Ivor Linton

Ivor Linton
Personal information
Full nameIvor Linton
Date of birth20 November 1959
Place of birthWest Bromwich, England
Playing positionMidfielder
Youth career
1976–1977Aston Villa
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1977–1982Aston Villa27(0)
1982–1983Peterborough United27(3)
1983–1984Birmingham City4(0)
1984Bilston Town?(?)
–Kasko IK?(?)
1988–1999IF Kraft Narpes?(?)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Ivor Linton (born 20 November 1959) is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Aston Villa,[1] Peterborough United[2] and Birmingham City.[3] He played as a midfielder.

Career

Linton was born in West Bromwich, in the West Midlands. He joined Aston Villa as an apprentice in May 1976, and turned professional in September 1977.[4] He made his debut in the First Division on 16 May 1977, as a 17-year-old apprentice, as a substitute in a home game against Stoke City which Villa won 1–0.[5] In six years with the club he played regularly for the reserve team, and made 17 starts and 13 substitute appearances in all competitions for the first team,[6] one of which was in the first leg of the 1982 European Cup second round match against Dynamo Berlin, when he conceded a penalty with his first touch.[7][8]

In the 1982 close season he joined Peterborough United of the Fourth Division on a free transfer. Released by the club after 27 league games,[2] he returned to the First Division by way of a trial with Birmingham City, during which he played four league games[4] and became the first black player to appear for both major Birmingham-based clubs.[8] After a spell in non-league football with Bilston Town, Linton moved to Finland where he played for Kaskö IK[9] and then for many years for Kraft Närpes.[10]

He finally retired from the game at the age of 39 and returned home to West Bromwich where he worked as an electrician, and appeared for the Villa Old Boys team.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Aston Villa : 1946/47–2007/08". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Peterborough United : 1960/61–2007/08". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  3. ↑ "Birmingham City : 1946/47–2007/08". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  5. ↑ "Ivor Linton – Aston Villa FC". Football-Heroes.net. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  6. ↑ "Linton, Ivor". Aston Villa Player Database. Jörn Mårtensson. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  7. ↑ "History: June 10". Aston Villa F.C. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Clarkson, Ian (21 October 2003). "Ivor Linton never made the impact of 'The Three Degrees' but he created a spot of history too". Professional Footballers' Association. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  9. ↑ "Statistik" (in Swedish). Kaskö IK. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  10. ↑ "sida 605 Kraftspelarnas målstatistik 1976-08 (page 605 Kraft players goal statistics 1976-08)" (in Swedish). Närpes stad (Town of Närpes). Retrieved 7 June 2009.

External links