The 35-year-old Austrian has joined Cheltenham Town on a free transfer, returning to England only a few months after an underwhelming spell with SK Rapid. The League Two club confirmed the signing on Friday.
Rapid return failed to live up to expectations
Weimann returned to his boyhood club Rapid in February after almost 19 years abroad, joining on loan from Derby County. Hopes of an emotional and successful homecoming were only partially fulfilled, however. The experienced forward scored just once in 17 competitive appearances and was unable to establish himself as a key player. Rapid subsequently decided against keeping him, while his contract with Derby expired at the end of June.
Cheltenham now represents another chapter in the country where the 26-cap Austrian international has spent virtually his entire professional career. Weimann left Rapid’s academy for Aston Villa at the age of 16 in 2007 and later made 113 Premier League appearances for the Birmingham club. Loan spells at Watford followed, before he joined Derby County in 2015 and later also played for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
More than 500 league appearances in England
Weimann enjoyed the longest spell of his career at Bristol City. Between 2018 and 2024, he made 205 Championship appearances and scored 50 goals. His standout campaign came in 2021/22, when he struck 22 league goals. He later went on to represent West Bromwich Albion, Blackburn Rovers and Derby for a second time.
In total, Weimann has now made more than 500 league appearances across England’s top two divisions.
His move to League Two is therefore a notable one. Having played for Derby in the Championship and Rapid in the Austrian Bundesliga as recently as last season, his decision to join Cheltenham suggests he may now be looking to wind down his career at a slightly less demanding level. At the same time, Cheltenham are gaining a player with a level of experience that is certainly unusual in the fourth tier.
Cheltenham looking to stabilise under Cotterill
The “Robins” finished only 18th in League Two last season. Manager Steve Cotterill took charge in difficult circumstances in the autumn of 2025 and ultimately kept the club safely in the Football League.
The immediate aim for the new campaign is to make clear progress. Cheltenham are not regarded by the English media as one of the leading promotion contenders, but under Cotterill they want to move away from the lower reaches of the table and start looking upwards again.
Weimann’s experience could prove valuable in that process. The Viennese forward knows English football inside out after almost two decades in the country. At 35, his career is clearly entering its final phase – but he is evidently not ready to call time on it just yet.
