Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Patrick John Connaughton | ||
Date of birth | 23 September 1949 | ||
Place of birth | Wigan, England | ||
Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
Youth career | |||
1965–1966 | Manchester United | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1966–1972 | Manchester United | 3 | (0) |
1969 | → Halifax Town (loan) | 2 | (0) |
1971–1972 | → Torquay United (loan) | 22 | (0) |
1972–1974 | Sheffield United | 12 | (0) |
1974–1980 | Port Vale | 191 | (0) |
1980–1982 | Altrincham | 87 | (0) |
Total | 317 | (0) | |
National team | |||
1967–1968 | England Youth | 3 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
Patrick John Connaughton (born 23 September 1949) is an English former professional football goalkeeper. He played 387 games in a sixteen-year career. He also represented England at youth level on three occasions.
He began his career at Manchester United, turning professional in 1966, but made just three first team appearances in April 1972. He also played two games on loan at Halifax Town in 1969, and played 25 games on loan at Torquay United in 1971–72. He joined Sheffield United in October 1972 for a £15,000 fee, but only played twelve games for the club before he transferred to Port Vale in May 1974. He established himself in the first team, and made 218 appearances, picking up the club's Player of the Year award in 1974–75. He joined Altrincham in 1980 for an enormously successful two-year spell, picking up championship medals for the Alliance Premier League in 1979–80 and 1980–81, winners medals in the Conference League Cup and Cheshire Senior Cup, and runners-up medals in the Conference League Cup and FA Trophy.
Connaughton joined the Manchester United groundstaff in January 1965, signing as an apprentice in May the same year. He turned professional in October 1966, but would have to wait almost six years for his United debut, despite playing three games for England youth in 1967 and 1968. In the meantime he was loaned to Halifax Town in September 1969, and to Torquay United from October 1971 to April 1972, both in the Third Division. He played two games for Halifax and 25 games for Torquay.