Carl Saunders (footballer)

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Carl Saunders
Personal information
Full nameCarl Saunders[1]
Date of birth (1964-11-26) 26 November 1964[1]
Place of birthBirmingham, England[1]
Playing positionStriker
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1982–1990Stoke City164(24)
1990–1993Bristol Rovers142(42)
1993–1994Oxford United5(0)
1994–1995Walsall2(0)
1995–1996Sliema Wanderers
1996Hibernians
Total313(66)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Carl Saunders (born 26 November 1964) is a former professional footballer, who spent most of his career at Stoke City and Bristol Rovers.[1][2]

Career

Saunders was born in Birmingham and began his career with Stoke City making his debut as a substitute in a 3–1 defeat in 1982–83.[1] He played 27 times in 1984–85 scoring his first senior goal against Manchester United to earn Stoke a 2–1.[1] However that was a rare highlight that season as Stoke were relegated with a record low points tally.[1] He scored three goals in 44 matches in 1985–86 before finding good goalscoring form in 1986–87.[1] Saunders formed a fine partnership with Nicky Morgan and he top-scored with 19 goals.[1] However he lost his form and in his next three seasons at the Victoria Ground he scored just six goals before being sold to Bristol Rovers to by Alan Ball in February 1990.[1]

He rediscovered he goalscoring form at Bristol Rovers scoring 50 goals in 163 matches helping the Pirates win the Football League Third Division in 1989–90. After leaving Bristol Rovers in December 1993, he had brief spells as a non-contract player with Oxford United and Walsall, before moving to Malta to join Sliema Wanderers and then Hibernians.

Career statistics

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Stoke City 1982–83 First Division 1000000010
1983–84 First Division 0000000000
1984–85 First Division 232202100273
1985–86 Second Division 372103031443
1986–87 Second Division 31145500003619
1987–88 Second Division 173001030213
1988–89 Second Division 332201010372
1989–90 Second Division 221101010251
Total 16423115818118331
Bristol Rovers 1989–90 Third Division 205000041246
1990–91 Second Division 38161020214317
1991–92 Second Division 36103620104216
1992–93 First Division 41112010104511
1993–94 Second Division 7010001090
Total 1424276509216350
Oxford United 1993–94 First Division 5000000050
Walsall 1993–94 Third Division 2000000020
Career Total 31366181113117336181
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Anglo-Italian Cup, Football League Trophy and Full Members Cup.

Honours

Bristol Rovers

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0. 
  2. ↑ Lowe, Simon (2000). Stoke City The Modern Era – A Complete Record. Desert Island Books. ISBN 1-874287-39-2. 

External links

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