Gerry Wolstenholme's Blog - Posts Tagged "barnsley-fc"
A Combative Midfield Player
William (Billy) Ronson 1957-2015
Billy Ronson was born in Fleetwood, where his father Percy was a record-breaking Fleetwood FC player, on 22 January 1957. After schoolboy football, Blackpool signed him as an apprentice professional on 14 August 1972. At the time he was a forward but later became a midfield player. He played only in the junior sides in the 1972/73 season before being signed as a full-time professional on 31 January 1974.
He made his senior debut for Blackpool as a 60th-minute substitute for Micky Walsh in the Lancashire Senior Cup second round tie against Bolton Wanderers on 12 February 1974 when he 'made a lively entry, giving the Blackpool attack more width but the finishing let the visitors down'. Blackpool lost the game 1-0. He also played in the final Central League game of the season against Nottingham Forest reserves on 29 April 1974 when Blackpool won with a Mickey Walsh goal.
Although only playing Central League football at the start of the
1974/75 season his form was good enough to attract attention and he was selected for training with the England Youth team at Lilleshall in September 1974 and again in October 1974.
He subsequently made his League debut for Blackpool against Nottingham Forest in a 0-0 draw on 29 March 1975, also played in a 3-0 defeat by Aston Villa on 19 April 1975 and he made two League appearances and 27 Central League appearances, scoring five goals, in the 1974/75 season. And to crown a fine season, he won the Blackpool Young Player of the Year award, the Harry Glossop Trophy.
He started the 1975/76 season at an unaccustomed centre forward position in the League side, appearing in a 0-0 draw with Fulham on 16 August 1975, but thereafter he was an infrequent member of the League side. His combative style caused Blackpool to suspended him for three games after he had been sent off in a reserve game against Leeds United on 20 March 1976. But, having missed three Central League games, fresh from his suspension, he played what was described as 'his best-yet senior game' in a 0-0 draw with West Bromwich Albion on 31 March 1976 although he 'spurned a couple of good chances by electing to pass square when a dip was in order'. However, up front, he was 'always a handful'. Unfortunately, The Football Association suspended him for three games starting on 1 April 1976 for the same sending offence against Leeds United reserves.
He returned to League action against York City on 19 April 1976 and he scored Blackpool’s equaliser three minutes from time in a 1-1 draw. His 'second League goal crowned a lively second half showing, despite the fact that he had found himself thrust into a strange midfield role'. The goal came after manager Harry Potts 'waved him to the right wing and Alan Ainscow back in midfield'.
And after a 1-0 victory over Sunderland on 20 April 1976 he earned the headlines RONSON LEADS CHAMPAGNE PARADE. Amplifying the headline the comment was 'Young Billy Ronson led the parade with a magnificent display of non-stop effort and skill, which marked his best game for the club. In only his second game back after suspension [sic], Ronson, who scored the equaliser at York, covered every inch of turf in a remarkably assured show of generalship. One minute he was back in defence cooling things down and mopping up anything loose. The next he was sweeping into the attack, prompting and probing. It was a shame he could not score to cap the performance.'
He played 17 League games plus making two substitute appearances, scoring two goals, one League Cup tie and 15 Central League games, scoring two goals, in the 1975/76 season.
He began the 1976/77 season in the pre-season Anglo-Scottish Cup ties and against Burnley on 11 August 1976 he 'had a fine match' and looked 'a more confident player' as he 'did well to keep ticking away in his first match after injury'. Blackpool won 2-1.
Having established himself as a combative midfield player he was rarely out of the side and after a 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the League Cup on 21 September 1976 he earned the headlines RONSON’S DISPLAY ONE TO TREASURE and the supporting comment was 'But only Ronson was getting up regularly in support and I cannot praise his almost single-handed efforts too highly. It was his best game for Blackpool, and one he should treasure.'
In mid-December 1976 manager Allan Brown felt that Dave Tong and Billy Ronson could have been in the reckoning for England Under-21 honours and only Tong’s ankle injury and Ronson’s switch to midfield kept them out of Don Revie’s reckoning. Of Ronson he said, 'If Billy had still been on the wing he would have stood out. Forwards always take glory, but since Billy has moved into midfield he has done all the hard work, but it is seldom the workers who get noticed.'
He missed only one game that season, playing 41 League games, scoring four goals, two FA Cup ties, and four League Cup ties, scoring one goal.
The 1977/78 side saw him in and out of the League side and when substituted against Southampton on 17 December 1977 he was 'clearly upset' and went 'straight to the dressing room after looking angrily at manager Allan Brown' as Blackpool lost 1-0. Knowing that he was unsettled, he was a target for Aston Villa in December 1977 but he said that he would be content to stay at Blackpool provided he played in the first team. Brown commented, 'They want first team soccer and it is only natural that they are upset when they are dropped. But they must always remember that a manager cannot play for them. If they want to stay in the first team they have to fight to maintain their form. If they want a move they have to fight to impress prospective buyers. If they don’t put the effort and tight attitude into their play they will be dropped from the first team and have no chance of moving. It has always been a two-way process. And my experience shows that once a player is reinstated in the first team and he and the team are playing well everyone forgets he is transfer-listed. Really it is meaningless.'
Ronson didn't let the talk of a possible transfer affect his performances and the press comment was 'Ronson battled incessantly to keep Blackpool ticking over when it seemed to many fans that both sides had left the pitch a fortnight ago. He has played consistently well for the past four games' as Blackpool drew 2-2 with Notts County on 7 March 1978. And he finished the 1977/78 season having played 32 League games plus making two substitute appearances, scoring three goals, one FA Cup tie, two League Cup ties and two Central League games.
Along with Jimmy Weston, he missed the start of the 1978/79 season through having played football in the North American League during the summer and on 14 August 1978 manager Bob Stokoe commented. 'As far as we know they are involved in regional play-offs, which could take until the end of the month. We want them back as soon as possible.' In the event he was four weeks late in returning and then Blackpool had to rush clearance through so that he could play for the club.
On his return he said that he would not be keen to go back to America unless it was on a two-year contract. He commented, 'The only way to make it big out there is to sign up a lucrative two-year contract but I have ambitions in English football and I will see if I can fulfil them.' He added, 'The standard of football was remarkably high and they give you the four-star treatment but England is still tops for me.'
He returned to action in a second round League Cup tie against Ipswich Town on 30 August 1978 when his 'presence in midfield was decisive' as he 'buzzed around adding defensive solidity and accuracy in distribution to the department, inspiring his team-mates in counter attacks and directing things with composure and authority' as Blackpool won 2-0.
His consistently good performances were attracting scouts from other clubs and in mid-September 1978 a number of First and Second Division clubs were regularly watching him but Blackpool announced that they were not prepared to sell him. Even so, subsequently moves to Ipswich Town and Aston Villa fell through because neither club would meet Blackpool’s valuation of £150,000, a price tag made to put other clubs off signing him.
In a 1-1 draw with Manchester City in a third round League Cup tie on 4 October 1978 he 'did everything he does best, picking up well, using the ball nicely and controlling the midfield flow with a performance full of authority'. But by mid-November all was not well with manager Bob Stokoe saying that had he had a stronger squad Ronson would have been in the reserve team following some of his displays at the time. He felt that the player’s heart was not in Third Division football.
Stokoe commented, 'Billy thinks I should pat him on the back when I believe he should be criticised for aspects of his game. I am only trying to help the lad become a better player. Had Alan Waldron’s form and attitude been better he would have replaced Billy in the side. I have spoken to Billy about his future at Blackpool. If he wants First division football he has got to prove his ability. I don’t want to keep players who don’t want to play for the club but the current state of the squad means everyone must knuckle down. Billy plays his last game today [11 November 1978] before possibly a three week suspension [he had accumulated 20 penalty points and was to appear before a tribunal the following Tuesday]. If clubs come in for him and he is not prepared to stay and fight for us we will consider it in the appropriate light but I want him to stay and play well for us.'
Ipswich were then back interested in signing him, as were Wolverhampton Wanderers and Millwall. Stokoe spoke of his appearance before the FA hearing and said, 'I have tried my best to help Billy understand that he cannot take out his own personal frustrations by getting involved in incidents on the pitch. In view of some of the blatant offences he has committed to pick up the 20 penalty points I felt I could not defend his conduct.' Rosnon earned a two-match ban.
He knuckled down after the disappointment of suspension and hearing the transfer news and in January 1979 Stokoe commented, 'I am thrilled with Billy’s attitude. It must have been frustrating for him to undergo trials with Villa and Ipswich and then find that neither were prepared to pay what we wanted, but Billy’s first debt is to himself and the team and if he continues to play well he will get his reward.'
But Stokoe had to apologise publicly to Ronson on 21 February 1979 after the news that he had been placed on the transfer list on 19 February had been leaked to the national press before the player had been told. Stokoe commented, 'I am trying to get everyone pulling together and someone in the boardroom has let me and Billy down. Billy had to bind out about it when he picked up his daily paper and this is just not on.' Stokoe then explained that Ronson’s suspension was over the following Saturday and that he would play for the reserve team on the Monday after. He added, 'I have told Billy he will continue in the first team squad although I hope our midfield trio can prove they have the stuff to battle for points away as well as at home. I have not put a fee on Billy. I will try and get the best deal I can and I would prefer player exchanges. We were fined heavily by the FA last season and are already past 100 [penalty points] with 30 matches to go. The way Billy was going he’d get them on his own and the club cannot afford this problem of Billy niggling at referees.'
Scoring two goals in the League game against Chesterfield on 14 March 1979 earned him the headlines with Ronson Shines As Pool Glow. He 'got into good attacking positions and his finishing was clinical' as Blackpool won 3-1.
In late March 1979 there still had been no bids for Ronson from clubs in the First Division, where he wanted to play. He said that should no club bid for him he was happy to give 100% to the Blackpool cause and added, 'I am not upset that clubs have not come in. I’m happy to do my best for Blackpool as I promised I would.' He had bought a house in the area and was to be married in June and had recently appeared on television. Of that Stokoe commented, 'I let Billy go on television recently to state his case and he has had ample chance to say his piece. Now I want him to keep his mouth shut and let the future take care of itself. I have preached to all the players the need to build a team to have players who respect each other and enjoy playing together.'
The club served him with a two-week ban starting with the game against Bury on 7 April 1979 and he went on to miss four matches because on 14 April he received a two-match ban from the FA, but in effect he only missed one game through the suspension for his club ban did not finish until the first of his two games had passed. The FA suspension was his third of the season and encompassed seven matches as he was banned for reaching 20, 30 and then 40 penalty points. He had gathered 19 bookings in two seasons. He stated that he intended to keep out of trouble adding, 'I have not gone out looking for bother with referees, but I will obviously have to do something about it.'
Despite his disciplinary problems, he played 32 League games, scoring three goals, one FA Cup tie, three League Cup ties and two Central League games for Blackpool in the 1978/79 season. But it was to be his final season in the tangerine jersey.
Blackpool transferred him to Cardiff City for a fee of £135,000 on 14 July 1979 and he missed only one League game for Cardiff in his first season at the club and he won the Cardiff Supporters’ Club ‘Player of the Season’ award. He did even better in his second season for he was an ever-present, was deservedly made club captain and he once again won the ‘Player of the Season’ award.
He had played 90 League games and scored four goals for Cardiff City when he was transferred to Wrexham for a fee of £90,000 in October 1981. He played 31 League games plus making one substitute appearance, scoring one goal, four FA Cup ties and three Welsh Cup ties for Wrexham before he was transferred to Barnsley in August 1982 for a fee of £50,000.
Barnsley loaned him out to Birmingham City on 8 November 1985 and he played two League games for the Midlands club. Back at Barnsley, he went on to play 111 League games, make two substitute appearances and score three goals.
He re-joined Blackpool as a non-contract player on a month’s trial in January 1986 but he played only three League games and was not on the winning side in any of them. Blackpool drew 0-0 with Reading on 18 January 1986, and lost 1-0 to Derby County and similarly to Chesterfield on 1 and 4 February 1986.
The club released him after three League games in the 1985/86 season by which time he had played over 200 senior games for the club.
After being released by Blackpool he almost immediately jetted off to America after signing for Baltimore Blast on a two-year contract under ex-Fleetwood goalkeeper Kenny Cooper. He subsequently settled in the United States of America, where he died, aged just 58, on 8 April 2015.
Billy Ronson was born in Fleetwood, where his father Percy was a record-breaking Fleetwood FC player, on 22 January 1957. After schoolboy football, Blackpool signed him as an apprentice professional on 14 August 1972. At the time he was a forward but later became a midfield player. He played only in the junior sides in the 1972/73 season before being signed as a full-time professional on 31 January 1974.
He made his senior debut for Blackpool as a 60th-minute substitute for Micky Walsh in the Lancashire Senior Cup second round tie against Bolton Wanderers on 12 February 1974 when he 'made a lively entry, giving the Blackpool attack more width but the finishing let the visitors down'. Blackpool lost the game 1-0. He also played in the final Central League game of the season against Nottingham Forest reserves on 29 April 1974 when Blackpool won with a Mickey Walsh goal.
Although only playing Central League football at the start of the
1974/75 season his form was good enough to attract attention and he was selected for training with the England Youth team at Lilleshall in September 1974 and again in October 1974.
He subsequently made his League debut for Blackpool against Nottingham Forest in a 0-0 draw on 29 March 1975, also played in a 3-0 defeat by Aston Villa on 19 April 1975 and he made two League appearances and 27 Central League appearances, scoring five goals, in the 1974/75 season. And to crown a fine season, he won the Blackpool Young Player of the Year award, the Harry Glossop Trophy.
He started the 1975/76 season at an unaccustomed centre forward position in the League side, appearing in a 0-0 draw with Fulham on 16 August 1975, but thereafter he was an infrequent member of the League side. His combative style caused Blackpool to suspended him for three games after he had been sent off in a reserve game against Leeds United on 20 March 1976. But, having missed three Central League games, fresh from his suspension, he played what was described as 'his best-yet senior game' in a 0-0 draw with West Bromwich Albion on 31 March 1976 although he 'spurned a couple of good chances by electing to pass square when a dip was in order'. However, up front, he was 'always a handful'. Unfortunately, The Football Association suspended him for three games starting on 1 April 1976 for the same sending offence against Leeds United reserves.
He returned to League action against York City on 19 April 1976 and he scored Blackpool’s equaliser three minutes from time in a 1-1 draw. His 'second League goal crowned a lively second half showing, despite the fact that he had found himself thrust into a strange midfield role'. The goal came after manager Harry Potts 'waved him to the right wing and Alan Ainscow back in midfield'.
And after a 1-0 victory over Sunderland on 20 April 1976 he earned the headlines RONSON LEADS CHAMPAGNE PARADE. Amplifying the headline the comment was 'Young Billy Ronson led the parade with a magnificent display of non-stop effort and skill, which marked his best game for the club. In only his second game back after suspension [sic], Ronson, who scored the equaliser at York, covered every inch of turf in a remarkably assured show of generalship. One minute he was back in defence cooling things down and mopping up anything loose. The next he was sweeping into the attack, prompting and probing. It was a shame he could not score to cap the performance.'
He played 17 League games plus making two substitute appearances, scoring two goals, one League Cup tie and 15 Central League games, scoring two goals, in the 1975/76 season.
He began the 1976/77 season in the pre-season Anglo-Scottish Cup ties and against Burnley on 11 August 1976 he 'had a fine match' and looked 'a more confident player' as he 'did well to keep ticking away in his first match after injury'. Blackpool won 2-1.
Having established himself as a combative midfield player he was rarely out of the side and after a 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the League Cup on 21 September 1976 he earned the headlines RONSON’S DISPLAY ONE TO TREASURE and the supporting comment was 'But only Ronson was getting up regularly in support and I cannot praise his almost single-handed efforts too highly. It was his best game for Blackpool, and one he should treasure.'
In mid-December 1976 manager Allan Brown felt that Dave Tong and Billy Ronson could have been in the reckoning for England Under-21 honours and only Tong’s ankle injury and Ronson’s switch to midfield kept them out of Don Revie’s reckoning. Of Ronson he said, 'If Billy had still been on the wing he would have stood out. Forwards always take glory, but since Billy has moved into midfield he has done all the hard work, but it is seldom the workers who get noticed.'
He missed only one game that season, playing 41 League games, scoring four goals, two FA Cup ties, and four League Cup ties, scoring one goal.
The 1977/78 side saw him in and out of the League side and when substituted against Southampton on 17 December 1977 he was 'clearly upset' and went 'straight to the dressing room after looking angrily at manager Allan Brown' as Blackpool lost 1-0. Knowing that he was unsettled, he was a target for Aston Villa in December 1977 but he said that he would be content to stay at Blackpool provided he played in the first team. Brown commented, 'They want first team soccer and it is only natural that they are upset when they are dropped. But they must always remember that a manager cannot play for them. If they want to stay in the first team they have to fight to maintain their form. If they want a move they have to fight to impress prospective buyers. If they don’t put the effort and tight attitude into their play they will be dropped from the first team and have no chance of moving. It has always been a two-way process. And my experience shows that once a player is reinstated in the first team and he and the team are playing well everyone forgets he is transfer-listed. Really it is meaningless.'
Ronson didn't let the talk of a possible transfer affect his performances and the press comment was 'Ronson battled incessantly to keep Blackpool ticking over when it seemed to many fans that both sides had left the pitch a fortnight ago. He has played consistently well for the past four games' as Blackpool drew 2-2 with Notts County on 7 March 1978. And he finished the 1977/78 season having played 32 League games plus making two substitute appearances, scoring three goals, one FA Cup tie, two League Cup ties and two Central League games.
Along with Jimmy Weston, he missed the start of the 1978/79 season through having played football in the North American League during the summer and on 14 August 1978 manager Bob Stokoe commented. 'As far as we know they are involved in regional play-offs, which could take until the end of the month. We want them back as soon as possible.' In the event he was four weeks late in returning and then Blackpool had to rush clearance through so that he could play for the club.
On his return he said that he would not be keen to go back to America unless it was on a two-year contract. He commented, 'The only way to make it big out there is to sign up a lucrative two-year contract but I have ambitions in English football and I will see if I can fulfil them.' He added, 'The standard of football was remarkably high and they give you the four-star treatment but England is still tops for me.'
He returned to action in a second round League Cup tie against Ipswich Town on 30 August 1978 when his 'presence in midfield was decisive' as he 'buzzed around adding defensive solidity and accuracy in distribution to the department, inspiring his team-mates in counter attacks and directing things with composure and authority' as Blackpool won 2-0.
His consistently good performances were attracting scouts from other clubs and in mid-September 1978 a number of First and Second Division clubs were regularly watching him but Blackpool announced that they were not prepared to sell him. Even so, subsequently moves to Ipswich Town and Aston Villa fell through because neither club would meet Blackpool’s valuation of £150,000, a price tag made to put other clubs off signing him.
In a 1-1 draw with Manchester City in a third round League Cup tie on 4 October 1978 he 'did everything he does best, picking up well, using the ball nicely and controlling the midfield flow with a performance full of authority'. But by mid-November all was not well with manager Bob Stokoe saying that had he had a stronger squad Ronson would have been in the reserve team following some of his displays at the time. He felt that the player’s heart was not in Third Division football.
Stokoe commented, 'Billy thinks I should pat him on the back when I believe he should be criticised for aspects of his game. I am only trying to help the lad become a better player. Had Alan Waldron’s form and attitude been better he would have replaced Billy in the side. I have spoken to Billy about his future at Blackpool. If he wants First division football he has got to prove his ability. I don’t want to keep players who don’t want to play for the club but the current state of the squad means everyone must knuckle down. Billy plays his last game today [11 November 1978] before possibly a three week suspension [he had accumulated 20 penalty points and was to appear before a tribunal the following Tuesday]. If clubs come in for him and he is not prepared to stay and fight for us we will consider it in the appropriate light but I want him to stay and play well for us.'
Ipswich were then back interested in signing him, as were Wolverhampton Wanderers and Millwall. Stokoe spoke of his appearance before the FA hearing and said, 'I have tried my best to help Billy understand that he cannot take out his own personal frustrations by getting involved in incidents on the pitch. In view of some of the blatant offences he has committed to pick up the 20 penalty points I felt I could not defend his conduct.' Rosnon earned a two-match ban.
He knuckled down after the disappointment of suspension and hearing the transfer news and in January 1979 Stokoe commented, 'I am thrilled with Billy’s attitude. It must have been frustrating for him to undergo trials with Villa and Ipswich and then find that neither were prepared to pay what we wanted, but Billy’s first debt is to himself and the team and if he continues to play well he will get his reward.'
But Stokoe had to apologise publicly to Ronson on 21 February 1979 after the news that he had been placed on the transfer list on 19 February had been leaked to the national press before the player had been told. Stokoe commented, 'I am trying to get everyone pulling together and someone in the boardroom has let me and Billy down. Billy had to bind out about it when he picked up his daily paper and this is just not on.' Stokoe then explained that Ronson’s suspension was over the following Saturday and that he would play for the reserve team on the Monday after. He added, 'I have told Billy he will continue in the first team squad although I hope our midfield trio can prove they have the stuff to battle for points away as well as at home. I have not put a fee on Billy. I will try and get the best deal I can and I would prefer player exchanges. We were fined heavily by the FA last season and are already past 100 [penalty points] with 30 matches to go. The way Billy was going he’d get them on his own and the club cannot afford this problem of Billy niggling at referees.'
Scoring two goals in the League game against Chesterfield on 14 March 1979 earned him the headlines with Ronson Shines As Pool Glow. He 'got into good attacking positions and his finishing was clinical' as Blackpool won 3-1.
In late March 1979 there still had been no bids for Ronson from clubs in the First Division, where he wanted to play. He said that should no club bid for him he was happy to give 100% to the Blackpool cause and added, 'I am not upset that clubs have not come in. I’m happy to do my best for Blackpool as I promised I would.' He had bought a house in the area and was to be married in June and had recently appeared on television. Of that Stokoe commented, 'I let Billy go on television recently to state his case and he has had ample chance to say his piece. Now I want him to keep his mouth shut and let the future take care of itself. I have preached to all the players the need to build a team to have players who respect each other and enjoy playing together.'
The club served him with a two-week ban starting with the game against Bury on 7 April 1979 and he went on to miss four matches because on 14 April he received a two-match ban from the FA, but in effect he only missed one game through the suspension for his club ban did not finish until the first of his two games had passed. The FA suspension was his third of the season and encompassed seven matches as he was banned for reaching 20, 30 and then 40 penalty points. He had gathered 19 bookings in two seasons. He stated that he intended to keep out of trouble adding, 'I have not gone out looking for bother with referees, but I will obviously have to do something about it.'
Despite his disciplinary problems, he played 32 League games, scoring three goals, one FA Cup tie, three League Cup ties and two Central League games for Blackpool in the 1978/79 season. But it was to be his final season in the tangerine jersey.
Blackpool transferred him to Cardiff City for a fee of £135,000 on 14 July 1979 and he missed only one League game for Cardiff in his first season at the club and he won the Cardiff Supporters’ Club ‘Player of the Season’ award. He did even better in his second season for he was an ever-present, was deservedly made club captain and he once again won the ‘Player of the Season’ award.
He had played 90 League games and scored four goals for Cardiff City when he was transferred to Wrexham for a fee of £90,000 in October 1981. He played 31 League games plus making one substitute appearance, scoring one goal, four FA Cup ties and three Welsh Cup ties for Wrexham before he was transferred to Barnsley in August 1982 for a fee of £50,000.
Barnsley loaned him out to Birmingham City on 8 November 1985 and he played two League games for the Midlands club. Back at Barnsley, he went on to play 111 League games, make two substitute appearances and score three goals.
He re-joined Blackpool as a non-contract player on a month’s trial in January 1986 but he played only three League games and was not on the winning side in any of them. Blackpool drew 0-0 with Reading on 18 January 1986, and lost 1-0 to Derby County and similarly to Chesterfield on 1 and 4 February 1986.
The club released him after three League games in the 1985/86 season by which time he had played over 200 senior games for the club.
After being released by Blackpool he almost immediately jetted off to America after signing for Baltimore Blast on a two-year contract under ex-Fleetwood goalkeeper Kenny Cooper. He subsequently settled in the United States of America, where he died, aged just 58, on 8 April 2015.
A First Division Championship and FA Cup Winner
James (Jimmy) Robson (1939-2021)
Jimmy Robson was born in Pelton, County Durham, on 23 January 1939. He was an inside forward who had been spotted by a Burnley scout playing local football in his native north east and he signed for the club as a 15-year-old. In later life he reflected on the move to Burney remembering that on arriving in Lancashire to the sight of chimneys and mills, he feared he’d made a mistake, and longed for home. But he quickly adapted and after some reserve games, he made his Burnley debut in the First Division on 6 October 1956 as a 17-year-old inside right against Blackpool at Turf Moor in front of 27,678 fans and he scored a late equaliser for his side in a 2-2 draw.
He went on to become an integral part of the First Division Championship winning Burnley side of 1959/60 and played in the club’s following season’s European Cup campaign and scored in the first minute of their tie again Stade de Reims and he also scored in the second leg as Burnley went through 4-3 on aggregate. He also scored in the quarter final when Hamburger SV were defeated 3-1 at Turf Moor but Burnley were eliminated when they lost the return leg 4-1. {I was lucky enough to see the two Burnley home European games at Turf Moor as coaches were run from Blackpool in those days to other Lancashire team’s games and I particularly remember my first sighting of the German striker Uwe Seeler.] He also scored the equaliser in the 1962 FA Cup Final and it was the 100th goal scored in a Wembley Cup Final; Burnley eventually lost 3-1 to Tottenham Hotspur.
Blackpool had originally been reported as being interested in signing him and Burnley’s Ray Pointer as early as January 1964 but no deal took place and manager Ronnie Suart later said that the reports of Blackpool’s interest were purely ‘guess work’. However, Blackpool did get their man when they signed him from Burnley for a fee of £12,000 on 12 March 1965 [Ironically Pointer was also to sign for the Seasiders but that signing did not take place until 1973.] By the time of his move Robson had become a crowd favourite at Turf Moor as he had played 202 League games for the club, scoring 75 goals. He had also won an England Under-23 cap against West Germany on 10 May 1959 at the Ruhrstadion, Bochum, taking his place in a forward line that read, Peter Brabrook, Robson, Peter Dobing, Ray Parry and Albert Scanlon Scanlon. He scored one of England’s goals in a 2-2 draw.
After signing for Blackpool, Ronnie Suart rushed him to London for his debut against Tottenham Hotspur the day after his signing, 13 March 1965, and he made his first appearance for the Seasiders at inside left in place of Graham Rowe. Blackpool were struggling in the lower reaches of the First Division at the time and up to then Robson had spent most of the season in the Burnley reserve side after having scored only six goals in 26 League games the previous season. So it was asking a lot of him to immediately perform at a high level against a rampant Spurs’ side, particularly with Jimmy Greaves in goalscoring form. And so it proved as one report stated, ‘Robson will have to re-adjust himself to the pace of First Division football, for his slowness was exposed too often in this game, particularly when it came to working with the quick-thinking Ball.’ He did, however, ‘send outside right Moir through for Blackpool’s goal’.
He was up and running in his second game against West Bromwich Albion at Bloomfield Road on 20 March for he scored in the 23rd minute. Moir took a free kick ‘and dropped the ball into the goalmouth’ where ‘Potter failed to clear cleanly and the ball dropped at the feet of Robson who promptly slammed it into the net to score his first goal for Blackpool’. Blackpool won the game 3-0 and he went on to play nine League games and score two goals for Blackpool in the 1964/65 season.
He began the 1965/66 season in Blackpool’s Central League side but after the League side had drawn one and lost two games, he was recalled for the game against his former club Burnley on 30 August 1966. He scored Blackpool’s goal but even so the Seasiders lost 3-1. He also scored in a losing cause in the following game when Liverpool won 3-2. Then after four successive defeats, Blackpool defeated Leicester City 4-0 and once again he was on the scoresheet.
Then in December 1965 Blackpool signed Scotsman Bobby Waddell as an additional inside forward and Robson lost his regular starting spot and consequently he played spasmodically for the League side for the remainder of the season.
He scored twice in a 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers in a Lancashire Senior Cup tie on 4 April 1966. His first came after 14 minutes when “Parry hit a perfect centre into the middle where inside right Robson rose head and shoulders above Blackburn pivot Mulvaney and flashed the ball into the net” and his second came when “Parry, starved of the ball in the second half, then broke away, laid on a perfect pass for Robson and, despite a brave attempt by Jones, the Blackburn ‘keeper, Robson succeeded in pressing the ball just inside the post for the winner.” Blackpool subsequently lost 3-2 to Barrow in the semi-final of the tournament.
He scored four goals in the Central League side’s 6-1 victory over Everton reserves on 23 April 1966 when he was “fed by a stream of passes through the middle by wingers Horne and Moir and really rocked the Mersey boat as Everton finished a bemused and battered team”. And in addition “Hunter scored the fifth and sixth near the end from openings created by Robson.”
On 27 April 1966 he wrote his name into the annals Blackpool FC history when he became the club’s first substitute to score a goal in a 2-1 defeat by Manchester United. And he ended the 1965/66 season having played 18 League games, making two substitute appearances, scoring seven goals, 15 Central League games, scoring eight goals, two Lancashire Senior Cup ties, scoring two goals, and three friendly games, scoring two goals.
He made his first League appearance of the 1966/67 season at inside left in a 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa on 10 September 1966 and then on 8 October he reappeared at inside right in a 2-1 defeat by Manchester United. Thereafter he missed only one game until the end of the season, playing the last 10 games in the half-back line. His final appearance for Blackpool in the First Division was in a 3-1 victory at Anfield over Liverpool, only Blackpool’s sixth victory of the season as they were relegated to Division Two. He played 30 League games, made two substitute appearances, scoring three goals, one FA Cup tie, four League Cup ties, scoring two goals, and eight Central League games, scoring one goal, in the 1966/67 season.
He had a run of three League games in November 1966 when he scored in a 3-1 victory over Cardiff City and also in a 2-0 defeat of Charlton Athletic, and he had also played two League Cup ties and 15 Central League games, scoring three goals, up to the time of his transfer in the 1967/68 season. In total he had played 60 League games, made four substitute appearances, scoring 14 goals, one FA Cup tie, six League Cup ties, scoring two goals, and 38 Central League games, scoring 12 goals, for Blackpool.
He was transferred to Barnsley for a fee of £6,000 on 19 January 1968 when he was paid £863 as his accrued share of benefit. He went on to play 87 League games and score 15 goals for Barnsley, and he was part of the Division Four promotion-winning side in the 1967/68 season.
He was transferred to Bury in August 1970 and he played 100 League games, made three substitute appearances and scored three goals for the club.
He later coached at Burnley, Huddersfield Town and Rochdale.
He was always a well-respected visitor to Turf Moor and after retirement from the game he worked in public relations at Burnley Football Club.
He died on 14 December 2021 after a period of illness on 14 December 2021 with supporters and all his former clubs saddened at his passing, with a Blackpool FC official stating, ‘We are saddened to learn of the passing of former forward Jimmy Robson at the age of 82. Our sincere condolences go out to his family.’
Jimmy Robson was born in Pelton, County Durham, on 23 January 1939. He was an inside forward who had been spotted by a Burnley scout playing local football in his native north east and he signed for the club as a 15-year-old. In later life he reflected on the move to Burney remembering that on arriving in Lancashire to the sight of chimneys and mills, he feared he’d made a mistake, and longed for home. But he quickly adapted and after some reserve games, he made his Burnley debut in the First Division on 6 October 1956 as a 17-year-old inside right against Blackpool at Turf Moor in front of 27,678 fans and he scored a late equaliser for his side in a 2-2 draw.
He went on to become an integral part of the First Division Championship winning Burnley side of 1959/60 and played in the club’s following season’s European Cup campaign and scored in the first minute of their tie again Stade de Reims and he also scored in the second leg as Burnley went through 4-3 on aggregate. He also scored in the quarter final when Hamburger SV were defeated 3-1 at Turf Moor but Burnley were eliminated when they lost the return leg 4-1. {I was lucky enough to see the two Burnley home European games at Turf Moor as coaches were run from Blackpool in those days to other Lancashire team’s games and I particularly remember my first sighting of the German striker Uwe Seeler.] He also scored the equaliser in the 1962 FA Cup Final and it was the 100th goal scored in a Wembley Cup Final; Burnley eventually lost 3-1 to Tottenham Hotspur.
Blackpool had originally been reported as being interested in signing him and Burnley’s Ray Pointer as early as January 1964 but no deal took place and manager Ronnie Suart later said that the reports of Blackpool’s interest were purely ‘guess work’. However, Blackpool did get their man when they signed him from Burnley for a fee of £12,000 on 12 March 1965 [Ironically Pointer was also to sign for the Seasiders but that signing did not take place until 1973.] By the time of his move Robson had become a crowd favourite at Turf Moor as he had played 202 League games for the club, scoring 75 goals. He had also won an England Under-23 cap against West Germany on 10 May 1959 at the Ruhrstadion, Bochum, taking his place in a forward line that read, Peter Brabrook, Robson, Peter Dobing, Ray Parry and Albert Scanlon Scanlon. He scored one of England’s goals in a 2-2 draw.
After signing for Blackpool, Ronnie Suart rushed him to London for his debut against Tottenham Hotspur the day after his signing, 13 March 1965, and he made his first appearance for the Seasiders at inside left in place of Graham Rowe. Blackpool were struggling in the lower reaches of the First Division at the time and up to then Robson had spent most of the season in the Burnley reserve side after having scored only six goals in 26 League games the previous season. So it was asking a lot of him to immediately perform at a high level against a rampant Spurs’ side, particularly with Jimmy Greaves in goalscoring form. And so it proved as one report stated, ‘Robson will have to re-adjust himself to the pace of First Division football, for his slowness was exposed too often in this game, particularly when it came to working with the quick-thinking Ball.’ He did, however, ‘send outside right Moir through for Blackpool’s goal’.
He was up and running in his second game against West Bromwich Albion at Bloomfield Road on 20 March for he scored in the 23rd minute. Moir took a free kick ‘and dropped the ball into the goalmouth’ where ‘Potter failed to clear cleanly and the ball dropped at the feet of Robson who promptly slammed it into the net to score his first goal for Blackpool’. Blackpool won the game 3-0 and he went on to play nine League games and score two goals for Blackpool in the 1964/65 season.
He began the 1965/66 season in Blackpool’s Central League side but after the League side had drawn one and lost two games, he was recalled for the game against his former club Burnley on 30 August 1966. He scored Blackpool’s goal but even so the Seasiders lost 3-1. He also scored in a losing cause in the following game when Liverpool won 3-2. Then after four successive defeats, Blackpool defeated Leicester City 4-0 and once again he was on the scoresheet.
Then in December 1965 Blackpool signed Scotsman Bobby Waddell as an additional inside forward and Robson lost his regular starting spot and consequently he played spasmodically for the League side for the remainder of the season.
He scored twice in a 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers in a Lancashire Senior Cup tie on 4 April 1966. His first came after 14 minutes when “Parry hit a perfect centre into the middle where inside right Robson rose head and shoulders above Blackburn pivot Mulvaney and flashed the ball into the net” and his second came when “Parry, starved of the ball in the second half, then broke away, laid on a perfect pass for Robson and, despite a brave attempt by Jones, the Blackburn ‘keeper, Robson succeeded in pressing the ball just inside the post for the winner.” Blackpool subsequently lost 3-2 to Barrow in the semi-final of the tournament.
He scored four goals in the Central League side’s 6-1 victory over Everton reserves on 23 April 1966 when he was “fed by a stream of passes through the middle by wingers Horne and Moir and really rocked the Mersey boat as Everton finished a bemused and battered team”. And in addition “Hunter scored the fifth and sixth near the end from openings created by Robson.”
On 27 April 1966 he wrote his name into the annals Blackpool FC history when he became the club’s first substitute to score a goal in a 2-1 defeat by Manchester United. And he ended the 1965/66 season having played 18 League games, making two substitute appearances, scoring seven goals, 15 Central League games, scoring eight goals, two Lancashire Senior Cup ties, scoring two goals, and three friendly games, scoring two goals.
He made his first League appearance of the 1966/67 season at inside left in a 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa on 10 September 1966 and then on 8 October he reappeared at inside right in a 2-1 defeat by Manchester United. Thereafter he missed only one game until the end of the season, playing the last 10 games in the half-back line. His final appearance for Blackpool in the First Division was in a 3-1 victory at Anfield over Liverpool, only Blackpool’s sixth victory of the season as they were relegated to Division Two. He played 30 League games, made two substitute appearances, scoring three goals, one FA Cup tie, four League Cup ties, scoring two goals, and eight Central League games, scoring one goal, in the 1966/67 season.
He had a run of three League games in November 1966 when he scored in a 3-1 victory over Cardiff City and also in a 2-0 defeat of Charlton Athletic, and he had also played two League Cup ties and 15 Central League games, scoring three goals, up to the time of his transfer in the 1967/68 season. In total he had played 60 League games, made four substitute appearances, scoring 14 goals, one FA Cup tie, six League Cup ties, scoring two goals, and 38 Central League games, scoring 12 goals, for Blackpool.
He was transferred to Barnsley for a fee of £6,000 on 19 January 1968 when he was paid £863 as his accrued share of benefit. He went on to play 87 League games and score 15 goals for Barnsley, and he was part of the Division Four promotion-winning side in the 1967/68 season.
He was transferred to Bury in August 1970 and he played 100 League games, made three substitute appearances and scored three goals for the club.
He later coached at Burnley, Huddersfield Town and Rochdale.
He was always a well-respected visitor to Turf Moor and after retirement from the game he worked in public relations at Burnley Football Club.
He died on 14 December 2021 after a period of illness on 14 December 2021 with supporters and all his former clubs saddened at his passing, with a Blackpool FC official stating, ‘We are saddened to learn of the passing of former forward Jimmy Robson at the age of 82. Our sincere condolences go out to his family.’
Wolves’ League Cup winner has one season at Blackpool
Gary Pierce 1951 - 2025
Gary Pierce was born in Bury on 2 March 1951 and as a goalkeeper began his senior football career with non-league Mossley before signing for Huddersfield Town in February 1971. He had played 23 League games for Huddersfield before he was transferred to Wolverhampton Wanderers for a fee of £40,000 in August 1973. He went on to play 98 League games, and 111 games in all, for Wolves and was a League Cup winner with the club in 1974 when Manchester City were beaten 2-1. In that game, only his 14th for the club, he was a late replacement for the injured Phil Parkes and played a significant part in the Wolves’ victory. Pierce commented in a post-match interview, ‘I shall remember this day for as long as I live. I doubt whether I shall experience anything quite like it ever again.’
Wolves transferred him to Barnsley, again for a fee of £40,000, in July 1979. He went on to play 81 League games for Barnsley, a club he helped to promotion to Division 2 in the 1980/81 season.
Blackpool signed him from Barnsley in August 1983. And he made his first appearance for the Seasiders in a pre-season friendly game against Morecambe on 3 August 1983 when he had little to do as Blackpool won 5-0. Unfortunately he suffered an injury in the second pre-season friendly game against Wren Rovers on 4 August 1983 and Shaun Steele took over in goal as Blackpool won 2-1.
He recovered quickly and was fit for the third friendly game of the season when Blackpool lost 1-0 to Northwich Victoria on 6 August 1983 and he also played in the pre-season friendly against Horwich RMI on 9 August 1983 when Blackpool won 2-0.
He made his competitive debut for Blackpool in the Lancashire Manx Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers on 13 August 1983 when Blackpool lost 4-2. He was, however, suffering from a thumb injury sustained in training when he had stopped a Keith Mercer thunderbolt and the injury ‘hampered his efforts to cut out a cross and Chris Thompson headed home.’ However, he remained in the side for the following Lancashire Manx Cup ties a 3-2 defeat by Preston North End on 16 August 1983.
After he played in another pre-season friendly game, a 3-1 victory over Manchester City on 18 August 1983, he was in the side for the final Lancashire Manx Cup tie, a 0-0 draw with Burnley on 20 August 1983.
However his thumb had not completely healed and by 23 August 1983 he had it in plaster, as it turned out to have been broken. He said, ‘I wanted to carry on but it was the thought of what might happen in the future that made me see sense. The hand has to be put in plaster within six weeks of this injury being diagnosed to avoid disability in later life. We are being optimistic with the three weeks’ deadline, but I don’t think I could face any longer out of action.’ Blackpool physiotherapist Billy Haydock commented, ‘Goalkeepers are a daft and a brave breed. But if we’d left Gary’s injury by the age of 40 he wouldn’t have been able to lift a pint pot. His hand could have been useless.’
Consequently out of action and with specialists recommending a 10-week rest, Pierce commented, ‘I’m going daft training all week and not being able to play on a Saturday.’ And the thumb injury did cause him to miss the start of the season and plunged Blackpool into a goalkeeping crisis.
The Manchester Evening News reported on 23 August, ‘Worried Blackpool boss Sam Ellis approached John Bond [Burnley manager] today to help solve a goalkeeping emergency at Bloomfield Road. With young Gary Pierce injured Blackpool faced their League kick-off against Reading on Saturday without a goalkeeper and moved in for Burnley reserve Bill O’Rourke. Blackpool wanted him for a month’s loan to cover for Pierce who has a broken bone in his hand.’ In the event O’Rourke was signed until 26 September, 14 days after Pierce was estimated to have the plaster taken off his broken thumb and then begin his ‘fight to get his place back’.
While Pierce was recovering, O’Rourke therefore played the first six games of the League season before returning to Burnley. But there was still a problem for although Pierce had made his comeback appearance for Blackpool in the Central League side on 20 September 1983, when Blackpool suffered a 3-2 defeat by Bradford City, having watched that game, manager Ellis commented, ‘It seems to me that Gary isn’t showing the confidence I would have expected and his reaction indicates he could need a few more reserve games before he gets his full confidence and form back.’
Consequently Ellis was obliged to find another goalkeeper quickly. About the possibility of signing O’Rourke on a permanent basis he commented, ‘If I had cash I wouldn’t spend it on a goalkeeper when I know Gary Pierce will be fighting fit very soon.’ Consequently he signed Simon Steele on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion in time for a debut against Mansfield town on 27 September. Meanwhile Pierce continued his rehabilitation and Ellis once again commented, ‘I’m not rushing Pierce back when Billy [O’Rourke] is still here. We are going to need Gary to be peak-fit and available for a busy season.’ However, Ellis stated that Pierce needed ‘to sharpen his match practice still further with an ‘A’ team run on Saturday’. He duly played against Rochdale and came through unscathed.
He went on to play three further games in the Central League side against Coventry City reserves on 25 October, Port Vale reserves on 8 November and against Preston North End reserves on 15 November. Unfortunately all three games were lost 1-2, 1-4 and 0-1 respectively.
By then Steele had returned to Brighton after three games and Barry Siddall had been brought in on loan from Port Vale and he played seven games by which time Pierce’s injury had completely healed and Ellis decided that he was ready for his senior return.
Pierce, therefore, made his long-awaited first team comeback in the FA Cup first round tie against Gainsborough Trinity on 19 November 1983. He came through safely and played a sterling game and when Gainsborough were threatening to score a quick equaliser, ‘Jimmy Snee raced down the right flank and crossed at the by-line but goalkeeper Gary Pierce was quick to cut it out.’ Blackpool scored again and eventually won 2-0.
His League debut for Blackpool followed against Hereford United on 26 November 1983 when he ‘showed outstanding form’ as Blackpool won 2-1 and thus scotched suggestions that manager Ellis should sign another goalkeeper as Pierce had missed the first 16 League games of the season. However, Ellis stated that he was happy to have kept faith with Pierce, who from then was an automatic choice until very late in the season.
Pierce shone against Aldershot who began with great confidence in their game at Bloomfield Road on 2 January 1984 but Pierce continually ‘saved with equal confidence’ as he inspired Blackpool to a 5-0 win, their biggest victory of the season.
And Ellis‘ faith was further justified when, at Reading on 14 January 1984, Pierce made a series of brilliant saves, including keeping out a penalty by Stuart Beavon but ultimately he could not prevent Blackpool losing 2-0.
When Blackpool defeated Manchester City 2-1 in the third round of the FA Cup on 7 January 1984, Pierce ‘was not troubled by a single shot in the first 30 minutes’ and subsequently restricted City to just the one goal. However exit from the FA Cup quickly followed. Despite playing an excellent game in the FA Cup fourth round tie against Oxford United on 28 January 1984, he had no chance when Oxford were awarded two penalties both of which they scored to give their side a 2-1 victory.
At Crewe on 11 February 1984 Crewe pressed for a winner but ‘Superb saves by Gary Pierce from Walter and Dave Pullar only delayed the Alex victory’. But, despite his best efforts and in front of a crowd of 4942, the best of the season at Gresty Road, he could not prevent a Crewe’ winner with two minutes remaining.
With Blackpool riding high in the table, they had a hard-fought game against Mansfield Town on 31 March 1984, the Mansfield and Sutton Recorder reported that it was ‘Stags’ Dave Caldwell versus Blackpool ‘keeper Gary Pierce – with the ex-Wolves man coming out tops with some good saves’ as the game was drawn 1-1.
And Hereford, on a 16-match unbeaten run, were thwarted by Pierce on 28 April when poor finishing and ‘a good display by home goalkeeper Gary Pierce combined to deny them’ as Blackpool won 3-1.
H played what turned out to be his final League game for Blackpool in 3-2 defeat by Aldershot on 5 May 1984 and unfortunately one press report read, ‘Pierce reacted like a novice to give Lawrence the winner.’ Thus, after a run of 32 consecutive League and Cup games, he was rather surprisingly left out for the final three League games of the season and, equally surprisingly, he was replaced by Scotsman Drew Brand who Blackpool had signed as a non-contract player just six weeks earlier.
Equally surprisingly, his proposed new one-year contract was cancelled and Blackpool released him shortly after the Aldershot game. He had played 27 League games, five FA Cup ties, three Lancashire Manx Cup ties, one Associate Members Cup tie, five Central League games and five pre-season friendly games for Blackpool in the 1983/84 season. And he rightly takes his place in the long history of Blackpool Football Club.
After a career in which he played 229 League games for his various clubs, he joined non-league Chorley in July 1984 and later managed Accrington Stanley, Netherfield and Radcliffe.
He passed away after a short illness in Bury Hospice on 24 May 2025.
Gary Pierce was born in Bury on 2 March 1951 and as a goalkeeper began his senior football career with non-league Mossley before signing for Huddersfield Town in February 1971. He had played 23 League games for Huddersfield before he was transferred to Wolverhampton Wanderers for a fee of £40,000 in August 1973. He went on to play 98 League games, and 111 games in all, for Wolves and was a League Cup winner with the club in 1974 when Manchester City were beaten 2-1. In that game, only his 14th for the club, he was a late replacement for the injured Phil Parkes and played a significant part in the Wolves’ victory. Pierce commented in a post-match interview, ‘I shall remember this day for as long as I live. I doubt whether I shall experience anything quite like it ever again.’
Wolves transferred him to Barnsley, again for a fee of £40,000, in July 1979. He went on to play 81 League games for Barnsley, a club he helped to promotion to Division 2 in the 1980/81 season.
Blackpool signed him from Barnsley in August 1983. And he made his first appearance for the Seasiders in a pre-season friendly game against Morecambe on 3 August 1983 when he had little to do as Blackpool won 5-0. Unfortunately he suffered an injury in the second pre-season friendly game against Wren Rovers on 4 August 1983 and Shaun Steele took over in goal as Blackpool won 2-1.
He recovered quickly and was fit for the third friendly game of the season when Blackpool lost 1-0 to Northwich Victoria on 6 August 1983 and he also played in the pre-season friendly against Horwich RMI on 9 August 1983 when Blackpool won 2-0.
He made his competitive debut for Blackpool in the Lancashire Manx Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers on 13 August 1983 when Blackpool lost 4-2. He was, however, suffering from a thumb injury sustained in training when he had stopped a Keith Mercer thunderbolt and the injury ‘hampered his efforts to cut out a cross and Chris Thompson headed home.’ However, he remained in the side for the following Lancashire Manx Cup ties a 3-2 defeat by Preston North End on 16 August 1983.
After he played in another pre-season friendly game, a 3-1 victory over Manchester City on 18 August 1983, he was in the side for the final Lancashire Manx Cup tie, a 0-0 draw with Burnley on 20 August 1983.
However his thumb had not completely healed and by 23 August 1983 he had it in plaster, as it turned out to have been broken. He said, ‘I wanted to carry on but it was the thought of what might happen in the future that made me see sense. The hand has to be put in plaster within six weeks of this injury being diagnosed to avoid disability in later life. We are being optimistic with the three weeks’ deadline, but I don’t think I could face any longer out of action.’ Blackpool physiotherapist Billy Haydock commented, ‘Goalkeepers are a daft and a brave breed. But if we’d left Gary’s injury by the age of 40 he wouldn’t have been able to lift a pint pot. His hand could have been useless.’
Consequently out of action and with specialists recommending a 10-week rest, Pierce commented, ‘I’m going daft training all week and not being able to play on a Saturday.’ And the thumb injury did cause him to miss the start of the season and plunged Blackpool into a goalkeeping crisis.
The Manchester Evening News reported on 23 August, ‘Worried Blackpool boss Sam Ellis approached John Bond [Burnley manager] today to help solve a goalkeeping emergency at Bloomfield Road. With young Gary Pierce injured Blackpool faced their League kick-off against Reading on Saturday without a goalkeeper and moved in for Burnley reserve Bill O’Rourke. Blackpool wanted him for a month’s loan to cover for Pierce who has a broken bone in his hand.’ In the event O’Rourke was signed until 26 September, 14 days after Pierce was estimated to have the plaster taken off his broken thumb and then begin his ‘fight to get his place back’.
While Pierce was recovering, O’Rourke therefore played the first six games of the League season before returning to Burnley. But there was still a problem for although Pierce had made his comeback appearance for Blackpool in the Central League side on 20 September 1983, when Blackpool suffered a 3-2 defeat by Bradford City, having watched that game, manager Ellis commented, ‘It seems to me that Gary isn’t showing the confidence I would have expected and his reaction indicates he could need a few more reserve games before he gets his full confidence and form back.’
Consequently Ellis was obliged to find another goalkeeper quickly. About the possibility of signing O’Rourke on a permanent basis he commented, ‘If I had cash I wouldn’t spend it on a goalkeeper when I know Gary Pierce will be fighting fit very soon.’ Consequently he signed Simon Steele on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion in time for a debut against Mansfield town on 27 September. Meanwhile Pierce continued his rehabilitation and Ellis once again commented, ‘I’m not rushing Pierce back when Billy [O’Rourke] is still here. We are going to need Gary to be peak-fit and available for a busy season.’ However, Ellis stated that Pierce needed ‘to sharpen his match practice still further with an ‘A’ team run on Saturday’. He duly played against Rochdale and came through unscathed.
He went on to play three further games in the Central League side against Coventry City reserves on 25 October, Port Vale reserves on 8 November and against Preston North End reserves on 15 November. Unfortunately all three games were lost 1-2, 1-4 and 0-1 respectively.
By then Steele had returned to Brighton after three games and Barry Siddall had been brought in on loan from Port Vale and he played seven games by which time Pierce’s injury had completely healed and Ellis decided that he was ready for his senior return.
Pierce, therefore, made his long-awaited first team comeback in the FA Cup first round tie against Gainsborough Trinity on 19 November 1983. He came through safely and played a sterling game and when Gainsborough were threatening to score a quick equaliser, ‘Jimmy Snee raced down the right flank and crossed at the by-line but goalkeeper Gary Pierce was quick to cut it out.’ Blackpool scored again and eventually won 2-0.
His League debut for Blackpool followed against Hereford United on 26 November 1983 when he ‘showed outstanding form’ as Blackpool won 2-1 and thus scotched suggestions that manager Ellis should sign another goalkeeper as Pierce had missed the first 16 League games of the season. However, Ellis stated that he was happy to have kept faith with Pierce, who from then was an automatic choice until very late in the season.
Pierce shone against Aldershot who began with great confidence in their game at Bloomfield Road on 2 January 1984 but Pierce continually ‘saved with equal confidence’ as he inspired Blackpool to a 5-0 win, their biggest victory of the season.
And Ellis‘ faith was further justified when, at Reading on 14 January 1984, Pierce made a series of brilliant saves, including keeping out a penalty by Stuart Beavon but ultimately he could not prevent Blackpool losing 2-0.
When Blackpool defeated Manchester City 2-1 in the third round of the FA Cup on 7 January 1984, Pierce ‘was not troubled by a single shot in the first 30 minutes’ and subsequently restricted City to just the one goal. However exit from the FA Cup quickly followed. Despite playing an excellent game in the FA Cup fourth round tie against Oxford United on 28 January 1984, he had no chance when Oxford were awarded two penalties both of which they scored to give their side a 2-1 victory.
At Crewe on 11 February 1984 Crewe pressed for a winner but ‘Superb saves by Gary Pierce from Walter and Dave Pullar only delayed the Alex victory’. But, despite his best efforts and in front of a crowd of 4942, the best of the season at Gresty Road, he could not prevent a Crewe’ winner with two minutes remaining.
With Blackpool riding high in the table, they had a hard-fought game against Mansfield Town on 31 March 1984, the Mansfield and Sutton Recorder reported that it was ‘Stags’ Dave Caldwell versus Blackpool ‘keeper Gary Pierce – with the ex-Wolves man coming out tops with some good saves’ as the game was drawn 1-1.
And Hereford, on a 16-match unbeaten run, were thwarted by Pierce on 28 April when poor finishing and ‘a good display by home goalkeeper Gary Pierce combined to deny them’ as Blackpool won 3-1.
H played what turned out to be his final League game for Blackpool in 3-2 defeat by Aldershot on 5 May 1984 and unfortunately one press report read, ‘Pierce reacted like a novice to give Lawrence the winner.’ Thus, after a run of 32 consecutive League and Cup games, he was rather surprisingly left out for the final three League games of the season and, equally surprisingly, he was replaced by Scotsman Drew Brand who Blackpool had signed as a non-contract player just six weeks earlier.
Equally surprisingly, his proposed new one-year contract was cancelled and Blackpool released him shortly after the Aldershot game. He had played 27 League games, five FA Cup ties, three Lancashire Manx Cup ties, one Associate Members Cup tie, five Central League games and five pre-season friendly games for Blackpool in the 1983/84 season. And he rightly takes his place in the long history of Blackpool Football Club.
After a career in which he played 229 League games for his various clubs, he joined non-league Chorley in July 1984 and later managed Accrington Stanley, Netherfield and Radcliffe.
He passed away after a short illness in Bury Hospice on 24 May 2025.
