Graham Abel

Football player infobox
playername = Graham Abel


fullname = Graham Abel
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1960|9|17
cityofbirth = Runcorn
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=6|in=2
currentclub = Retired
clubnumber =
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = c. 1976–81
1981–85
1985–93
1993–94
1994–96
1996–97
1997–98
clubs = Runcorn
Northwich Victoria
Chester City
Crewe Alexandra
Northwich Victoria
Chorley
Witton Albion
caps(goals) =
140 0(18)
296 0(30)
20 0 (1)
56 0 (2)

Graham Abel (born September 17 1960, Runcorn) was a professional footballer who played in The Football League for Chester City and Crewe Alexandra as a central defender. He appeared at Wembley Stadium three times with Northwich Victoria in FA Trophy finals.

Playing career

At 25, Abel was a latecomer to professional football when he joined Chester in October 1985, having previously played non–league football for his hometown club Runcorn and Northwich Victoria. In 1982-83, Abel was part of the Northwich side that lost 2–1 to Telford United in the FA Trophy final, but a year later he helped the Vics beat Bangor City in a replay.

Abel made his Football League debut for Chester in a 1–0 win over Aldershot on November 2 1985, and he played 23 consecutive league games as Chester achieved promotion. He remained a regular with the Blues until he was released at the end of the 1992–93 season, with his impressive tally of 30 goals helped by a strong penalty taking record and occasional spells at centre–forward. Abel also holds the honour of scoring the final Football League goal at Sealand Road, in a 2–0 win for Chester over Rotherham United on April 28 1990. [http://www.chester-city.co.uk/last_match.asp Match report from chester-city.co.uk]

Abel remained in Cheshire and the Football League by joining Crewe Alexandra, who achieved promotion in his solitary season at the club. Abel then returned to Northwich for two seasons, ending with another trip to Wembley in a 3–1 defeat by Macclesfield Town in the 1995–96 season. Abel retired from football in 1998, after spells with Chorley and Witton Albion.

Honours

Chester City

• Football League Division Four runners-up: 1985-86.

• Player of the Season: 1987-88.

Crewe Alexandra

• Football League Division Three promotion as third placed team: 1993-94.

Northwich Victoria

• FA Trophy winners: 1983-84.

• FA Trophy runners-up: 1982-83; 1995-96.

References

*soccerbase|id=4
*cite book | first=Chas | last=Sumner| coauthors= | title=On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City F.C. 1885-1997 | publisher=Yore Publications | location= | year=1997 | editor= | id=ISBN 978-1-874427-52-0
*cite book | first=John | last=Hardman| coauthors= | title=Alliance to Conference 1979-2004: The First 25 Years| publisher=Tony Williams Publications Ltd | location= | year=2004 | editor= | id=ISBN 978-1-869833-52-7