Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Kevin Francis Bartlett | ||
Date of birth | 12 October 1962 | ||
Place of birth | Portsmouth, England | ||
Playing position | Forward | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1980–1982 | Portsmouth | 3 | (0) |
1982–1986 | Fareham Town | 197 | (93) |
1986–1989 | Cardiff City | 82 | (25) |
1989–1990 | West Bromwich Albion | 37 | (10) |
1990–1993 | Notts County | 99 | (32) |
1992 | → Port Vale (loan) | 5 | (1) |
1992–1993 | Cambridge United | 8 | (1) |
Total | 431 | (162) | |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
Kevin Francis Bartlett (born 12 October 1962) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward.
He began his career at hometown club Portsmouth in 1980, but dropped into non-league football with Fareham Town two years later. Signing with Cardiff City in September 1986, he helped the "Bluebirds" to the Welsh Cup and promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1987–88. He moved on to West Bromwich Albion in 1989, before joining Notts County a year later. He helped the "Magpies" to promotion out of the Second Division in 1991. Loaned out to Port Vale in 1992, he retired due to injury in 1993, not long after joining Cambridge United.
Bartlett started his career with his hometown club Portsmouth but struggled to make an impact under Frank Burrows and played just Third Division games in 1980–81 and 1981–82, before he dropped into non-league football with Fareham Town. He played 197 games in the Southern Football League for the "Creeksiders", scoring 98 goals.
After coming to the attention of former manager Frank Burrows, now in charge at Cardiff City, Bartlett signed for the club in September 1986. He made an impression straight away, scoring twice in 4–0 win in the Welsh Cup over Taff's Well, followed by another two goals against Cambridge United in a 3–0 victory three days later. Despite his goals, Cardiff struggled in the bottom half of the Fourth Division in 1986–87. Their form soon turned though, with Bartlett forming a strong forward partnership with Jimmy Gilligan, and promotion was achieved with a second-place finish in 1987–88; they also won the Welsh Cup during the campaign. After helping City to settle in the Third Division in 1988–89, he left the "Bluebirds" to sign for West Bromwich Albion, having scored 28 goals in 105 league and cup appearances for Cardiff. Club chairman Tony Clemo would later reveal that the sale of Bartlett had saved the club from filing for bankruptcy.