Paul Atkinson: An Interview
Paul Atkinson began his professional career with Oldham Athletic, making a goalscoring debut in August 1979. He was called up to the England under-21 squad before moving to Watford for £175,000 (a fee set by tribunal) in summer 1983. He suffered a broken ankle in his first pre-season game, which hampered his progress in the…
Brentford v Wigan Athletic, 1985 Freight Rover Trophy Final
Brentford and Wigan Athletic met at the start of June 1985 to contest the Associate Members’ Cup (or Freight Rover Trophy) Final. It was the first time the competition for Third and Fourth Division clubs had a Wembley final, with sponsors Freight Rover lending their name to the cup, which remained in place until 1987. …
A Short History of Wages in English Football
Payment of wages in English football was the issue which defined professionalism from 1885 and led directly to the creation of the Football League three years later. The first regulations soon followed with the introduction of a maximum wage, which was to remain in place for the decades up to 1961. Jimmy Hill & George…
The Football League’s First Million-Pound Players
The first million-pound players seemed a distant prospect in the early years of professional football. Yet the history of the Football League’s transfer market was marked by fears of inflation, and clubs recklessly spending beyond their means. Trevor Francis – the Football League’s first million-pound player The first £1,000 transfer of Alf Common from Sunderland…
Winston DuBose: Foreign Players in the Football League Interview
Winston DuBose was a US national team goalkeeper, and the first American player to try his luck in the Football League in modern times. He spent most of his career with the Tampa Bay Rowdies and won an NASL Championship with Tulsa Roughnecks in 1983, earning 14 caps for his country between 1979 and 1985. …
Conclusion: Foreign Players in the Football League
This series on the history of foreign players in the Football League reaches its conclusion. Over 120 different nationalities have been represented in the Premier League, making it arguably the world’s most cosmopolitan league with global appeal – currently approximately two-thirds of the players are foreign, with an even higher percentage of overseas managers and owners. It’s…
Rest of the World: Foreign Players in the Football League
After looking at players from specific countries and regions, it is now time to cover the ‘rest of the world’. Over its long history, the Football League has seen sporadic arrivals from across the globe. While the bulk of imports have naturally come from Europe, and a number from the Americas, there have been representatives from…
Birmingham City v Aston Villa, 1984
Birmingham City welcomed neighbours Aston Villa to St Andrew’s at the end of March 1984 with manager Ron Saunders the central figure. Villa’s league form had been in decline since winning the title under Saunders in 1980/81, their first league championship for 71 years (and their last to date). However after Saunders’ dramatic departure in…
North American Players in the Football League 1978-92 – Appendix
An overview of the North American footballers to have played in the Football League between 1978 and 1992. Canada Don Ferguson Born: 02.01.1963 Toronto Football League Career: Wrexham (1986) – 20 appearances International Career: Canada (1986-89) 3 caps * Craig Forrest Born: 20.09.1967 Coquitlam, British Columbia Football League Career: Ipswich Town (1985-97) – 263 appearances;…
North America: Foreign Players in the Football League
Historically, few North Americans ventured to the English league. During the 1920s there was a brief exodus in the other direction, in the boom years of the American Soccer League (ASL). Some returned after the ASL went into decline, having gained US nationality along the way. Most famously, Scottish-born Jim Brown was granted US citizenship…
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