Johnny Schofield
English footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Reginald Schofield (8 February 1931 – 1 November 2006) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Birmingham City and Wrexham.
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Johnny Schofield | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Reginald Schofield | ||
| Date of birth | 8 February 1931 | ||
| Place of birth | Atherstone, England | ||
| Date of death | 1 November 2006 (aged 75)[1] | ||
| Place of death | Coventry, England | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Ansley Hall Colliery | |||
| Grendon | |||
| 194?–1950 | Nuneaton Borough | ||
| 1950–1966 | Birmingham City | 212 | (0) |
| 1966–1968 | Wrexham | 52 | (0) |
| 1967 | → Cork Hibernians (loan) | ||
| 1968–1969 | Atherstone Town | ||
| 1969–1970 | Bromsgrove Rovers | ||
| 1970–1972 | Tamworth | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1968–1969 | Atherstone Town (player-manager) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Life and career
Schofield was born in Atherstone, Warwickshire, in 1931.[2] He played football for Ansley Hall Colliery, Grendon and Nuneaton Borough[3] before signing a professional contract with Birmingham City in February 1950, and spent the next decade as backup to Gil Merrick.[4] In November 1957, he was injured in an explosion at Baddesley Colliery in Warwickshire, where he worked as a miner, and three years later, he fractured his skull while playing in goal against Manchester United.[5][6] It was in 1959 that Schofield took over as Birmingham's first choice.[7] He played on the losing side in two Inter-Cities Fairs Cup finals, against Barcelona in 1960 and Roma in 1961,[8][9] and for the winners of the 1963 Football League Cup Final against city rivals Aston Villa.[10]
With advancing age and the arrival of Jim Herriot, Schofield lost his place in the Birmingham team, and was transferred to Wrexham in 1966.[2] He lost his place in late 1967, and spent a month on loan at Cork Hibernians of the League of Ireland.[11] In 1968, he became player-manager of Atherstone Town, and also played for Bromsgrove Rovers and Tamworth, before returning to Atherstone as manager.[2] In later life, he ran an off-licence in his home town of Atherstone.[2]
Schofield was married to Grace née Finney; by 1963 the couple had two children.[3] He died in Coventry on 1 November 2006 at the age of 75.[1]
Honours
Birmingham City[2]