Chris Withe

Chris Withe
Personal information
Full nameChristopher Withe
Date of birth25 September 1962
Place of birthLiverpool, England
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing positionFull Back
Youth career
1979–1980Newcastle United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1980–1983Newcastle United2(0)
1983–1987Bradford City143(2)
1987–1989Notts County80(3)
1989–1991Bury31(1)
1990Chester City (loan)2(0)
1991–1993Mansfield Town76(5)
1993–1996Shrewsbury Town89(2)
1996–c.1999Boston United
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Chris Withe (born 25 September 1962) was a professional footballer who played in the Football League for seven clubs. He is the younger brother of the former Aston Villa and England striker Peter Withe.

Playing career

Withe was born in Liverpool, England as the younger brother of Peter Withe. He began his career as an apprentice with Newcastle United, with whom he turned professional in October 1980. His two first-team appearances for the Magpies came during the same month in matches against Shrewsbury Town[1] and Chelsea.[2]

He remained with the club until June 1983, when he moved to Bradford City on a free transfer.[3] Withe spent more than four years with City, missing just one game when they won the Football League Division Three title in 1984–85. On the last day of that successful season his day was to turn into a nightmare when 56 spectators were killed in a horrendous stand fire while playing Lincoln City. He moved on for £50,000 to Notts County in October 1987, playing regularly before joining Bury in July 1989. He had a loan spell with Chester City in October 1990 and then moved to Mansfield Town in January 1991.

Withe experienced two relegations and a promotion in his three seasons at Field Mill. He moved to Shrewsbury Town in August 1993, a season that ended with the Gay Meadow club topping Division Three. He remained with the club until the end of the 1995–96 season, a campaign that saw him play at Wembley Stadium in the final of the Associate Members Cup against Rotherham United.[4]

Withe then dropped into non-league football with Boston United, where he played for three seasons. He was voted the club's player of the season and player's player of the season in 1996–97.[5]

Since finishing his playing days, Withe has turned out occasionally for Hucknall based Sunday league team Spot on along with his son Matt, as well as playing in the Masters football series.[6]

For the 2013/14 season Withe has signed for Kimberley Miners Welfare FC, a Saturday team who play in the senior division of the Nottinghamshire Senior League

Honours

Bradford City

• Football League Division Three champions: 1984–85 (45 apps).

Mansfield Town

• Football League Division Four promotion as third place team: 1991–92 (10 apps, 1 goal).

Shrewsbury Town

• Football League Division Three champions: 1993–94 (26 apps).

Associate Members Cup runners-up: 1995–96.

Boston United

External links

References

  1. "Match Details". Newcastle United – a statistical journey. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  2. "Match Details". Newcastle United – a statistical journey. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  3. "Player Profile". Newcastle United – a statistical journey. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  4. Glen Isherwood (2006). Wembley:The Complete Record 1923–2000. p. 310. ISBN 1-899807-42-X.
  5. "Boston United Squad 1998/9 (see near foot of page)". Boston United Unofficial Website. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  6. "http://www.exnottscountyplayers.co.uk/apagew.htm". exnottscountyplayers.co.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2008.