 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1947-02-22)22 February 1947 (age 78) | ||
| Place of birth | Hemsworth,Yorkshire, England | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Youth career | |||
| 1962–1964 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1964–1976 | Arsenal | 379 | (111) |
| 1976–1977 | West Ham United | 28 | (0) |
| 1977–1979 | Blackburn Rovers | 38 | (10) |
| 1979–1983 | Bishop's Stortford | ||
| Total | 445 | (121) | |
| International career | |||
| 1969–1971 | England | 2 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1987–1989 | Bishop's Stortford | ||
| 1991–???? | Bishop's Stortford | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
John Radford (born 22 February 1947) is an English formerfootballer who played forArsenal,West Ham United andBlackburn Rovers throughout his career. Radford, who played as a forward, is Arsenal's fourth highest goal scorer of all time.[1][2]
John Radford was born inHemsworth,Yorkshire to abutcher.[1] He joinedArsenal as an apprentice in 1962, turning professional in February 1964. At the club he played mostly as aninside forward orcentre forward and occasionally as aright-winger.[2]
He was a prolific goalscorer in the youth and reserve teams, before making his first-team debut againstWest Ham United on 21 March 1964, his only appearance of the1963-64 season. Radford was used slightly more the next season, playing 15 times, and became Arsenal's youngest everhat-trick scorer, againstWolves on 2 January 1965, at the age of 17 years and 315 days, a record that remains to this day.[2]
By the start of1965-66 Radford was an Arsenal regular, and particularly blossomed under the stewardship ofBertie Mee. Although he had been moved out to the right wing, in the1968-69 season he scored nineteen goals and reached theLeague Cupfinal. During the1969-70 season he again scored nineteen goals, and helped Arsenal win the1970Inter-Cities Fairs Cup which was their first trophy in seventeen years. Radford scored the second goal in Arsenal's 3–0 win in the second leg of the final, which they won 4–3 on aggregate.[1]
By now, Radford had been moved up front again and continued to score regularly. The following1970-71 season Radford scored 21, his best single tally in a season, forming a partnership withRay Kennedy that between them recorded 47 goals. With his goals, Radford was an instrumental part of Arsenal'sFA Cup andLeague Championshipdouble-winning side. His assists played an important role too as he set up Kennedy for the winning goal in Arsenal's FA Cup semi-final replay win againstStoke City, and set up bothEddie Kelly andCharlie George for their goals in theFinal againstLiverpool.[1] Thefollowing season Arsenal again faced Stoke in the FA Cup semi-final.Bob Wilson had to go off injured and Radford went in goal. He helped Arsenal secure a 1–1 draw and then in the replay he scored the winning goal as Arsenal again got to thefinal,[3] though this time they lost toLeeds United.
He continued to play for Arsenal through the early 1970s, scoring another 19 goals in1972-73. However, his goal rate gradually reduced (only achieving single figures in1973-74 and1974-75) and he was injured in1975-76, further restricting his appearances. By now, the partnership ofMalcolm Macdonald andFrank Stapleton had become Arsenal's first-choice attacking duo and Radford only played twice in the first four months of1976-77. In all he played 481 times for Arsenal, scoring 149 goals, which makes him Arsenal's fourth all-time top scorer.[2]
Unable to stake a place in the side, Radford moved on toWest Ham United in December 1976 for £80,000.[4]
After a year and 28 league appearances and no goals with the Hammers, Radford joinedBlackburn Rovers in 1977. He was moderately successful with theSecond Division side, scoring ten times in 38 league appearances. He left Rovers in 1978 and then played fornon-league sideBishop's Stortford, winning theIsthmian League and anFA Trophy with the club.[5] After retiring, he enjoyed several spells as manager of Bishop's Stortford in the late 1980s and early 1990s.[5] Radford worked as a youth coach withQueens Park Rangers as well.[1] He now also gives tours of Arsenal'sEmirates Stadium and appears as a football pundit on their TV station:Arsenal TV.[1][5]
Radford as anEngland youth international, won four caps for the under-23 side. He made his full debut for the Three Lions in a friendly againstRomania on 15 January 1969. However, he was not a favourite of England managerSir Alf Ramsey and won only one further cap, againstSwitzerland on 13 October 1971; Radford scored in neither match.[citation needed]
Radford has been married to wife Engel since 1968. Engel, of the Netherlands and John have two sons, Ian and Robert. He became a landlord, running the Greyhoundpub inThaxted,Essex.[1]
In 1997, Radford became a grandfather (through Ian) for the first time to a boy named Brandon. In 2001, a granddaughter was born (also by Ian) named Jovi-Lee.
Individual
Bishop's Stortford[5]