12, a season in which Olejnik had extended his contract to 2014.

He was deservedly named in the PFA Team of the Year alongside team mates Mansell, Nicholson and O’Kane, and it was arguably one of the best seasons any keeper has had at Plainmoor. Such was his quality, it was no surprise when higher division clubs came calling, and on 18th June 2012 he was snapped up by Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson for an impressive sum of £300,000, the third largest fee we have received for a player in our history (behind Matt Gregg and Rodney Jack).

Bobby went on to also play for York City and Scunthorpe on loan, before spending two years at Exeter City and then 3 years at Mansfield Town, where his appearances had been limited. He then retired from football in 2020 at the age of 33, changing career altogether to work as a Web Developer, though he has also then worked as a Fitness Coach and Personal Trainer. A superb keeper for the Gulls in a season that almost ended in glory under Lingy.