Mike Metcalf (24 May 1939 – 26 December 2018) was an English professional footballer who made more than 300 appearances in The Football League for Wrexham and Chester.

Mike Metcalf
Personal information
Full name Michael Metcalf
Date of birth (1939-05-24)24 May 1939
Place of birth Liverpool, England
Date of death 26 December 2018(2018-12-26) (aged 79)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1955–1957 Everton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1957–1963 Wrexham 121 (58)
1963–1969 Chester 221 (68)
1969–1970 Altrincham
c.1970–1971 Bangor City
c.1971–1973 Rhyl
c.1973–1974 Connah's Quay Nomads
c.1974–1975 Witton Albion
Managerial career
c.1973–1974 Connah's Quay Nomads
c.1974–1975 Witton Albion
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Metcalf began his career with Everton, before joining Wrexham as a part-timer in May 1957 to allow him to complete a degree course in chemistry.[1] Over the next six years he scored 58 times in 121 league games for Wrexham before switching to local rivals Chester for £5,000 in December 1963.[2] The following season saw Chester score 141 in Fourth Division, FA Cup and Football League Cup matches, with Metcalf netting 37 of them.[3] His fellow forwards Jimmy Humes, Elfed Morris, Hugh Ryden and Gary Talbot also all scored at least 20 goals during the campaign.[3]

Between October 1964 and September 1967, Metcalf started a club record 127 consecutive league games.[4] The record remained intact until March 2009, when it was broken by goalkeeper John Danby.[5] Metcalf remained with Chester until the 1968–69 season, playing his final Football League game in a 2–0 defeat to Workington on 30 November 1968.[6]

Over the following years, Metcalf had spells playing for Altrincham, Bangor City and Rhyl[1] and then became player-manager at Connah's Quay Nomads and Witton Albion.[1] Metcalf then ran his own chemical company, Metlab Supplies Ltd, and continued to play local football in the Chester area.[1]

He is sometimes referred to as Mick Metcalf.[7]

Honours

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Wrexham

Bibliography

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  • Sumner, Chas (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City F.C. 1885–1997. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-1-874427-52-0.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Where are they now?, Chester City v. Stockport County matchday programme; 19/9/1992; p 20
  2. ^ Sumner (1997), p 76
  3. ^ a b Sumner (1997), stats section (64–65)
  4. ^ Sumner (1997), p 109
  5. ^ "Barnet 3 Chester City 1". Chester Chronicle. 7 March 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
  6. ^ Sumner (1997), stats section (68–69)
  7. ^ "Wrexham: 1946/47–2006/07". Neil Brown. Retrieved 14 February 2008.