| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Albert James Manuel[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1969-06-28)28 June 1969 (age 56)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Hackney, England | ||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[3] | ||
| Position(s) | Left back,Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Chelsea | |||
| –1987 | Tottenham Hotspur | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1987–1989 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | (0) |
| 1989–1991 | Gillingham | 87 | (4) |
| 1991–1994 | Brentford | 94 | (1) |
| 1994 | Peterborough United | 0 | (0) |
| 1994 | →Stevenage Borough (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1994–1995 | Cambridge United | 10 | (0) |
| 1995–1996 | Peterborough United | 27 | (2) |
| 1996–1997 | Gillingham | 20 | (0) |
| 1997–1999 | Barnet | 31 | (1) |
| 1999–2000 | Folkestone Invicta | ||
| 2001 | Horsham | ||
| 2001 | Grays Athletic | ||
| 2001–2002 | Tonbridge Angels | ||
| 2002–2003 | Bromley | ||
| 2003 | Windsor & Eton | ||
| 2003–2004 | Waltham Forest | ||
| 2004–2005 | Metrogas | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
William Albert James Manuel (born 28 June 1969) is an English retired professionalfootballer, best remembered for his time as aleft back andmidfielder in theFootball League withBrentford andGillingham. His tenacious performances in midfield for Brentford led to the nickname 'Billy thePit Bull'.[1]
Manuel began his career in theyouth systems atFirst Division clubsChelsea andTottenham Hotspur, before dropping down to theThird Division to sign forGillingham on 10 February 1989.[3] His addition to the squad failed to help the struggling club avoid relegation to theFourth Division at the end of the1988–89 season and Manuel remained atPriestfield for two more forgettable seasons before leaving in June 1991.[3] He made 97 appearances and scored four goals for the Gills.[4]
Manuel moved back up to the Third Division to sign forBrentford in a £60,000 deal on 14 June 1991, to bring stability to theleft back position.[1][5] He made 45 appearances during the1991–92 season and won the firstsilverware of his career when the Third Division title was clinched at the end of the campaign.[6] In the newly renamed First Division, Manuel moved into themidfield and impressed enough to be voted the Brentford supporters'Player of the Year at the end of the season, though it would end in disappointment with relegation straight back to theSecond Division.[1] New managerDavid Webb installed Manuel ascaptain for the1993–94 season and moved him to left back,[1] though he gradually fell out of favour and was released in August 1994.[7] Manuel made 115 appearances and scored two goals during three seasons with Brentford.[1]
Manuel signed for Second Division clubPeterborough United on a short-term contract on 16 September 1994.[3] He failed to make an appearance before joiningConference club Stevenage Borough on loan in late September 1994.[8] He made three appearances before leavingBroadhall Way.[3][8] Manual departed Stevenage on a permanent basis on 28 October 1994.[3]
Manuel transferred to Second Division strugglersCambridge United on 28 October 1994 and signed a three-month contract.[3] He made 12 appearances before a succession ofred cards saw him sacked by the club.[3][9]
Manuel re-signed for Peterborough United on 28 February 1995, four months after leaving the club.[3] He made 35 appearances and scored five goals before leavingLondon Road for the final time on 25 January 1996.[3]
Manuel rejoined Gillingham, then flying high in the Third Division, on 26 January 1996.[3] He helped the Gills to promotion to the Second Division with a second-place finish at the end of the1995–96 season and made 11 appearances in1996–97, before being released at the end of the campaign.[10] In both his spells with Gillingham, Manuel made 118 appearances and scored four goals.[3]
Manuel dropped back down to the Third Division to sign forBarnet prior to the beginning of the1997–98 season.[3] He made 38 appearances and scored one goal before being released at the end of the1998–99 season.[3]
Manuel dropped intonon-League football in 1999 and signed forSouthern League First Division East clubFolkestone Invicta and helped the club to promotion to the Premier Division in his first season.[11] He also served as the club's assistant manager.[12] Manuel was released as part of a cost-cutting exercise in December 2000.[13] He moved on to play forHorsham,Grays Athletic,Tonbridge Angels,Bromley,Windsor & Eton,Waltham Forest andMetrogas before retiring in 2005.[12]
After his retirement from football, Manuel spent a period living in the USA, before returning to his nativeHackney to run apub.[14] He later worked inrefurbishments.[9]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Gillingham | 1988–89[4] | Third Division | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| 1989–90[4] | Fourth Division | 32 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 38 | 3 | |
| 1990–91[4] | Fourth Division | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 42 | 0 | |
| Total | 87 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 97 | 4 | ||
| Brentford | 1991–92[6] | Third Division | 35 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2[a] | 0 | 45 | 1 |
| 1992–93[6] | First Division | 41 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6[b] | 0 | 49 | 1 | |
| 1993–94[6] | Second Division | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 21 | 0 | |
| Total | 94 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 115 | 2 | ||
| Stevenage Borough (loan) | 1994–95[8] | Conference | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Cambridge United | 1994–95[3] | Second Division | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 0 | ||
| Peterborough United | 1994–95[15] | Second Division | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | 14 | 1 | |||
| 1995–96[15] | Second Division | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 4 | |
| Total | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 5 | ||
| Gillingham | 1995–96[4] | Third Division | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | |||
| 1996–97[10] | Second Division | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| Total | 107 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 118 | 4 | ||
| Barnet | 1997–98[16] | Third Division | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| 1998–99[17] | Third Division | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 14 | 1 | |
| Total | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 271 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 321 | 13 | ||
Brentford
Gillingham
Folkestone Invicta
Individual
