Phil Sproson
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Phillip Jess Sproson | ||
| Date of birth | 13 October 1959 | ||
| Place of birth | Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Playing position | Central defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1975–1977 | Port Vale | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1989 | Port Vale | 426 | (33) |
| 1989–1990 | Birmingham City | 12 | (0) |
| Stafford Rangers | ? | (?) | |
| Northwich Victoria | ? | (?) | |
| Total | 438+ | (33+) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Phillip Jess Sproson (born 13 October 1959) is an English former footballer who played as a central defender. He played in 500 matches (426 in the league) for Port Vale and scored 41 goals (33 in the league), this places him second in the list of appearances for Port Vale. He was the nephew of legendary Vale defender Roy Sproson and son of Jess Sproson, who played for Vale between 1940 and 1947.
He helped Port Vale to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1982–83 and 1985–86, and was twice named on the PFA Team of the Year. Forced to retire in February 1989 due to a knee injury, he attempted a comeback with Birmingham City, and later represented Stafford Rangers and Northwich Victoria.
Sproson was spotted by Port Vale coach Reg Berks after Berks visited Thistley Hough High School to see the team play. After asking for the youngster's address, he paid him a visit later in the day to get him on a contract, at which point he discovered the youngster was the nephew of Vale's manager, Roy Sproson. Berks asked the uncle why he had not told him he had a young family member who could play football, to which he responded "I didn't know I'd got one!". In the Vale youth team, Sproson was a midfielder, though as he grew into a tall young man he was converted into a centre-half role. Sproson was only initially a semi-pro at Vale as his father wished him to have a trade. He rejected an apprenticeship at Stoke City and instead became an apprentice electrician until new manager Bobby Smith offered him forms with Port Vale in December 1977.
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