John Woodward (English footballer)

John Woodward (born 6 January 1947) is an English former footballer. A forward, he scored 66 goals in 269 league games in a 13-year career in the Football League. He played and scored in all four divisions of the Football League.

John Woodward
Personal information
Full name John Woodward[1]
Date of birth (1947-01-16) 16 January 1947[1]
Place of birth Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, England[1]
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1964–1966 Stoke City 11 (1)
1966–1969 Aston Villa 26 (7)
1969–1973 Walsall 125 (23)
1973–1975 Port Vale 99 (30)
1975–1977 Scunthorpe United 19 (5)
Oostende
Kidderminster Harriers
Total 280+ (66+)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He began his career at Stoke City, before he was sold on to Aston Villa for a £30,000 fee in October 1966. He switched to Walsall three years later, before he joined Port Vale for a fee of £2,250 in February 1973. He finished as the club's top-scorer in 1973–74, but suffered a loss of form and was allowed to join Scunthorpe United in May 1975. After two years with the "Iron" he had spells with Belgian club Oostende and Southern League side Kidderminster Harriers.

Career

Woodward began his career with Stoke City, playing three First Division games in the 1964–65 season. He scored his first senior goal on 27 March 1965, in a 2–1 victory over Aston Villa at the Victoria Ground. He played six games without scoring in 1965–66, and made just two appearances in 1966–67. Aston Villa had been suitably impressed however to offer £30,000 for the striker's services in October 1966, and "Potters" boss Tony Waddington gladly accepted the offer. He was signed to replace Tony Hateley, who had been sold to Chelsea.[3]

The "Villans" suffered relegation in 1966–67, and could only finish 16th and 18th in the Second Division in 1967–68 and 1968–69. Woodward scored seven goals in 26 league games during a turbulent time at Villa Park, in which Dick Taylor, Tommy Cummings, and Tommy Docherty all had brief spells as manager.

He moved on to Bill Moore's Walsall in May 1969.[4] Walsall who posted a 12th-place finish in the Third Division in 1969–70. The "Saddlers" avoided relegation on goal difference in 1970–71, before rising to ninth in 1971–72. John Smith then took over at Fellows Park, and led the club to a 17th-place finish in 1972–73. He scored 23 goals in 125 league games during his four-year spell at the club.

Woodward joined league rivals Port Vale for a fee of £2,250 in February 1973.[1] He hit nine goals in 17 Third Division games in 1972–73, as Gordon Lee's "Valiants" finished four places and four points shy of promotion.[1] Woodward hit 18 goals in 48 appearances in 1973–74 to finish as the club's top-scorer.[1] However Lee resigned in January, and the club finished just one place above the relegation zone under new boss Roy Sproson.[1] Under Sproson's management there were numerous contract disputes, and Woodward was the first to get into such a dispute, and was placed on the transfer-list at his own request in July 1974.[1] Sproson said "he is trying to hold us to ransom and we are not having that".[1] Woodward only hit five goals in 41 games in 1974–75, and was given a free transfer in May 1975.[1]

He moved on to Fourth Division side Scunthorpe United for the 1975–76 campaign. The "Iron" avoided the re-election places on goal difference, and then finished one place and one point above the re-election zone in 1976–77 under the stewardship of Ron Ashman. Woodward then departed the Old Showground, and had a spell in Belgium with Oostende, before returning to England to play at Aggborough for Southern League side Kidderminster Harriers.

Career statistics

Source:[5]

Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Stoke City 1964–65 First Division 31000031
1965–66 First Division 60000060
1966–67 First Division 20000020
Total 1110000111
Aston Villa 1966–67 First Division 32000032
1967–68 Second Division 1022100123
1968–69 Second Division 1330010143
Total 2672110298
Walsall 1969–70 Third Division 3667110447
1970–71 Third Division 4172121459
1971–72 Third Division 2745210336
1972–73 Third Division 2160210237
Total 125231654114629
Port Vale 1972–73 Third Division 1790000179
1973–74 Third Division 431642104818
1974–75 Third Division 3952000415
Total 9930621010632
Scunthorpe United 1975–76 Fourth Division 1950000195
Career total 280662486131075

References

  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 315. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. Rothmans football yearbook. 1976-77. London : Queen Anne Press. 1976. ISBN 978-0-362-00259-1. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  3. "Mystery Sportsman". The Sentinel. 30 October 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  4. "Aston Villa Player Database". astonvillaplayerdatabase.com. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  5. John Woodward at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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