Norman Piper

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Norman Piper
Personal information
Full name	Norman John Piper
Date of birth	January 8, 1948 (1948-01-08) (age 60)
Place of birth	North Tawton, England
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Playing position	Midfield
Club information
Current club	Retired
Number	4
Youth clubs
1964-65	Plymouth Argyle
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1965-1970 1970-1978 1977-79	Plymouth Argyle Portsmouth Fort Lauderdale Strikers	0215 0(35) 0313 0(51) 017 0(3)
National team
1970-71	England U-23	4
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 February 1978. * Appearances (Goals)

Norman Piper was an English footballer (soccer player) who played professionally in England for 13 years before finishing his career in the United States. He was one of that generation who bridged the gap between terminological eras, beginning his career as a wing-half and ending it as a midfielder^[1]despite playing a similar role throughout^[2].Born in North Tawton, Devon on 8 January 1948^[3] he joined Plymouth Argyle as an apprentice and signed professional terms in February 1965. Already an England Youth international, Piper made his debut^[4] for the Under 23 side^[5] in 1970 against Bulgaria, the year he left The Pilgrims- for whom he scored 35 goals in 221 appearances. That summer Piper had signed for Portsmouth, becoming their record signing at £50,000^[6]. Piper served Pompey with great distinction during the clubs increasingly tenuous hold on Division Two status, but eventually lost form after relegation to the third. He was dropped in February 1978^[7], interestingly being replaced by his namesake^[8]Steve Piper. His contract, along with that of Bobby Stokes was terminated the following month^[9] and a move to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers soon followed^[10].

[edit] References

1. ^ As football moved from 1-2-3-5 to 1-4-3-3/1-4-2-4
2. ^ Only at the very end of his career was he tried as a full back: "The News", 14th November 1977, article by Mike Neasom Dickinson rings the changes for Vale
3. ^ “The PFA Premier League and Football League Players’ Records 1946-98” Hugman,B: Harpenden, Queen Anne Press, 1998 ISBN 1852915854
4. ^ ”Rothmans Football Year Book,1970-71” Peskett,R/Williams,T: Harpenden, QAP,1970 ISBN 0362000719
5. ^ All in all Piper played 4 times for the U-23s Hugman (Ibid)
6. ^ ”Portsmouth, from Tindall to Ball” Farmery, C: Southend-on-Sea, Desert Island Books, 1999 ISBN 1874287252
7. ^ 313 games/51 goals scored
8. ^ Namesake, but not relation
9. ^ Farmery (Ibid)
10. ^ FLS statistics

[edit] External Links

Talents unearthed by Argyle’s scouts Piper scores for Pompey in Cup game versus Boston Piper tracked down in the U.S.A