He featured 27 times in the 1999–2000relegation campaign and played once in the UEFA Cup, a 7–0 defeat to A.S. Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on 16 September.[4] He played 21 league games in the 2000–01 season, as Vitória Setúbal won promotion at the first attempt after securing a third-place finish. However, he played only 11 times in the 2001–02 season and was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in a 3–2 win over Santa Clara on 14 April.[5] He featured 19 times in the 2002–03 relegation campaign and was sent off for the third and final time in his career in a 2–0 defeat by Paços de Ferreira on 4 May; he was shown a red card on 73 minutes despite being an unused substitute.[6] Vitória Setúbal again won promotion at the first attempt in 2003–04. However, Tábuas played only three league games as the club secured the second automatic promotion spot.
In July 2008, Tábuas was released by Vitória Setúbal and joined Torreense in the Segunda Divisão - Série D (third tier). He made 29 league and cup appearances in the 2008–09 campaign before he returned to Alentejo to play for Aljustrelense. He played 15 Segunda Divisão Zona Sul games in the 2009–10 season and announced his retirement at the end of the campaign.
Coaching career
After retiring from football at the end of the 2009–10 season, Tábuas joined Spanish club AD Ceuta as goalkeeping coach under Portuguese coach João de Deus, with whom Tábuas had previously played for at Vitória Setúbal.[14] Before the 2012–13 season started, Tábuas was hired as goalkeeping coach at Portuguese club Fabril Barreiro under manager Conhé.[15][16] From September 2013 until January 2014, Tábuas was the manager of Vitória de Sernache.[17] In April 2014, Tábuas became goalkeeping coach at Sertanense under João Sousa.[18]
Tábuas coached at Gouveia from July 2014 to June 2015, and then at Eléctrico from July 2015 to April 2016.[19] In July 2016, he was appointed as goalkeeping coach at English League One club Port Vale by Portuguese managerBruno Ribeiro. He departed Vale Park after Ribeiro resigned in December 2016.[20] In November 2017, Tábuas became goalkeeping coach at Cova da Piedade under the same manager, Bruno Ribeiro.[21] In October 2018, Tábias once again became goalkeeping coach under Ribeiro, this time at Vitória Setúbal's U-19 team.[22] Later he also acted as goalkeeping coach at the club's first team under Sandro Mendes's management.[23]
In the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons, Tábuas served as assistant coach at Oriental Dragon FC.[24][25][26] Prior to the 2022–23 season, Tábuas became assistant coach of Portuguese club Villa AC, under head coach Albert Meyong, who Tábuas had worked with at Vitoria.[27] On 29 December 2022, he was hired as manager of Olímpico do Montijo.[28] In his just over three months at the club before being sacked on 9 March 2023, Tábuas managed nine games, winning four, losing four and drawing one.[29] In the 2023–24 season, Tábuas was back at Fabril Barreiro, acting as assistant coach.[30]
Career statistics
Playing statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition