ALTRINCHAM FC PLAYERS OF 1987-88

Based on profiles in Bath City v Altrincham programme, 26 September 1987; Kettering Town v Altrincham programme of 4 February 1988 and Fisher Athletic v Altrincham 22 February 1988..

  • JEFF JOHNSON (MANAGER) Jeff has made more than 500 first-team appearances since joinign Altrincham from Hyde United in 1976 and has three times been the club's 'Player of the Year'. He won 17 England semi-professional caps (scoring four times) but sufferred a serious knee injury in his last international, against Eire in 1986 which limited him to only a handful of games last season. Jeff was appointed as Assistant Manager when Tommy Docherty took over.

  • JOHN BUTCHER (GOALKEEPER) A 6' 2" goalkeeper, John made more than 100 Football League appearances for his first professional club Blackburn Rovers, and then added well over 100 more League appearances with Oxford United and Chester City, as well playing on loan with Bury (twice) and Halifax Town. He joined Altrincham in the close season.

  • PHIL JACKSON Phil is now in his third season with Altrincham after signing from NW Counties League side Cheadle Town and has deputised well whenever called up for first-team duty.

  • IAN JOHNSON (FULL BACK) A 26 year-old, born in Chadderton, near Oldham, Ian joined Rochdale as a·junior, and made his first-team debut in the 1984-85 season. He has played both as central defender and in midfield, but last season took up the right back position and had 74 League appearances before joining Altrincham in the close season.

  • DARREN HEESOM (FULL BACK) A talented 21 year-old left-sided player, who became an apprentice at Burnley and later turned professional at Turf Moor, making more than 40 league appearances. Joined Altrincham in January.

  • LAWRENCE IRO After spells with Liverpool and Wigan Athletic as a junior, Lawrence first joined Altrincham as a teenager, making 11 first-team appearances between 1981 and 1983, when he left to join South Liverpool. While at Holly Park he earned winners' medals in the Northern Premier League Cup, the Lancashire Junior Cup and three times in the Liverpool Senior Cup. Lawrence then went on to join fellow NPL side Caernarfon Town from whom he rejoined Altrincham in December.

  • PAUL EDWARDS (FULL BACK OR MIDFIELD) A talented left sided layer, Paul had a spell as a junior with Tranmere Rovers before joining Marine in the Northern Premier League where he took the club's player of the year award three times in four seasons. He joined Altrincham at the start of last season and quickly became a regular in the side.

  • PAUL CUDDY (DEFENDER) A member of the England semi-professional international squad for the last three seasons, Paul made his England debut in last summer's four nations tournament in Scotland, playing in all three of England's games. He joined Altrincham in October 1981, appearing in the Robins' F.A. Trophy final line up at Wembley later that season, and again in 1986. He had short spells with Rochdale, Huddersfield Tovm and Bolton Wanderers before spending two and a half seasons with Chorley, and won the Altrincham supporters' player of the year award in both 1985 and 1987.

  • BOBBY FRASER (CENTRAL DEFENDER OR STRIKER) Bobby started his career as a youth team player with both Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers and has since spent much of his Non-League career under the management of John Williams, first at Porthmadog, then at Winsford United where he won Cheshire League representative honours, and also at Runcorn. Bobby has also played for Skelmersdale United, Marine and Holyhead.

  • OSSIE SMITH (MIDFIELD) Rejoined the Robins, his local team, from Runcorn in the close season. Ossie was a junior with both Manchester United and Altrincham, but left Moss Lane before breaking into the first team. However his career quickly blossomed with Runcorn, and he was capped by the England semi-professional international team against Wales in 1984.

  • TREVOR ROSS (MIDFIELD) Though born in Greater Manchester, Trevor has the unusual distinction of having represented two countries in international football - England at schoolboy level and Scotland at under-21. He began his career with Arsenal and, after over 100 first-team games, was transferred to Everton for £175,000. He made over 150 appearances and played in Europe with them before spending seven months in Greece with AEK Athens, after short loan spells at Portsmouth and Sheffield United. He spent a shot spell with Sheffield United on returning to this country before moving on to Bury, for whom he made more than one hundred appearances before joining Hyde United in the close season. He joined Altrincham in December.

  • RONNIE ELLIS (STRIKER OR MIDFIELD) Ronnie started his career in the Cheshire League with Winsford United and then followed manager John Williams into the Alliance Premier League with Runcorn. He signed for Altrincham on loan towards the end of the 1982-83 season and has been an important regular in the Altrincham line up since the move was made permanent during the following close season.

  • JOHN TIMMONS (STRIKER) Although hampered by injury for much of last season, John still finished as the Robins' leading scorer, just as he had been in the two previous seasons with his former club Hyde United, after being spotted playing Manchester League football for league champions Maine Road.

  • MARTIN HANCHARD (DEFENDER/ STRIKER) A 6ft 4 inch German-born player who is equally at home in the back four or leading the forward line. Martin was a junior with Stoke City before joining Stafford Rangers, where he stayed for six seasons before joining Altrincham for a club record transfer fee of £7,500 last January.

  • COLIN WILLIAMS (STRIKER) Colin has been a prolific scorer throughout a career which began as a junior with Oldham Athletic before he moved into Non League football with Droylsden. He then started the first of two spells with Northwich Victoria, either side of his first stay with Telford United. After leaving Northwich for the second time, Colin joined Scarborough and was then a prominent figure in Telford United's F.A. Cup giantkilling exploits before signing for Altrincham in a £2,000 pre-season deal. Colin has won 12 England semi-professional international caps, scoring five times for his country.

  • EDDIE BISHOP (MIDFIELD) A midfield man with an eye for goals, Eddie began his career with Winsford United from whom he moved into the G.M. Vauxhall Conference with Northwich Victoria. Eddie joined Altrincham early last season and finished with 13 goals from midfield.

  • GARRY WORRALL (MIDFIELD) A Salford-born 25 year-old who won England schoolboy international honours and joined Manchester Uni ted as an apprentice and then made nearly 100 Football League appearances with Peterborough United. He spent last season with Carlisle United and opted to join Altrincham in the close season in preference to remaining in the League.

  • JEFF PARKER (STRIKER) A 19 year-old striker who joined Altrincham on loan from Crewe Alexandra in January. He spent a year as an apprentice with Everton and a further year as an apprentice with the Gresty Road club.

  • JIMMY BIRCH (DEFENDER) A 21year-old left-sided full-back who played for both Manchester United and Oldham Athletic as a junior before joining Stalybridge Celtic, with whom he won a Bass North West Counties League championship medal last season. He had a week's trial at League champions Everton earlier this season before joining Altrincham in October.

  • MIKE FARRELLY Mike has been capped at two levels by England, winning four caps as a schoolboy international and then appearing in England's three games during last season's Four Nations semi-professional international tournament in Scotland. He began his professional career with Preston North End, making over 190 first-team appearances and is now in his third season at Moss Lane. He scored the Robins' winning goal in the 1986 FA Trophy Final.

  • GARY STEWART Gary spent a short time at Altrincham as a junior player, making one first-team appearance but left Moss Lane and played for Winsford United and Northwich Victoria before returning to Altrincham in February of last season.

  • ANDY KILNER Joined Altrincham in a player exchange deal with Hyde United in January. A 21 year-old, born in Bolton, Andy became an apprentice with Burnley and progressed to their Football League side before spending three seasons in Swedish football before joining Hyde.