| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Steven James Biggins [1] | ||
| Date of birth | 20 June 1954 [1] | ||
| Place of birth | Lichfield, Staffordshire, England [1] | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) [2] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Hednesford Town | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1982 | Shrewsbury Town | 146 | (41) |
| 1982–1984 | Oxford United | 59 | (22) |
| 1984–1986 | Derby County | 10 | (1) |
| 1985 | → Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 1986 | → Port Vale (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 1986 | Trelleborg | ||
| 1986–1987 | Exeter City | 14 | (2) |
| Telford United | |||
| Worcester City | |||
| Ludlow Town | |||
| Total | 247+ | (66+) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Steven James Biggins (born 20 June 1954) is an English former footballer. A forward, he scored 66 goals in 237 league games in a fifteen-year career in the Football League.
Starting at Hednesford Town, he signed to Shrewsbury Town for £6,000 in December 1977 and helped the "Shrews" to the Third Division title in 1978–79, and also featured in Welsh Cup finals in 1979 and 1980. Transferring to Oxford United for £8,000 in July 1982, he helped the club to the Third Division title in 1983–84 and the Second Division title in 1984–85. He moved on to Derby County in October 1984. He had brief loan spells with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Port Vale, as both Derby and Port Vale won promotion in 1985–86. He spent a brief period playing in Sweden for Trelleborg before returning to England to play for Exeter City and non-League sides Telford United and Worcester City.
Biggins was a pupil at the Shire Oak Grammar School (now Shire Oak Academy) in Walsall Wood, West Midlands. He began his career at non-League Hednesford Town before being signed by Third Division side Shrewsbury Town for £6,000 in December 1977. The Gay Meadow club went on to finish the 1977–78 campaign in 11th place. New manager Graham Turner then led the "Shrews" to the Welsh Cup and the Third Division title in 1978–79, they had though finished just two points ahead of fourth-placed Gillingham. They retained their Second Division status in 1979–80 with a comfortable mid-table finish. They also competed in the final of Welsh Cup, losing 5–1 to Newport County. [3] Shrewsbury dropped to 14th in 1980–81, just three points above the relegation zone. They dropped to 18th in 1981–82, two places and two points above the drop.
He was sold to Third Division club Oxford United for £8,000 in July 1982. The "Yellows" finished fifth in 1982–83, two places and two points short of promotion. Biggins was their leading goalscorer with 24 goals in all competitions in 1983–84, as manager Jim Smith led Oxford to the Third Division title. However, Biggins soon moved on again, joining Derby County in October 1984; Oxford would finish top of the Second Division. Despite moving back down to the third tier, the striker was unable to hold down a place under Arthur Cox at the Baseball Ground. The "Rams" finished seventh in 1984–85, and Biggins also had a brief spell on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers. [4] Derby won promotion in third place in 1985–86, though he spent a four-game period on loan at Port Vale, who John Rudge led to promotion out of the Fourth Division that season. [1]
He had a short spell with Trelleborg in Sweden before returning to England to sign with Exeter City in October 1986. [5] He played 14 Fourth Division games for the "Grecians" in 1986–87, playing his last game in the Football League in January. [5] He moved on to Telford United, scoring 20 goals for the Conference side in 1987–88. [5] He later played for non-league side Worcester City and Ludlow Town. [5] He later served as assistant manager of Ellesmere Rangers. [5]
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Other | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Shrewsbury Town | 1977–78 | Third Division | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 |
| 1978–79 | Third Division | 45 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 13 | |
| 1979–80 | Second Division | 37 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 13 | |
| 1980–81 | Second Division | 33 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 40 | 10 | |
| 1981–82 | Second Division | 22 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 4 | |
| Total | 146 | 41 | 13 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 173 | 47 | ||
| Oxford United | 1982–83 | Third Division | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 1 |
| 1983–84 | Third Division | 42 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 58 | 24 | |
| 1984–85 | Second Division | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | |
| Total | 59 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 4 | 81 | 28 | ||
| Derby County | 1984–85 | Third Division | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| 1985–86 | Third Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 1 | ||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) | 1984–85 | Second Division | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Port Vale (loan) | 1985–86 | Fourth Division | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Exeter City | 1986–87 | Fourth Division | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 2 |
| Career total | 237 | 66 | 20 | 5 | 35 | 7 | 292 | 78 | ||
Shrewsbury Town
Oxford United
Derby County
Port Vale
Gordon Francis Lee was an English football player and manager. He played 144 league and cup matches in a 12-year career in the Football League, before going on to greater success as a manager, as he would take charge of 777 matches in a 23-year managerial career.
John Allen King was an English football player and manager. He is widely regarded as being the most successful manager in the history of Tranmere Rovers, and had a stand at Prenton Park named in his honour in 2002. In November 2014, a statue of King was unveiled outside the ground.
Joseph John Maloney was an English footballer. A half-back, he had an 11-year career in the English Football League, making 289 league and cup appearances.
Paul Bernard Maguire is a Scottish former footballer who scored 81 goals in 373 league appearances in the Football League. He played in all four divisions of the Football League, as well as the Conference and the Major Indoor Soccer League.
Jeffrey David Johnson is a Welsh former footballer. In addition to his club career – playing over 400 games in the Football League, he also represented his country at youth and under-23 level.
The 1983–84 season was the 85th completed season of the English Football League.
James Alexander Arnold is an English former football goalkeeper, noted for his highly intelligent positional ability. He made 165 league appearances in a seven-year career in the English Football League.
Wayne Cegielski is a former Welsh under-21 international footballer. A defender, he played 282 league games in a thirteen-year career in the Football League.
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.
Stephen Douglas Fox was an English professional footballer who played as a winger. He made 278 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham City, Wrexham, Port Vale and Chester City.
Christopher Noel Banks is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender and later worked as a physiotherapist.
Darren John Hughes is an English former footballer. A left-back noted for his pace, he made 388 league and cup appearances for six clubs over a fourteen-year career in the English Football League.
Jonathan Lee Bowden is an English former footballer. A midfielder, he played 405 league games in a 14-year career in the Football League.
William Kellock was a Scottish footballer who scored 77 goals in 298 league games in an 11-year career in the Football League in the 1970s and 1980s. He played for Aston Villa, Cardiff City, Norwich City, Millwall, Chelmsford City, Kettering Town, Peterborough United, Luton Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southend United, Port Vale, and Halifax Town. He was twice named on the PFA Team of the Year and was promoted out of the Second Division with Wolves in 1982–83.
Timothy John Parkin is an English former footballer. A defender, he made 422 league appearances in a 14-year career in the English Football League, and also spent two years playing in Sweden.
Gary Pollard is an English former footballer. A defender, he scored two goals in 192 league appearances in a 12-year career in the Football League. He played for Chesterfield, Port Vale, Mansfield Town, Peterborough United, Eastwood Town, and Goole Town. He was promoted out of the Fourth Division with Mansfield in 1985–86, and won the Football League Trophy with the club in 1987.
Leslie Oliver Lawrence is an English former footballer who played as a forward. He scored 105 goals in 395 league and cup games during a twelve-year career in the Football League, most of which was spent in the Fourth Division.
George Walter Foster is an English former footballer and manager, who now works as assistant manager to James Rowe at National League club Chesterfield.
The 1970–71 season was Port Vale's 59th season of football in the Football League, and their first season back in the Third Division following their promotion from the Fourth Division. Gordon Lee led his team to safety in the league, though Vale exited both cup competitions at the first stage.
The 1985–86 season was Port Vale's 74th season of football in the English Football League, and second-successive season in the Fourth Division. John Rudge achieved his first success as manager, leading Vale to promotion into the Third Division with a fourth-place finish. The club also reached the Second Round in both the FA Cup and League Cup, as well as the Northern Section Semi-finals of the Associate Members' Cup. Rudge signing Andy Jones excelled to become the club's top-scorer, whilst Robbie Earle had another impressive season. However, the promotion campaign was built on the strength of the Vale defence, and goalkeeper Jim Arnold was made Player of the Year.