Eric Redrobe

Eric Redrobe (born 23 August 1944 in Wigan) is an English former association footballer who played in the Football League as a striker for Bolton Wanderers,[2] Southport[3] and Hereford United[4] during the 1960s and 1970s.

Eric Redrobe
Personal information
Date of birth (1944-08-23) 23 August 1944[1]
Place of birth Wigan, England
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
– Bolton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1962–1966 Bolton Wanderers 4 (1)
1966–1972 Southport 192 (55)
1972–1976 Hereford United 86 (17)
1976–1977 Bath City 28 (7)
1977–1978 Hereford United 1 (0)
– Lydbrook Athletic
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Redrobe played rugby league for Lancashire Schoolboys, and received contract offers in that sport, but chose to play association football instead.[5] His style was bustling and often physical, although he was not a particularly big man, with a height of about 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m). He exhibited excellent ball control.

A former England youth international, he started his career at Bolton Wanderers making four appearances and scoring one goal in two-and-a-half seasons.[2] He had a trial at Colchester United before joining Southport in 1966. In his first season, he scored the winning goal in Southport's last away game, then, needing to win their last home game to secure promotion from the Fourth Division, he set up the only goal of the game for George Andrews.[5] Called 'Big Eric' or 'Big Red' by Southport fans, Redrobe was a regular in the side during its three seasons in the Third Division before relegation.

After another three seasons in the Fourth Division, he was sold for a fee of £6,000 to Hereford United, newly elected to the Football League, in October 1972;[5] he scored nine goals as the Bulls were promoted at their first attempt. He remained at Edgar Street until the end of Hereford's successful 1975–76 season when they won the Third Division. He dropped into non-league football to play for Bath City before a brief return to Hereford in 1977.[6][7] He later became a bailiff.[8]

In 2007, he was chosen as the Southport fans' all-time favourite player as part of the Professional Footballers' Association centenary celebrations.[9]

References
  1. "Redrobe, Eric : Biography". The Football Genome Project. Association of Football Statisticians. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  2. "Bolton Wanderers : 1946/47–2008/09". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  3. "Southport : 1946/47–1977/78". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  4. "Hereford United : 1972/73–1996/97 & 2006/07–2008/09". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  5. Dewhurst, Tony (27 March 2009). "The Big Interview: Southport FC goals legend Eric Redrobe". Lancashire Evening Post. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  6. "1976–77". I Love Bath City. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  7. "Past Players R". I Love Bath City. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  8. "Redrobe Predicts Promotion For Bulls". Hereford Times. 27 March 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  9. Smith, Martin (19 December 2009). "Best footballers: Shearer a hero on two fronts". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
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