Tony Funnell

Anthony Funnell (born 20 August 1957) is an English retired professional footballer who played as a forward in the Football League.

Tony Funnell
Personal information
Full name Anthony Funnell[1]
Date of birth (1957-08-20) 20 August 1957
Place of birth Eastbourne, England
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Newhaven
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1977 Eastbourne United
1977–1979 Southampton 17 (8)
1977 → Vancouver Whitecaps (loan) 10 (2)
1979–1980 Gillingham 33 (10)
1980–1981 Brentford 32 (8)
1981–1983 Bournemouth 64 (22)
Poole Town
Managerial career
Hamworthy United
Wimborne Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Funnell played in the Football League for Bournemouth, Gillingham, Brentford and Southampton. After a back injury forced him to retire from League football, Funnell he had a notable spell with Poole Town in non-League football. He made over 300 appearances and was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2014. Funnell later became a manager.

Playing career

Southampton

After rising to prominence at Athenian League club Eastbourne United, Funnell joined Second Division club Southampton for a £250 fee in January 1977.[2] Funnell played the 1977 English off-season in Canada with North American Soccer League club Vancouver Whitecaps.[3] He scored two goals in 10 games for the club,[3] which fell to the Seattle Sounders in the first round of the playoffs.[4]

Funnell made an impression during the second half of the 1977–78 season, scoring 9 goals to help the Saints clinch promotion to First Division with a second-place finish.[5][6] The higher level of football during the 1978–79 season meant Funnell rarely figured in the first team picture and he departed The Dell in March 1979.[7] Funnell made 20 appearances and scored 9 goals during his time with Southampton.[5]

Gillingham

In March 1979, Funnell transferred to Third Division club Gillingham for a then-club record fee of £50,000.[1][7] He made 38 appearances and scored 10 goals during just over a year at Priestfield.[8]

Brentford

Funnell joined Third Division club Brentford for a then-club record fee of £56,000 in March 1980.[2] Not rated by incoming manager Fred Callaghan, he made only 23 appearances and scored six goals during his only full season at Griffin Park.[1] Funnell departed the Bees in the summer of 1981, having made 35 appearances and scored 10 goals.[1]

Bournemouth

Funnell signed for Fourth Division club Bournemouth in September 1981 for a £5,000 fee.[2] Under David Webb's management, he had the best season of his career in 1981–82, top-scoring 16 goals in 43 league games to help the Cherries to promotion to Division Three with a fourth-place finish.[9] A back injury during the 1982–83 season ended Funnell's career in league football.[2] He made 64 appearances and scored 22 goals during his time at Dean Court.[9]

Poole Town

After two years in Sunday league football, Funnell moved into non-League football to join Southern League Premier Division club Poole Town in 1985.[10] During a long spell with the club, Funnell scored 127 goals in 308 appearances for the Dolphins.[1] He was recognised for his service with a testimonial versus former club Southampton in May 1991 and he was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2014.[11]

Managerial career

Funnell had spells as manager of Dorset League club Hamworthy United and Wessex League club Wimborne Town.[1]

Personal life

Funnell's son Gary is also a footballer, who represented non-League clubs Wimborne Town, Salisbury City and Poole Town, in addition to the England beach football team at international level.[12]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Southampton 1977–78[5] Second Division 15 8 1 0 2 1 18 9
1978–79[5] First Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Total 17 8 2 0 2 1 20 9
Vancouver Whitecaps (loan) 1977[3] North American Soccer League 10 2 — — 10 2
Gillingham 1978–79[8] Third Division 12 7 — — 12 7
1979–80[8] 21 3 2 0 3 0 26 3
Total 33 10 2 0 3 0 38 10
Brentford 1979–80[13] Third Division 9 2 — — 9 2
1980–81[13] 23 6 3 2 0 0 26 8
Total 32 8 3 2 0 0 35 10
Career total 92 28 7 2 5 1 103 31
  1. Includes FA Cup
  2. Includes Football League Cup

Honours

Southampton

Bournemouth

Individual

References
  1. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 61. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  2. Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 294. ISBN 978-1906796709.
  3. "Tony Funnell". North American Soccer League Players. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  4. "The Year in American Soccer – 1977". Archived from the original on 13 July 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  5. "Tony Funnell". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  6. Southampton F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  7. "Southampton v Norwich City, 11 November 1978". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  8. "Tony Funnell". Gillingham FC Scrapbook. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  9. Wadley, Ian. "Funnell: Cherries have done 10 times better than Saints". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  10. "The Chairman Remembers Pt8 – Tony Funnell's 176 goals and Tom Killick's first!!". Poole Town FC. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  11. "Hall of Fame 2014". Poole Town FC. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  12. Wadley, Ian. "Wimborne Town: Funnell after more FA Cup exploits". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  13. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 393–398. ISBN 0951526200.
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