| Alan Sproates | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan Sproates | |
| Date of birth | ||
| Place of birth | England | |
| Playing position | Midfielder | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Retired | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 19??-19?? 1963-1965 1965-1974 1972 1973 1974 1974 |
Sunderland Swindon Darlington → Miami (summer) → Vancouver (summer) → Hartlepool (loan) → Scunthorpe (loan) |
? (?) ? (?) 315 (?) ? (?) ? (?) ? (?) ? (?) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Alan Sproates was a football player from England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland
Football career
He was part of the deal which took Jimmy Lawson to Swindon, the club never regretted it. Jimmy Lawson (born December 11, 1947 in Middlesbrough) was a Professional footballer and manager. Alan was a north east lad, who moved to Swindon from Sunderland at the age of 19. Swindon Town Football Club is an English football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire, who currently play in League One. Sunderland Association Football Club is a professional Association football team based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, which plays in He spent two years there, and played a handful of games.
Things moved quickly after the Quakers beat Swindon in the League Cup on 22 September 1965. The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup, is an English football competition Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Lawson went to Wiltshire, 21 year old Alan and £8,000 came in the opposite direction-and what good business that turned out to be, as Quakers also used that cash to buy Bobby Cummings from Newcastle United. Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye Newcastle United Football Club (also known as The Magpies or The Toon) is an English football club based in Newcastle upon Darlington chairman Harry Robinson said: "We are very happy to sign Sproates, who gave a good display in the cup tie against us. Henry Macleod Robertson (sometimes credited as Harry Robinson) ( 19 November, 1932 &mdash 17 January, 1996) was a Composer I am sure he will be a big asset. "
And so he was. Alan stayed until the end of the 1973/74 season, making over 300 league appearances. He made an instant impact on his debut, playing at left-half, in the 3-0 win over Bradford. The Evening Despatch said: "The biggest success of the day was without doubt the debut of Alan Sproates. He showed immense skill and was applauded off the field. " That skill was to become one of the hallmarks of Darlington's successful promotion season in 1965/66, and their near miss in 1969. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. And those moments of quality lit up some of the depressing re-election campaigns after that.
Alna established an excellent understanding with Ray 'Yogi' Yeoman in midfield, and they controlled the game between them especially the 4-0 at Torquay on 8 January 1966. Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls is an English association football club based in the seaside resort town of Torquay, Devon Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. "Ray Yeoman had one of his biggest games yet backed by Alan Sproates in a perfect midfield partnership," said the Echo. Ray 'Yogi' Yeoman (born May 13, 1934 in Perth, Scotland) was manager of Darlington from 1968-1970
Alan was a real crowd pleaser which endeared him to the Feethams faithful, and from time to time he indulged in a touch of showboating. Feethams is a cricket ground and former home of Darlington FC At Doncaster on 9 September 1966, according to the Echo: "He received a backheel from Don Radcliffe just in front of the crwon. Doncaster is a large town in South Yorkshire, England and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian He flicked the ball up on to his instep and stood their quietly going through a session of ball practice while the crowd watched in awed silence and the Doncaster Rovers defence stood mesmerised. Doncaster Rovers Football Club (or informally Donny) are an English football club based at the Keepmoat Stadium in the town of Doncaster In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring " Darlo's answer to George Best, maybe?
Alan's best game was the ill-fated Third Division relegation season at home to QPR, who before the game on 27 March 1967 paraded the League Cup around the ground. George Best (22 May 1946 &ndash 25 November 2005 was a Northern Irish professional football player best known for his years with Manchester United. Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English football club, based in Shepherds Bush in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. They included the up and coming genius Rodney Marsh, and Alan marked him out of the game-and then joined him for a drink in the LaBamba nightclub afterwards!
Alan was back in the thick of action for the next promotion push in the 1968/69 season, and when he scored the winner against Newport County on 7 October 1968 from a Lance Robson nod down, Darlington were on top of the League. Rodney Marsh can refer to Rod Marsh, Australian cricketer Rodney Marsh, English footballer Newport County are a Welsh football team based in the city of Newport. Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ray Yeoman who took over as manager, used him in a variety of positions and Alan stayed with the club through the barren years which followed the failed promtion campaign.
The Quakers changed managers regularly as they slid down the League, and they applied for re-election twice. There wasn't much to shout about in those years, although Alan scored one of the best goals of the 1970/71 season-"a delightful winner," said the Echo-against Brentford on the last day of the season. Brentford Football Club are an English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow.
Alan missed very few games over the next two seasons, and still managed to turn in some crowd pleasing moments. Even though the Quakers lost 3-0 at home to Torquay United on 16 December 1972, the Despatch wrote of one incident: He brought the ball under control and passed it back in a way many of his colleagues found difficult to do with their feet. Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls is an English association football club based in the seaside resort town of Torquay, Devon Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. "
Alan tried new pastures with the club's permission, and he played the summers of 1972 and 1973 in the newly created North American Soccer League for Miami and Vancouver, playing against the great Pele, in fact one of his treasured mementos is a photo of him with the great man. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. North American Soccer League (NASL was a professional soccer League with teams in the United States of America (U
Alan played his last game for Darlington in the 2-1 home win over Reading on New Years Day 1974, and picked up a knee injury. Reading Football Club are an Association football club based in the English town of Reading, in Berkshire. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. he had a brief loan spell at Hartlepool, and then moved on to Scunthorpe, before emigrating to America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the he was given a well-earned testimonial against Middlesbrough on 23 March 1974, which was good timing because only a few days before, Boro had clinched promotion by beating Oxford. Middlesbrough Football Club, also known as The Boro are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Premier League. Events 1174 - Jocelin, Abbot of Melrose, is elected Bishop of Glasgow. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. For the Northern Irish football club see Oxford United Stars F Plus the government had lifted the ban on using floodlights, so there was no need for the club to hire a generator. A crowd of 6,000, by far Darlo's best gate of the season, turned up to see two matches, involving then Boro manager Jack Charlton and several big names. John "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL (born Ashington, Northumberland, 8 May 1935) is a former Footballer Alan managed to miss a penalty though!
Alan played 315 league games for the Quakers and was voted one of the members of the all time Darlo Dream Team when Darlington moved grounds. He now lives in San Anselmo, California, and keeps in touch with friends in Darlington, and still plays occasionally for the local veterans. San Anselmo is an incorporated town in Marin County, California, in the western United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.
Honours
As a player
- Fourth Division runner-up: 1965-66
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