NAME: Wayne Clarke BIRTHDATE: 28/02/1961 BIRTHPLACE: Wolverhampton NATIONALITY: England HEIGHT: 183 cm POSITION: Forward, Striker
SENIOR CAREER: Wolverhampton Wanderers (148/30)
1977/78 First Division (1/0) 15th
1978/79 First Division (8/1) 18th
1979/80 First Division (16/2) 6th
1980/81 First Division (24/3) 18th
1981/82 First Division (29/6) 22nd
1982/83 Second Division (39/12) 2nd
1983/84 First Division (31/6) 22nd
1991/92 Second Division (loan) (1/0) 11th Birmingham City (92/38)
1984/85 Second Division (40/17) 2nd
1985/86 First Division (28/5) 21st
1986/87 Second Division (24/16) 19th Everton (57/18)
1986/87 First Division (10/5) 1st
1987/88 First Division (27/10) 4th
1988/89 First Division (20/3) 8th Leicester City
1989/90 Second Division (11/1) 13th Manchester City (21/2)
1989/90 First Division (9/0) 14th
1990/91 First Division (7/1) 5th
1991/92 First Division (5/1) 5th Shrewsbury Town
1990/91 Third Division (loan) (7/6) 18th
1993/94 Third Division (28/11) 1st
1994/95 Second Division (31/11) 18th Stoke City (loan)
1990/91 Third Division (9/3) 14th Walsall
1992/93 Third division* (39/21) 5th 1995/96 Telford United
INTERNATIONAL CUPS: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1980/81 UEFA Cup (1/0) R1
HONOURS: Wolverhampton Wanderers
1979/80 League Cup
1982/83 Second Division 2nd promotion Birmingham City
1984/85 Second Division 2nd promotion Everton
1986/87 First Division
1987/88 Charity Shield 1988/89 FA Cup runner-up Shrewsbury Town
1993/94 Third Division
INDIVIDUAL: 1983/84 Wolverhampton W. top scorer 1984/85 Birmingham City top scorer 1986/87 Birmingham City top scorer
1992/93 Walsall top scorer
Photo by Bob Thomas Sports Photography via Getty ImagesCredit: Allsport UK /AllsportCredit: Allsport UK /Allsport
Tommy Williams made 271 appearances for Leicester City between 1977 and 1986, and a further 71 outings for Birmingham City between 1986 and 1988. His time at Filbert Street included two promotions, and a FA Cup Semi-Final. After a further two years at Grimsby Town, Williams ended his career in 1991.
NAME: Thomas Edward Williams BIRTHDATE: 18/12/1957 BIRTHPLACE: Winchburgh NATIONALITY: Scotland HEIGHT: 175 cm POSITION: Centre back, Right back, Midfielder
SENIOR CAREER: Leicester City (241/10)
1977/78 First Division (32/3) 22nd
1978/79 Second Division (35/2) 17th 1979/80 Second Division (40/1) 1st 1980/81 First Division (42/4) 21st 1981/82 Second Division (31/0) 8th 1982/83 Second Division (4/0) 3rd 1983/84 First Division (22/0) 15th 1984/85 First Division (27/0) 15th 1985/86 First Division (8/0) 19th Birmingham City (62/1) 1986/87 Second Division 19th 1987/88 Second Division 19th Grimsby Town (20/0) 1988/89 Fourth Division 9th 1989/90 Fourth Division 2nd 1990/91 Third Division 3rd
INTERNATIONAL CUPS: –
NATIONAL TEAM: –
HONOURS: Leicester City 1979/80 Second Division 1982/83 Second Division (3rd promotion) Grimsby Town 1989/90 Fourth Division (2nd promotion) 1990/91 Third Division (3rd promotion)
SENIOR CAREER: Hereford United (loan)
1974/75 Third Division (5/0) 12th Coventry City (215/1)
1975/76 First Division (2/0) 14th
1976/77 First Division (12/0) 19th
1977/78 First Division (26/0) 7th
1978/79 First Division (17/0) 10th
1979/80 First Division (14/0) 15th
1980/81 First Division (42/0) 16th
1981/82 First Division (34/0) 14th
1982/83 First Division (38/1) 19th
1983/84 First Division (30/0) 19th Birmingham City (187/0)
1983/84 First Division (11/0) 20th
1984/85 Second Division (41/0) 2nd
1985/86 First Division (33/0) 21st
1986/87 Second Division (24/0) 19th
1987/88 Second Division (27/0) 19th
1988/89 Second Division (41/0) 23rd
1989/90 Third Division (10/0) 7th Wolverhampton Wanderers (21/0)
1990/91 Second Division – 12th
1991/92 Second Division – 11th
INTERNATIONAL CUPS: –
NATIONAL TEAM: –
HONOURS: Birmingham City
1984/85 Second Division (2nd promotion)
INDIVIDUAL: 1988/89 Birmingham City Player of the Year
MOST MEMORABLE MATCHES: –
Have your say Did you see him play? Did you meet him? If you’ve got any stories about him on or off the pitch, please leave a comment.
Never shy in the tackle, ‘Harry’s determination and refusal to accept defeat without giving every game all he had to give contributed to what became cult-hero status. (www.ccfc.co.uk)
August 1983, Brian Roberts, Coventry City defender 1975-1983 (Photo by Bob Thomas Sports Photography via Getty Images)
As most Coventry fans are well aware, ‘Harry’ is never short of a quip. He brings a touch of humour to match days behind the scenes, just as he used to be the sort of bouncy character every dressing room needs. Behind the jocular exterior though there lurks a man who knows the game inside out, someone who has seen the sport from so many angles and someone who whenever he played was entirely reliable. (www.ccfc.co.uk)
Brian Roberts, Coventry City (Photo by Peter Robinson – PA Images via Getty Images)
After ten years as a professional at Coventry City he joined Birmingham City for a fee of £10,000 raised through a supporters’ “Buy a Player Fund”. He won the club’s Player of the Year award for 1989. Nicknamed “Harry” after the 1960s police-killer Harry Roberts, he published an autobiography entitled Harry’s Game.
Harry’ started with the Sky Blues as an apprentice in November 1973 and once he had made his debut in 1976 quickly became a crowd favourite for his tenacious and athletic defensive work (mostly at full back) as well as for his sense of humour on and off the pitch. Brian became noted for his defensive duties (sticking closely to his target) rather than his goalscoring prowess though his occasional surging runs out of defence were also memorable. Despite ten years at the club and 215 first team league appearances (249 in all competitions) Brian only managed just the one league goal in his Highfield Road sojourn. This came away at West Ham in December 1982 though he did also score in a home 4th round F.A.Cup tie against Norwich City the following January. Also a loyal servant to his two other main midland clubs (though he also got 8 games out on loan with Hereford United in 1975) Brian spent 4 seasons at Birmingham City after leaving the Sky Blues clocking up another 187 appearances (no goals) before finishing his top-class career at Molineux making a further 21 first team appearances for Wolves (no score) between 1990-92. A footballing career totalling 431 league appearances (and the one goal) and nearly 500 appearances overall is a substantial achievement. (www.ccfpa.co.uk)
NAME: Anthony Evans BIRTHDATE: 11/01/1954 BIRTHPLACE: Liverpool NATIONALITY: England HEIGHT: 173 cm POSITION: Forward
SENIOR CAREER: Blackpool
1974/75 Second Division (6/0) 7th Cardiff City (124/47)
1975/76 Third Division (45/21) 2nd
1976/77 Second Division (34/15) 18th
1977/78 Second Division (14/4) 19th
1978/79 Second Division (31/7) 9th Birmingham City (66/28)
1979/80 Second Division (13/4) 3rd
1980/81 First Division (17/7) 13th
1981/82 First Division (29/15) 16th
1982/83 First Division (7/2) 17th Crystal Palace
1983/84 Second Division (21/7) 18th Wolverhampton Wanderers
1984/85 Second Division (23/5) 22nd 1985 Bolton Wanderers (loan) (4/0)
1985/86 Swindon Town (10/0)
1986/87 Stafford Rangers
INTERNATIONAL CUPS: Cardiff City 1976/77 Cup Winners’ Cup (4/1) R1 1977/78 Cup Winners’ Cup (2/0) R1
NATIONAL TEAM: –
HONOURS: Cardiff City
1975/76 Third Division (2nd promotion) 1975/76 Welsh Cup 1976/77 Welsh Cup Birmingham City
1979/80 Second Division (3rd promotion)
INDIVIDUAL: 1975/76 Cardiff City top scorer 1976/77 Cardiff City top scorer 1981/82 Birmingham City top scorer 1983/84 Crystal Palace top scorer
1984/85 Wolverhampton Wanderers top scorer
Keith Bertschin is a former striker who began his professional career with Ipswich Town in 1973. On his debut he scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in April 1976. Bertschin joined Birmingham City in 1977, where he spent four seasons making 143 appearances scoring 41 goals and helped the club gain promotion to the First Division in 1980. He joined Norwich City in 1981 and helped again the side gain promotion to the First Division in 1982. In November 1984 he joined Stoke City. He had a fine season scoring 23 goals and won the Player of the Year award in 1985/86. He was sold to Sunderland in March 1987 where won the Third Division title in 1988. Bertschin ended his professional career at Walsall, Chester City and Aldershot before dropping into non-league football.
NAME: Keith Edwin Bertschin BIRTHDATE: 25/08/1956 BIRTHPLACE: Enfield NATIONALITY: England HEIGHT: 180 cm POSITION: Forward, Striker
SENIOR CAREER: Ipswich Town
1975/76 First Division (3/2) 6th
1976/77 First Division (28/6) 3rd Birmingham City (118/29) 1977/78 First Division (42/11) 11th 1978/79 First Division (9/2) 21st 1979/80 Second Division (37/12) 3rd 1980/81 First Division (30/4) 13th Norwich City (114/29) 1981/82 Second Division (36/12) 3rd 1982/83 First Division (40/8) 14th 1983/84 First Division (33/7) 14th 1984/85 First Division (5/2) 20th Jacksonville Tea Men 1982 NASL (14/3) 4th South Stoke City (88/29) 1984/85 First Division (25/2) 22nd 1985/86 Second Division (42/19) 10th 1986/87 Second Division (21/8) 8th Sunderland 1986/87 Second Division (11/2) 20th 1987/88 Third Division (25/5) 1st Walsall 1988/89 Second Division (20/0) 24th 1989/90 Third Division (35/9) 24th 1990/91 Fourth Division (0/0) 16th Chester City 1990/91 Third Division (19/0) 19th
INTERNATIONAL CUPS: –
NATIONAL TEAM: 1977/78 ENGLAND U21 (3/0); ENGLAND U18
1975 UEFA Euro U18 (7/5) W
1978 UEFA Euro U21 (2/0) SF
HONOURS: Birmingham City 1979/80 Second Division (3rd promotion) Norwich City 1981/82 Second Division (3rd promotion) Sunderland 1987/88 Third Division
INDIVIDUAL: 1979/80 Birmingham City top scorer 1985/86 Stoke City top scorer 1985/86 Stoke City Player of the Year 1985/86 Second Division PFA Team of the Year
Kevin was a hard-tackling, ball-playing midfielder, who possessed great vision and was an expert at set-pieces. He began his career at Birmingham City in 1977. In the 1980/81 season Dillon made his only England under-21 appearance. After 186 league appearances, he joined Division 3 side Portsmouth, where helped the team promoted to Division 1 in the 1987. He made 206 league appearances for Portsmouth before joined Newcastle United in 1989. In the summer of 1991, Dillon joined Reading on a free transfer. He played for three seasons at Elm Park and won the Division 2 title in 1994. He played also for Stevenage Borough, Yeovil Town and finally had a brief spell at Fareham Town at the end of the 1996/97 season.
NAME: Kevin Paul Dillon BIRTHDATE: 18/12/1959 BIRTHPLACE: Sunderland NATIONALITY: England HEIGHT: 180 cm POSITION: Midfielder
SENIOR CAREER: Birmingham City (186/15)
1977/78 First Division (17/1) 11th
1978/79 First Division (36/2) 21st 1979/80 Second Division (31/6) 3rd 1980/81 First Division (39/2) 13th
1981/82 First Division (36/1) 16th 1982/83 First Division (27/3) 17th Portsmouth (215/45) 1982/83 Third Division (11/5) 1st 1983/84 Second Division (36/9) 16th 1984/85 Second Division (37/9) 4th 1985/86 Second Division (31/5) 4th 1986/87 Second Division (39/8) 2nd 1987/88 First Division (32/9) 19th 1988/89 Second Division (29/0) 20th Newcastle United (62/0) 1989/90 Second Division (43/0) 3rd 1990/91 Second Division (19/0) 11th Reading (101/4) 1991/92 Third Division 12th 1992/93 Second Division* 8th 1993/94 Second Division* 1st
Other clubs: 1993/95 Stevenage Borough (12/2); 1995/96 Yeovil Town (41/4); 1996/97 Fareham Town
INTERNATIONAL CUPS: –
NATIONAL TEAM: 1980 ENGLAND U21 (1/0); ENGLAND U18
HONOURS: Birmingham City 1979/80 Second Division (3rd promotion) Portsmouth 1982/83 Third Division 1986/87 Second Division (2nd promotion) Reading
1993/94 Second Division
A centre back with devastating speed and strengh of tackle, Colin Todd made more than 600 appearances in the Football League, playing for Sunderland, Derby County, Everton, Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Oxford United and Luton Town, and also played in the North American Soccer League for the Vancouver Whitecaps. He won two First Division with Derby County during the 1970s, and won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award in 1975. He was included three times in the First Division PFA Team of the Year and two times in the World Soccer World XI. He was capped by England on 27 occasions.
NAME: Colin Todd BIRTHDATE: 12/12/1948 BIRTHPLACE: Chester-le-Street, County Durham NATIONALITY: England HEIGHT: 180 cm POSITION: Defender, Centre back
SENIOR CAREER: Sunderland (173/3)
1966/67 First Division (24/0) 17th
1967/68 First Division (42/2) 15th
1968/69 First Division (41/0) 17th
1969/70 First Division (40/1) 21st
1970/71 Second Division (26/0) 13th Vancouver Royal Canadians (loan)
1967 USA Championship (12/1) 5th West Derby County (293/6)
1970/71 First Division (14/0) 9th
1971/72 First Division (40/2) 1st
1972/73 First Division (41/1) 7th
1973/74 First Division (40/0) 3rd
1974/75 First Division (39/0) 1st
1975/76 First Division (42/1) 4th
1976/77 First Division (41/1) 15th
1977/78 First Division (32/1) 12th
1978/79 First Division (4/0) 19th Everton (32/1)
1978/79 First Division (29/1) 4th
1979/80 First Division (3/0) 19th Birmingham City (93/0)
1979/80 Second Division (34/0) 3rd
1980/81 First Division (40/0) 13th
1981/82 First Division (19/0) 16th Nottingham Forest (36/0)
1982/83 First Division (23/0) 5th
1983/84 First Division (13/0) 3rd Oxford United
1983/84 Third Division (12/0) 1st Vancouver Whitecaps
1984 NASL (8/0) SF Luton Town (2/0) 1984/85 First Division (2/0) 13th
INTERNATIONAL CUPS: Derby County 1972/73 European Cup (8/0) SF 1974/75 UEFA Cup (5/0) R3 1975/76 European Cup (4/0) R2 1976/77 UEFA Cup (4/0) R2 Nottingham Forest 1983/84 UEFA Cup (4/0) SF
NATIONAL TEAM: 1972/77 ENGLAND (27/0); ENGLAND U18 1967 UEFA Euro U18 – RU 1971/72 British Home Championship (1/0) 1st
1973/74 British Home Championship (4/0) 1st
1974/75 British Home Championship (3/0) 1st
1975/76 British Home Championship (2/0) 2nd
1976/77 British Home Championship (1/0) 3rd
HONOURS: Derby County
1971/72 First Division
1974/75 First Division 1975/76 Charity Shield Birmingham City
1979/80 Second Division (3rd promotion) Oxford United
1983/84 Third Division
INDIVIDUAL: 1971/72 Derby County Player of the Year
1973/74 First Division PFA Team of the Year
1974/75 First Division PFA Team of the Year
1974/75 PFA Players’ Player of the Year
1975 World Soccer World XI
1975/76 First Division PFA Team of the Year 1976 World Soccer World XI 1979/80 Second Division PFA Team of the Year
MOST MEMORABLE MATCHES: 1975 Charity Shield: Derby 2-0 West Ham
Dave Langan is an Irish former right back who played Derby County, Birmingham City, Oxford United and Republic of Ireland, for whom he won 26 caps. He began his career with Derby County, for whom he make over 150 appearances and was Player of the Year in 1978. Birmingham City paid a club record £350,000 for the transfer in 1980. He played over 100 games for the Blues and was Player of the Year in 1982, but due to an injury, he was released in 1984. He then moved to Oxford United, where he played 136 games, winning the Second Division in his first season (he was again club’s Player of the Year) and the League Cup the following year. He later played for Bournemouth and Peterborough United, where he ended his career.
NAME: David Francis Langan BIRTHDATE: 15/02/1957 BIRTHPLACE: Dublin NATIONALITY: Republic of Ireland HEIGHT: 170 cm POSITION: Right back
SENIOR CAREER: Derby County (143/1)
1976/77 First Division (21/0) 15th
1977/78 First Division (42/0) 12th
1978/79 First Division (40/0) 19th
1979/80 First Division (40/1) 21st Birmingham City (92/3)
1980/81 First Division (42/0) 13th
1981/82 First Division (36/1) 16th
1982/83 First Division (14/2) 17th
1983/84 First Division (0/0) 20th Oxford United (114/2)
1984/85 Second Division (39/1) 1st
1985/86 First Division (34/0) 18th
1986/87 First Division (39/0) 18th
1987/88 First Division (2/1) 21st Leicester City (loan)
1987/88 Second Division (5/0) 13th Bournemouth
1987/88 Second Division (20/0) 17th Peterborough United
1988/89 Fourth Division (19/0) 17th
INTERNATIONAL CUPS: –
NATIONAL TEAM: 1978/87 REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (26/0)
HONOURS: Oxford United 1984/85 Second Division 1985/86 League Cup
INDIVIDUAL: 1977/78 Derby County Player of the Year 1981/82 Birmingham City Player of the Year 1984/85 Oxford United Player of the Year
MOST MEMORABLE MATCHES: 1986 League Cup final: Oxford 3-0 QPR
Alan Curbishley played midfield most notably for West Ham United, Birmingham City ad Charlton Athletic. He began his career with the Hammers. His arrival in the first team was so impressive that he was given the nickname “Whizz”. He appeared in the European Cup Winners’ Cup 3rd round tie against Den Haag in March 1976, aged 18, although he did not play in the semi-final games against Eintracht Frankfurt nor in the final against Anderlecht. Curbishley was unfortunate that his emergence at West Ham came at the time that the club was blessed with considerable midfield talent and he found himself consistently behind the likes of Trevor Brooking, Alan Devonshire, Geoff Pike and Pat Holland in the midfield pecking order. He transferred to Birmingham City in April 1979 then joined Aston Villa in 1983 and Charlton Athletic in the following year, where he helped the side to promotion to Division 1 in 1986. He then moved to Brighton & Hove Albion where he won promotion to the Second Division. He returned to Charlton as player/coach and retired in 1993.
NAME: Llewellyn Charles Curbishley BIRTHDATE: 08/11/1957 BIRTHPLACE: Forest Gate NATIONALITY: England HEIGHT: 178 cm POSITION: Midfielder
SENIOR CAREER: West Ham United (85/5) 1974/75 First Division (2/0) 13th 1975/76 First Division (14/1) 18th 1976/77 First Division (10/1) 17th 1977/78 First Division (32/1) 20th 1978/79 Second Division (27/1) 5th Birmingham City (130/11) 1979/80 Second Division (42/3) 3rd 1980/81 First Division (29/6) 13th 1981/82 First Division (29/1) 16th 1982/83 First Division (30/1) 17th Aston Villa 1982/83 First Division (7/0) 6th 1983/84 First Division (26/1) 10th 1984/85 First Division (3/0) 10th Charlton Athletic (63/6) 1984/85 Second Division (23/2) 17th 1985/86 Second Division (30/4) 2nd 1986/87 First Division (10/0) 19th Brighton & Hove Albion (116/13) 1987/88 Third Division (34/6) 2nd 1988/89 Second Division (37/6) 19th 1989/90 Second Division (45/1) 18th Charlton Athletic (28/0) 1990/91 Second Division 16th 1991/92 Second Division 7th 1992/93 First Division* 12th
INTERNATIONAL CUPS: West Ham United
1975/76 Cup Winners’ Cup RU Aston Villa 1982/83 European Cup QF 1983/84 UEFA Cup R2
NATIONAL TEAM:
1980 ENGLAND U21 (1/0); ENGLAND U18 1975 UEFA Euro U18 – W
HONOURS: Birmingham City
1979/80 Second Division (3rd promotion) Charlton Athletic
1985/86 Second Division (2nd promotion) Brighton & Hove Albion
1987/88 Third Division (2nd promotion) England
1975 UEFA Euro U18
