Alan Ball (footballer)
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan James Ball | ||
| Date of birth | 12 May 1945 | ||
| Place of birth | Farnworth, Lancashire, England | ||
| Date of death | 25 April 2007 (aged 61) | ||
| Place of death | Warsash, Hampshire, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1960–1961 | Bolton Wanderers | ||
| 1961–1962 | Blackpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1960–1961 | Ashton United | 7 | (1) |
| 1962–1966 | Blackpool | 116 | (40) |
| 1966–1971 | Everton | 208 | (66) |
| 1971–1976 | Arsenal | 177 | (45) |
| 1976 | → Hellenic (loan) | 4 | (?) |
| 1976–1980 | Southampton | 132 | (9) |
| 1978–1979 | → Philadelphia Fury (loan) | 33 | (5) |
| 1979–1980 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 31 | (10) |
| 1980–1981 | Blackpool | 30 | (5) |
| 1981–1983 | Southampton | 63 | (2) |
| 1982 | → Floreat Athena (loan) | 3 | (2) |
| 1982–1983 | Eastern AA | 12 | (?) |
| 1983 | Bristol Rovers | 17 | (2) |
| Total | 833 | (187+) | |
| National team | |||
| 1965–1975 | England | 72 | (8) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1978 | Philadelphia Fury | ||
| 1980–1981 | Blackpool | ||
| 1984–1989 | Portsmouth | ||
| 1989–1991 | Stoke City | ||
| 1991–1994 | Exeter City | ||
| 1994–1995 | Southampton | ||
| 1995–1996 | Manchester City | ||
| 1998–1999 | Portsmouth | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Alan James Ball, MBE (12 May 1945 – 25 April 2007) was a professional English footballer and football club manager.
Born in Farnworth, Lancashire, he was the youngest member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team and played for various clubs, scoring more than 180 league goals in a career spanning 22 years. His playing career also included a then national record £220,000 transfer from Everton to Arsenal at the end of 1971. After retiring as a player, he had a 15-year career as a manager which included spells in the top flight of English football with Portsmouth, Southampton and Manchester City.
Ball started his footballing career whilst still a schoolboy, playing for Ashton United, the team his father managed, amongst the hurly burly of the Lancashire Combination. He fell out with his headmaster over missing games for his Farnworth Grammar School team due to him signing and playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
After he left school, Wolves decided not to take Ball on. The midfielder then started training with Bolton Wanderers but they too decided not to give him a professional deal, as manager Bill Ridding said he was too small.
Blackpool signed him after Ball's father called in a favour with the coach, an old friend with whom he used to play. Ball was given a trial in September 1961 and was immediately signed up as an apprentice. He turned professional in May 1962, making his Football League debut on 18 August 1962 against Liverpool at Anfield in a 2–1 victory. At age 17 years and 98 days, he became Blackpool's youngest League debutant. On 21 November 1964, Ball scored his first hat-trick as a professional, in a 3–3 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage.
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