Andy Higgins (footballer, born 1960)

Andrew Martin Higgins (12 February 1960 – July 2021) was an English footballer who played as a defender. He played 71 league games in the Football League, mostly for teams struggling near the bottom of the Fourth Division.

Andy Higgins
Personal information
Full name Andrew Martin Higgins[1]
Date of birth (1960-02-12)12 February 1960[1]
Place of birth Bolsover, England[2]
Date of death July 2021 (2021-08) (aged 61)
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[3]
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1976–1978 Chesterfield
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1978–1981 Chesterfield 1 (0)
1981–1982 Port Vale 14 (0)
1982–1983 Hartlepool United 4 (1)
1983 King's Lynn
1983–1984 Rochdale 33 (6)
1984–1985 Chester City 19 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Higgins turned professional with Chesterfield in February 1978.[4] He played one Third Division game for the "Spireites" in 1978–79, under Arthur Cox.[5] He signed with Port Vale in February 1981, with manager John McGrath looking to add some strength to a poor defence.[1] Higgins played ten games in 1980–81, helping the "Valiants" to rise off the foot of the Football League.[1] However, he failed to nail down a regular place and played just four Fourth Division games in 1981–82.[1] He was given a free transfer away from Vale Park in May 1982, and moved on to Billy Horner's Hartlepool United.[1] He played four league games in 1982–83, scoring one goal for a team struggling near the foot of the Fourth Division.[6] He later played for King's Lynn, before joining his former teammate Jimmy Greenhoff at Rochdale, who were forced to apply for re-election to the Football League in 1983–84. He then played 19 league games for Chester City in 1984–85, before leaving for South Africa.[7] He had been signed by John McGrath at Chester, before Mick Speight took over at Sealand Road.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[8]
Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chesterfield 1978–79 Third Division 10000010
Port Vale 1980–81 Fourth Division 1000000100
1981–82 Fourth Division 40202080
Total 1402020180
Hartlepool United 1982–83 Fourth Division 41001051
Rochdale 1982–83 Fourth Division 1120000112
1983–84 Fourth Division 2242020264
Total 3362020376
Chester City 1984–85 Fourth Division 1911020221

References

  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 136. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. "RIP, Andy Higgins (1960–2021)". www.port-vale.co.uk. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  3. Rollin, Jack (1980). Rothmans football yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 134. ISBN 0362020175. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  4. "Apprentices 2020.xlsx". Google Docs. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  5. "stats". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  6. "stats". .neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  7. "stats". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  8. Andy Higgins at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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