Derek Brownbill

Last updated

Derek Brownbill
Personal information
Full name Derek Anthony Brownbill [1]
Date of birth (1954-02-04) 4 February 1954 (age 70) [1]
Place of birth Liverpool, England [1]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) [2]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1970–1972 Liverpool
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1972–1974 Liverpool 1 (0)
1975–1978 Port Vale 92 (13)
1978 Cleveland Cobras 21 (5)
1978–1980 Wigan Athletic 48 (8)
1980–198? Stafford Rangers
198?–1982 Oswestry Town
1982–? Morecambe
Witton Albion 0 (0)
Warrington Town
Total162+(26+)
Managerial career
Warrington Town
Curzon Ashton
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Derek Anthony Brownbill (born 4 February 1954) is an English former footballer who played as a forward. He played in the Football League for Liverpool, Port Vale, and Wigan Athletic before spells with American side Cleveland Cobras and English non-League clubs Stafford Rangers, Oswestry Town, Morecambe, Witton Albion, and Warrington Town.

Contents

Playing career

Brownbill came through the youth ranks at Liverpool to turn professional at the age of 18; [3] he featured in the 1972 FA Youth Cup final defeat to Aston Villa. He made his only appearance for the senior team on 15 September 1973, in a 1–1 draw with Birmingham City at St Andrew's. [3] He joined Port Vale for £5,000 in February 1975. [1] Liverpool manager Bob Paisley rejected a bid of £20,000 from Bury because he had already made a verbal agreement with Vale coach Reg Berks. [4] Brownbill scored his first senior goal in a 1–0 home win over Charlton Athletic on 3 March, and finished the 1974–75 season with four goals in 16 Third Division appearances. [1] He hit nine goals in 41 games in 1975–76, including four goals in the First Round of the FA Cup to save the "Valiants" from defeat to Southern League side Grantham (they drew the original tie 2–2 before winning the replay). [1] He lost his first-team place in August 1976, and scored three goals in 23 games in 1976–77. [1] Manager Roy Sproson was sacked in October 1977, however, Brownbill failed to re-establish himself in the first XI under new boss Bobby Smith; he went on to score three goals in 28 appearances in 1977–78. [1] During his time at Vale Park the crowd used to barrack him for being big and clumsy, when in fact it was part of Roy Sproson's plan for Brownbill to shield the ball and allow attacking midfielders Brian Horton and Terry Bailey to get forward and score goals (Horton and Bailey got 27 goals between them in 1974–75 with Brownbill's support). [1]

Handed a free transfer in May 1978, he emigrated to the US with the Cleveland Cobras of the American Soccer League, only to return to the UK with Wigan Athletic in September. He had 20 starts and 17 substitute appearances in 1978–79, scoring six goals for Ian McNeill's "Latics". Wigan finished the 1979–80 season in sixth place in the Fourth Division. He later moved on to various non-League clubs: Stafford Rangers, Oswestry Town, Morecambe and Witton Albion, before becoming the player-manager of Warrington Town.

Managerial career

After leaving his post at Warrington Town, he became the manager of Curzon Ashton. He was the Director of Football at Warrington Town until 2009. [5]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition [6]
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Liverpool 1973–74 First Division 10000010
Port Vale 1974–75 Third Division 1640000164
1975–76 Third Division3643520419
1976–77 Third Division1922120233
1977–78 Third Division2134030283
Total9213967010819
Wigan Athletic 1978–79 Fourth Division3061000316
1979–80 Fourth Division1823120233
Total4884120549

Honours

Liverpool

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Vale F.C.</span> Association football club in Stoke-on-Trent, England

Port Vale Football Club are a professional football club based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England, which compete in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Vale are named after the valley of ports on the Trent and Mersey Canal. They have never played top-flight football, and hold the record for the most seasons in the English Football League (112) without reaching the first tier. After playing at the Athletic Ground in Cobridge and The Old Recreation Ground in Hanley, the club returned to Burslem when Vale Park was opened in 1950. Outside the ground is a statue of Roy Sproson, who played 842 competitive games for the club. The club's traditional rivals are Stoke City, and games between the two are known as the Potteries derby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Sproson</span> English footballer (1930–1997)

Roy Sproson was an English footballer and football manager for Port Vale. A one-club man, he holds the all-time appearance record for Vale, making 837 starts for Vale between 1950 and 1972. This includes 128 consecutive appearances between April 1954 and March 1957. He is also sixteenth on the all-time Football League appearance list.

The Cheshire County League was a football league founded in the north west of England in 1919, drawing its teams largely from Cheshire, surrounding English counties and North Wales.

Ronald Wilson is a Scottish former footballer who played as a left-back. He played 300 games in an eleven-year career in the Football League, scoring five goals.

Kenneth Beech is an English former footballer. A midfielder, he played for Port Vale between 1976 and 1981, picking up the club's Player of the Year award in 1980, also playing on loan at American club Cleveland Cobras in 1978. In 1981, he was sold to Walsall before he moved on to Peterborough United two years later. He dropped into non-League football with Stafford Rangers in 1985, with whom he won the Conference League Cup, before he retired in 1988. He played 314 league games in the Football League, scoring 28 goals.

Russell Bromage is an English former footballer who played as a wing-back. In a fourteen-year career in the Football League he made 400 league appearances, scoring 14 goals.

Kenneth James Griffiths was an English footballer. A forward, he scored 59 goals in 221 games in the Football League.

Terence Bailey is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. His son Mark Bailey also played professional football.

Stanley James Smith was an English footballer. A forward, he scored 25 goals in 92 league games in an eight-year career in the English Football League. He spent 1950 to 1957 with Port Vale, and later had brief spells with Crewe Alexandra, Oldham Athletic, Witton Albion, Macclesfield Town, Stafford Rangers, Runcorn, New Brighton and managed Winsford United and Alsager Town.

Geoffrey Peter Davies is an English former professional footballer who played in the United Kingdom and the United States as a midfielder.

Thomas John Gore is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 257 league appearances in a six-year career in the Football League.

Paul Lodge is an English former footballer and football manager.

Matthew David Carrick was an English footballer who played as a forward for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Wrexham, Altrincham, Port Vale, Stalybridge Celtic, Witton Albion, Preston North End, Rochdale, Middlewich Athletic, Macclesfield Town, Droylsden, Oswestry Town, and New Mills. He made a total of 68 appearances in the English Football League, and also played in the Northern Premier League and Cheshire County League.

The 1966–67 season was Port Vale's 55th season of football in the English Football League, and their second-successive season in the Fourth Division. Again hopeful of escape from the basement division, Vale could only manage a mid-table finish. Player-manager Jackie Mudie resigned at the end of the season. Veteran defender Roy Sproson became the club's first ever Player of the Year winner.

The 1969–70 season was Port Vale's 58th season of football in the English Football League and their fifth-successive season in the Fourth Division. They achieved promotion with a fourth-place finish, taking them back into the Third Division. They started the season with an eighteen-match unbeaten run in the league and finished with nine games unbeaten following a dip in form around January. Manager Gordon Lee credited the teamwork and fitness of an extremely settled side for the promotion campaign, as ten players made at least 35 league appearances.

The 1973–74 season was Port Vale's 62nd season of football in the Football League, and their fourth-successive season in the Third Division. They finished in twentieth spot, though were seven points clear of relegation. Manager Gordon Lee left the club in January and was replaced by club legend Roy Sproson.

The 1974–75 season was Port Vale's 63rd season of football in the Football League, and their fifth-successive season in the Third Division. It was Roy Sproson's first full season in charge. With cross-town rivals Stoke City competing in Europe and running close for the First Division title, Vale's attendances waned, as they were the third least-supported club in the division. This was despite a promotion challenging season that eventually ended with a sixth-place finish. Vale exited both cup competitions in the opening rounds.

The 1975–76 season was Port Vale's 64th season of football in the Football League, and their sixth-successive season in the Third Division. Manager Roy Sproson brought Mick Cullerton back to Vale Park. Cullerton was to become the top-scorer for the season with 21 goals. However, the ongoing success of rivals Stoke City in winning the League Cup, playing in Europe, and competing at the top of the First Division caused Vale's support to suffer. The loyal support of a few thousand fans was not enough to balance the books, and so Brian Horton was controversially sold to Brighton & Hove Albion for £30,000.

The 1977–78 season was Port Vale's 66th season of football in the Football League, and their eighth successive season in the Third Division. Finishing in 21st place, they were relegated to the Fourth Division. Roy Sproson was sacked in October after a poor start to the season, though things did not improve under his replacement Bobby Smith, despite Smith spending big money to bring in new players. Smith also left the club at the end of the season.

The 1984–85 season was Port Vale's 73rd season of football in the English Football League, and first back in the Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division. John Rudge's first full season in charge, the Vale finished in mid-table following a season of rebuilding the squad. Veteran striker Ally Brown was the top-scorer with 21 goals, whilst midfield dynamo Robbie Earle hit 19 goals. Defender Alan Webb was elected Player of the Year, whilst a young Ray Walker also spent a short period on loan at the club. Vale progressed to the Third Round of the FA Cup, and the Second Rounds of the League Cup and Associate Members' Cup.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 46. ISBN   0-9529152-0-0.
  2. Rollin, Jack (1980). Rothmans football yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 394. ISBN   0362020175 . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  3. 1 2 "LFC Past Players". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  4. Kent, Jeff (December 1991). Port Vale Tales: A Collection of Stories, Anecdotes And Memories. Witan Books. p. 42. ISBN   0-9508981-6-3.
  5. "Dave Hughes and Derek Brownbill step down from Warrington Town roles". Warrington Guardian. 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  6. Derek Brownbill at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)