Anton Peterlin (soccer)

Amateur and college

Peterlin attended Lowell High School, where he was twice named the Most Valuable Player of San Francisco's public high school league.^[2][3] After graduating, he enrolled at the University of California, Santa Cruz, before transferring to California Polytechnic State University, where he majored in biology.^{[citation needed]} At Cal Poly Peterlin was a Big West All-Conference First Team selection and an All-NSCAA Far West Region Third Team selection in his senior year.^{[citation needed]}

During his collegiate off-seasons Peterlin played for the San Francisco Seals and Ventura County Fusion in the USL Premier Development League.^{[citation needed]} Graham Smith, coach of the Fusion, recommended Peterlin to David Moyes, manager of Premier League club Everton.^[4] After impressing during a ten-day trial during the 2008–09 season,^[5] Everton announced on July 6, 2009, that they would sign him to a one-year contract.^[6] Peterlin rejected offers from Major League Soccer clubs Chicago Fire and San Jose Earthquakes to join Everton.^[4]

Professional

Peterlin made his Everton debut on July 10, 2009, in a pre-season friendly defeat to Bury.^[7] He played in eight reserve team games for the Toffees, but never made a first team appearance in any competition.^{[citation needed]} He was released upon his contract expiry in June 2010 and he was offered a trial by Plymouth Argyle manager Peter Reid, a former Everton player.^[8]

Peterlin was successful with his trial and signed a one-year contract with Plymouth Argyle on July 27, 2010.^[9] He made his full professional debut on August 7, 2010, in Plymouth's 1–0 opening day victory over Southampton.^[10] Having made 14 appearances in all competitions during the 2010–11 season, Peterlin was one of nine first team players released by the club.^[11][12] He joined Walsall on trial in July 2011,^[13] and went on to sign a one-year contract after impressing their manager Dean Smith.^[14][15] He made his debut for Walsall on August 9, 2011, coming on as a substitute for Claude Gnakpa in a 3–0 League Cup defeat against Middlesbrough.^[16] Having left Walsall, Peterlin trialled with Hearts^[17] and Colorado Rapids.^[18]

Born in the United States to a Danish mother and Slovenian father,^[19] Peterlin holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Denmark, which eliminated the need to secure a work permit.^[20][21] His mother Anne moved from Denmark to the United States to attend the University of San Francisco on a tennis scholarship.^[22] Peterlin's brother Sebastian is a rower at Stanford University.^[23]