Francis Joseph (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Francis Joseph[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 6 March 1960[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Kilburn, London, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1] | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Willesden | |||
| Wealdstone | |||
| 1979–1980 | Hillingdon Borough | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1980–1982 | Wimbledon | 51 | (14) |
| 1981 | → Honka (loan) | ||
| 1982 | → JYP 77 (loan) | ||
| 1982–1987 | Brentford | 110 | (44) |
| 1987 | → Wimbledon (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 1987 | → HJK Helsinki (loan) | 9 | (2) |
| 1987–1988 | Reading | 11 | (2) |
| 1988 | → Bristol Rovers (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1988 | → Aldershot (loan) | 10 | (2) |
| 1988–1989 | Sheffield United | 13 | (3) |
| 1989 | Gillingham | 18 | (1) |
| 1989–1990 | Crewe Alexandra | 16 | (2) |
| 1990 | Fulham | 4 | (0) |
| 1990–1991 | Racing Genk | 0 | (0) |
| 1991 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 0 | (0) |
| 1991 | Barnet | 1 | (0) |
| 1991–1992 | Slough Town | 5 | (2) |
| 1992 | Wokingham Town | ||
| 1992 | Leatherhead | ||
| 1992–1993 | Dulwich Hamlet | ||
| 1993–1994 | Chertsey Town | ||
| 1994–1995 | Walton & Hersham | ||
| 1995 | Chesham | ||
| 1995 | Chertsey Town (player coach) | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Francis Joseph (born 6 March 1960) is an English former association football player. Born in Kilburn, London, he played for a large number of clubs in the Football League including Wimbledon, Brentford, Reading, Sheffield United, Crewe Alexandra, Fulham, Barnet and Gillingham between 1980 and 1992. Joseph also spent time playing outside the United Kingdom, including spells with Honka, JYP 77 and HJK Helsinki in Finland, Racing Ghent in Belgium and Tampa Bay Rowdies in the United States. He eventually dropped into the English non-league, playing for numerous clubs before becoming a coach at non-league level in 1995.
Career
League career
Joseph began his professional career with Wimbledon in 1980, scoring on his Football League debut, having come on as a substitute in a home game against Darlington.[1] Gaining a regular place in the Wimbledon first team Joseph was voted the club's 'Player of the Year' at the end of his first season.[1] Following loan spells with Honka and JYP 77 in Finland, Joseph moved to Brentford in the summer of 1982 for £40,000, making a promising start but broke his leg early in the season.[1] Having recovered from his injury, Joseph never fully regained his form and although making over 100 appearances for Brentford over five years, he left to join Reading for £20,000 in July 1987.[1] Prior to his departure from Bentford, Joseph had spent time on loan back at Wimbledon and at HJK Helsinki in Finland in the early part of 1987, and while at Reading he was also loaned to both Bristol Rovers and Aldershot in 1988.[1]
In July 1988, Joseph's former manager at Wimbledon, Dave Bassett, signed him on a free transfer for Bassett's new side Sheffield United.[1] Joseph again made an impressive start, scoring on his league debut for United against his old club Reading in August 1988 but picked up an injury during the game.[1] Joseph was never able to reclaim a regular place in United's first team and was used only sparingly as United were promoted from Division Three.
From United he headed to Gillingham who paid £5,000 for his services in March 1989, and then played for a number of clubs in rapid succession including Crewe Alexandra, Fulham, Racing Ghent in Belgium, Tampa Bay Rowdies in the United States and Barnet.[1]
Non-league career
Following his departure from Barnet, Joseph moved between a number of clubs in the English non-league including Slough Town, Wokingham Town, Leatherhead, Dulwich Hamlet, Chertsey Town, Walton & Hersham and Chesham before returning to Chertsey Town to become player coach in November 1995. Joseph later became coach of Wealdstone for whom he had played as a teenager.[1]
Personal life
Joseph is the older brother of footballer Roger Joseph.[2]