Graham Wilkins
English footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Graham George Wilkins (born 28 June 1955) is an English retired professional football full-back who made over 130 appearances in the Football League for Chelsea. He also played league football for Brentford and Southend United.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Graham George Wilkins[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 June 1955 | ||
| Place of birth | Hillingdon, England | ||
| Position | Full-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1965–1972 | Chelsea | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1982 | Chelsea | 137 | (1) |
| 1982–1984 | Brentford | 38 | (0) |
| 1984 | → Southend United (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| Southall | |||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
Wilkins was born in Hillingdon. Able to play on either flank as a full-back, he began his career at Chelsea at the age of 10 and signed his first professional contract in 1972.[2][3] He remained a bit-part player until the 1976–77 season, when he made 29 appearances to help the Blues to promotion back to the First Division.[4][5] Wilkins remained at Stamford Bridge until July 1982, by which time he had made 151 appearances and scored one goal.[4] He dropped down to the Third Division to join West London neighbours Brentford on a free transfer,[3] but with the Bees he experienced "the worst two years of my life. I dislocated my shoulder, had seven teeth kicked out, ruptured my cruciate ligaments and that was it".[2] Wilkins' final appearances as a professional came late in the 1983–84 season, on loan at Third Division club Southend United.[3]
Personal life
Wilkins was the son of footballer George Wilkins and the eldest of four Hillingdon-born brothers who played professional football.[6] He later worked at Heathrow Airport.[6]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Chelsea | 1972–73[4] | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 1973–74[4] | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| 1974–75[4] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| 1975–76[4] | Second Division | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | ||
| 1976–77[4] | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | |||
| 1977–78[4] | First Division | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | ||
| 1978–79[4] | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 1 | |||
| 1979–80[4] | Second Division | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | ||
| 1980–81[4] | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | |||
| 1981–82[4] | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Total | 137 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 151 | 1 | |||
| Brentford | 1982–83[7] | Third Division | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| 1983–84[7] | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| Total | 38 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 0 | ||
| Southend United (loan) | 1983–84[8] | Third Division | 3 | 0 | — | — | 1[b] | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 178 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 202 | 1 | ||
- Appearances in Football League Group Cup
- Appearance in Football League Trophy
Honours
Chelsea
- Football League Second Division second-place promotion: 1976–77[4][5]
