Ian Branfoot

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Ian Grant Branfoot (born 26 January 1947[1]) is an English former football player and manager.

Ian Branfoot
Personal information
Full name Ian Grant Branfoot
Date of birth (1947-01-26) 26 January 1947 (age 77)
Place of birth Gateshead, England
Position(s) Full-back
Youth career
Gateshead
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1965–1969 Sheffield Wednesday 36 (0)
1969–1973 Doncaster Rovers 156 (5)
1973–1977 Lincoln City 166 (11)
Total 358 (16)
Managerial career
1984–1989 Reading
1991–1994 Southampton
1994–1996 Fulham
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Born in Gateshead, he played as a full-back, and after starting at Gateshead joined Sheffield Wednesday,[1] making his Football League debut in 1965. After 42 senior appearances for the club he left in 1969–70 for Doncaster Rovers.[1] He made over 150 League appearances for Rovers, and after moving to Lincoln City in 1973–74, he went on to make over 150 league appearances for the Imps as well.[1]

Branfoot was manager of Reading from 31 January 1984 to 23 October 1989.[2] He must rank as one of Reading's most successful managers, leading Reading to promotion from Division 4 to Division 3 in 1984 based on the good work of Maurice Evans, and then promotion from Division 3 to Division 2 as champions in 1986. This last achievement included a record breaking start to the season of 13 straight wins. The club maintained a 13th position the next season but were relegated in 1988. However, in the same season that they won the Full Members Cup beating Luton Town 4–1 at Wembley.[3]

He became manager of Southampton in June 1991, remaining in this position until January 1994. He then managed Fulham between 1994 and 1996.[2] Branfoot later had a spell at Sunderland as academy director and at Leeds United as a scout. He also coached at Winchester College.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Ian Branfoot at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
  2. ^ a b Ian Branfoot management career statistics at Soccerbase
  3. ^ Sedunary, Alan (2008). The Little Book of Reading FC. ISBN 9781859836583.
  4. ^ Fissler, Neil (13 August 2017). "Where Are They Now? We catch up with Reading's 1985-86 Division Three champions". The Football League Paper – via PressReader.
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