Gordon Simmonite (born 25 April 1957) is an English former professional footballer who made 136 appearances in the Football League playing for Sheffield Wednesday, Blackpool and Lincoln City.[4] He also played Non-League football for Boston United, Gainsborough Trinity and Matlock Town. He played as a full back.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gordon Simmonite[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 25 April 1957[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Sheffield, England | ||
| Position(s) | Full back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| – | Rotherham United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 197?–1978 | Sheffield Wednesday | 1 | (0) |
| 1978–1980 | Boston United[a] | 33 | (1) |
| 1980–1982 | Blackpool | 63 | (1) |
| 1982–1988 | Lincoln City | 85 | (0) |
| 1988–19xx | Gainsborough Trinity | ||
| 19xx–199x | Matlock Town | ||
| International career | |||
| 1979–1980 | England semi-pro | 5 | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Life and career
editSimmonite was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire,[1] and began his football career as an apprentice with Rotherham United. He then joined Sheffield Wednesday,[4] for whom he played just once in the Third Division – in a 2–0 defeat away to Chesterfield in February 1977[5] – before moving into Non-League football with Northern Premier League club Boston United the following year. He was voted the club's player of the year in his first season,[6] and won five caps for the England semi-professional national team.[7]
In 1980, Simmonite returned to the Football League with Third Division Blackpool for a £15,000 fee.[6] He made his debut in a 3–0 defeat at Brentford on 20 September, and went on to make a further 17 League appearances that season, under player-manager Alan Ball firstly, then Allan Brown.[8]
The following 1981–82 campaign saw Simmonite make 29 League appearances. He also scored one goal, in a 7–1 victory over Halifax Town at Bloomfield Road on 30 September.[8]
Under new manager Sam Ellis, he started the first sixteen League games of Blackpool's 1982–83 season,[8] before family reasons prompted a move to Lincoln City for a £6,000 fee.[9] He played regularly for the first couple of years, but then made no senior appearances until 1987,[1] after Lincoln suffered two consecutive relegations, becoming the first team to be automatically relegated to the Conference.[10] He acted as assistant manager in the early part of the 1987–88 Football Conference season,[11] and returned as a player in December, making 13 appearances as Lincoln returned to the Football League as champions.[12]
After leaving Lincoln, Simmonite appeared for Northern Premier League clubs Gainsborough Trinity and Matlock Town.[13]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d "Gordon Simmonite". The Lincoln City FC Archive. Lincoln City F.C. Retrieved 1 March 2013. Season details are sourced via the Season Stats dropdown menu at the bottom right of this page. The site is partly subscription-based, but only free-access sections are used for reference. If pop-up login dialogue boxes appear, press the "Cancel" button to proceed.
- ^ Harman, John, ed. (2005). Alliance to Conference 1979–2004: The first 25 years. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 123, 132. ISBN 978-1-869833-52-7.
- ^ "Season 1978/9 – Statistics". Boston United FC – The Original Website. Ken Fox. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ a b "Sheffield Wednesday: 1946/47–2011/12"., "Lincoln City: 1946/47–1986/87 & 1988/89–2011/12"., and "Blackpool: 1946/47–2011/12". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ^ Jackson, Stuart. "Gordon Simmonite". The Sheffield Wednesday Archive. Adrian Bullock. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ a b "Boston United Roll Call". Boston United FC – The Original Website. Ken Fox. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ "Simmonite: International matches". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ a b c Blackpool: A Complete History 1887–1992, Roy Calley (1992)
- ^ Murphy, Colin (2 May 2007). "First-hand experience of Alan's class". Lincolnshire Echo.
- ^ "Record Breakers & Makers: 1967–1987". Lincoln City F.C. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ^ "Simmonite quits". Daily Express. 10 October 1987. p. 42.
- ^ Williams, Tony, ed. (1988). Non League Club Directory 1989. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 784–85. ISBN 978-1-869833-09-1.
- ^ Parker, Andy (19 March 1991). "Rovers rule" (reprint hosted by Gresley F.C.). Burton Mail. Retrieved 3 March 2013.