Vince Bartram

Vincent Lee Bartram was born on August 7, 1968, in Birmingham, England. His professional football career began in August 1985 when he signed with Wolverhampton Wanderers. He made his League debut for Wolves in their first-ever Fourth Division game on August 23, 1986. After several loan spells, including stints at Blackpool and Cheltenham Town, he moved to AFC Bournemouth in July 1991 for £35,000. Bartram established himself as a prominent figure at Bournemouth, playing 132 league games before joining Arsenal in August 1994 for a fee of £250,000. At Arsenal, he primarily served as an understudy to David Seaman, making 11 Premiership appearances in the 1994–95 season.

Bartram’s career progression continued with a move to Gillingham, initially on loan in March 1998, which became permanent in the summer of that year. He played a crucial role in Gillingham’s success, helping them reach the Division Two play-off final in his first full season. The following season, 1999-2000, Gillingham secured promotion to the second tier for the first time in the club’s history. He made over 200 appearances for Gillingham before retiring from playing in February 2004 due to a wrist injury. Following his retirement, Bartram transitioned into coaching, contributing his expertise to the development of goalkeepers.

His coaching career includes substantial time at Southampton’s academy, where he spent 12 and a half years focusing on goalkeeper development. He has also held coaching roles at AFC Bournemouth and Portsmouth. Currently, Vince Bartram serves as the 1st team Goalkeeper Coach at Eastleigh FC in the National League and also works as a Casual Goalkeeper scout for the City Football Group. Additionally, he has engaged with media as a summariser for BBC Radio Kent, further utilizing his deep understanding of the sport. His career demonstrates a sustained commitment to football, both as a player and in coaching and development roles.