- Clayton Blackmore
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Clayton Blackmore 
Personal information Full name Clayton Graham Blackmore Date of birth 23 September 1964 Place of birth Neath, Wales Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Playing position Midfielder/Full Back Youth career ?–1982 Manchester United Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1982–1994 Manchester United 251 (27) 1994–1999 Middlesbrough 66 (4) 1996 → Bristol City (loan) 5 (1) 1999 Barnsley 8 (0) 1999–2000 Notts County 27 (4) 2000 Leigh RMI 1 (0) 2000–2006 Bangor City 176 (11) 2006–2007 Porthmadog 18 (4) 2007–2009 Neath Athletic 22 (0) Total 549 (51) National team 1985–1998 Wales 39 (0) Teams managed 2006 Bangor City 2007 Porthmadog * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).Clayton Graham Blackmore (born 23 September 1964 in Neath, Glamorgan[1]) is a former Welsh international footballer. He was a combative player known for his attacking free kicks and a utility player who excelled at full back and in central defence but could play equally well in midfield or as an emergency forward.
Career
Blackmore once had trials with Neath Rugby Club but, instead joined Manchester United as an apprentice. Having come through the United youth system he won the first of his 39 caps[1] for Wales after only two first team appearances at Old Trafford. He has the unique distinction of having worn every number for United from 2 to 11 (under the old system of the first XI wearing shirts numbered 1–11, until players were assigned with a squad number to keep all season).
He made his debut for United on 16 May 1984 in their 2–0 league defeat against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, when still only 19. He made a solitary league appearance the following season, and did not make the squad for the FA Cup final win over Everton. 1985–86 saw Blackmore really come into promisement as he scored three goals in 12 league games, but he didn't get a serious run in the side until the 1987–88 season, by which time Alex Ferguson was United's manager, when played 22 games and scored 3 goals for a United side who finished second in the league to Liverpool – their best finish for eight years. 1988–89 saw Blackmore enjoy even more first team opportunities as he played 28 times in the league, though United finish a disappointing 11th.[2]
He made regular appearances as a winger or full-back in 1989–90, which saw an injury blighted United side struggle in the league and finish 13th but win the FA Cup with a 1–0 replay win over Crystal Palace after drawing the first game 3–3. He was United's first choice left-back in 1990–91 as they won the European Cup Winners' Cup, were runners-up in the Football League Cup and finished sixth in the league, but he was forced out of this position for the 1991–92 season when Paul Parker joined the club as first choice right-back and the previous season's right-back Denis Irwin was switched to Blackmore's favoured position of left-back. His other favoured position of left-wing was now being contended for by youngesters Lee Sharpe and Ryan Giggs. However, he still had the opportunity to play in 33 league games that season, as United led the table for most of the season before a shortage of goals after the turn of 1992 cost them the title, which was won by Leeds United.[3]
During his time at United, he helped the club win the FA Cup in 1990 as well as the 1992 League Cup and the 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup and made 14 League appearances, enough to win a medal, in United's 1992–93 F.A. Premier League title success. By now, however, his days at Old Trafford were looking numbered, as he had strong competition at left-back in the shape of Denis Irwin and on the left wing from both Ryan Giggs and Lee Sharpe – players who were all regarded among the best in those positions in the whole league.
He joined Middlesbrough for the 1994–95 season, linking up with newly appointed player-manager and former team mate Bryan Robson. He helped them win promotion to the Premier League as Division One champions in his first season on Teesside, playing in 30 League games and scoring two goals.[4] He also appeared in Middlesbrough's 1997 FA Cup Final defeat by Chelsea.[5] Whilst at Boro he had a loan spell with Bristol City.[1]
He later had brief spells with Barnsley and Notts County, before moving into non-league football with Leigh RMI[1] and Bangor City.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d Football Lge Career Stats at Neil Brown
- ^ http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=38423
- ^ http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=38424
- ^ Rollin (ed), Jack (1995). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1995–96. Headline. ISBN 0-7472-7823-7.
- ^ 1997 FA Cup Final report and line-ups at fa-cupfinals.co.uk
- ^ "Clayton Blackmore". Soccerbase. Racing Post. http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=717. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
External links
Bangor City F.C. – managers Beaumont (1928–??) · Davies (1932–1935) · Hadley (1935–1936) · Pratt (1937) · Richardson (1948–1952) · Depear (1952–1957) · Jones (1957–1967) · McGrath (1967–1970) · Barnes (1970) · Doherty (1970–1972) · Smith (1972–1974) · Jones (1974–1975) · Ashworth (caretaker) (1975) · Rees (1975–1976) · Dave Elliott (1976–1978) · Mason (1978–1979) · Storton (1979–1980) · Hawkins (1980–1981) · Elliott (1981–1984) · Mahoney (1984–??) · Aspinall (??–??) · Mooney (??–??) · Owen (??–??) · Mahoney (??–1992) · Walley (1992) · Rowlands (1992–1993) · Adkins & Myers (1993–??) · Unknown (??–??) · Adkins & Myers (??–1996) · Griffiths (1996) · Langley (1996–1997) · Sharp & Hulse (1997–1998) · Rowlands (1992–1993) · King (1993) · Williams (1993–1999) · Appleton (1999–2001) · Davenport (2001–2005) · Jones (caretaker) (2005–2006) · Blackmore (2006) · Bleasdale (2006–2007) · Powell (2007–)
Categories:- 1964 births
- Living people
- People from Neath Port Talbot
- Welsh footballers
- Wales international footballers
- Premier League players
- The Football League players
- Manchester United F.C. players
- Middlesbrough F.C. players
- Bristol City F.C. players
- Barnsley F.C. players
- Notts County F.C. players
- Leigh Genesis F.C. players
- Players in the Welsh Premier League
- Welsh football managers
- Managers in the Welsh Premier League
- Bangor City F.C. players
- Porthmadog F.C. players
- Bangor City F.C. managers
- Porthmadog F.C. managers
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