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Alan Ball

Real Name: James Alan Ball
Normal Position: Inside Forward
Height: 5' 8
Weight: 10st 8lbs
Born: 23/09/1924 (Farnworth, Bolton)
Died: 02/01/1982 (Nicosia, Cyprus)

Alan BallAn outstanding performer in the Bolton Boys Federation where he scored 64 goals in one season, he was recommended by former Southport Central stalwart Tom Williamson and duly played in a trial match in August 1942. He then heard nothing until, working as an apprentice carpenter, he got a telegram calling him to play at Bolton Wanderers on 12 September 1942 when he was not yet 18. This copper-haired inside-forward, who was with the B.A.O.R., came in for a lot of criticism from supporters but was always a livewire worker and a full 90 minutes player. He was transferred to Birmingham for a big fee shortly after being demobbed from the Army but returned to Haig Avenue, without making the grade at St Andrews, at the same time as Arthur Turner. He was transferred to Oldham Athletic for a fee but had only 7 games for the `Latics and another 5 for Rochdale. He managed a number of non-League clubs and later went into League management getting Halifax Town promoted from the Fourth Division as runners-up. Then at Preston he won the Third Division Championship in his first season (197o-71) and managed Southport as well as several Swedish clubs. Father and mentor to Alan Ball the England International, he scouted for Blackpool but was killed in a car crash in Cyprus a few hours after arriving on the island to discuss a coaching appointment.

Player Profile reproduced with Permission from:
The Sandgrounders: The Complete League History of Southport F. C., by Michael Braham and Geoff Wilde (Palatine Books, 1995). ISBN 978-1-874181-14-9

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Player Match Stats


Statistics include the following competitions
FA Cup , FA Trophy , Football League Cup, League, PLAY OFFS , Welsh Cup,

Season Apps Subs Goals
1949/1950 1604
1948/1949 1505
1947/1948 1201
1946/1947 200
1945/1946 000
Total 45 0 10

Appearances & Goals

Games where player was named on the team sheet

Date Competition Venue Opponents Score
29/04/1950 LeagueH CARLISLE UNITED 1 - 2
10/04/1950 LeagueA BRADFORD CITY 0 - 6
18/03/1950 LeagueH YORK CITY 1 - 1
18/02/1950 LeagueA NEW BRIGHTON 0 - 1
11/02/1950 LeagueA CARLISLE UNITED 3 - 3
04/02/1950 LeagueH DARLINGTON 1 - 1
17/01/1950 Lancashire Senior Cup / 2H MANCHESTER UNITED 1 - 0
12/01/1950 FA Cup / 3RA HULL CITY 0 - 5
07/01/1950 FA Cup / 3H HULL CITY 0 - 0
31/12/1949 LeagueA DONCASTER ROVERS 1 - 5
27/12/1949 LeagueH ROCHDALE 3 - 2
26/12/1949 LeagueA ROCHDALE 0 - 2
24/12/1949 LeagueH STOCKPORT COUNTY 1 - 0
17/12/1949 LeagueA MANSFIELD TOWN 2 - 1
10/12/1949 FA Cup / 2H BRADFORD CITY 2 - 1
03/12/1949 LeagueH ROTHERHAM UNITED 4 - 0
01/12/1949 FA Cup / 1RA BARROW 1 - 0
19/10/1949 Lancashire Senior Cup / 1A EVERTON 3 - 1
30/04/1949 LeagueA HALIFAX TOWN 1 - 0
26/04/1949 LeagueH HALIFAX TOWN 2 - 3
23/04/1949 LeagueH BRADFORD CITY 2 - 1
18/04/1949 LeagueH CHESTER (1885) 2 - 1
16/04/1949 LeagueA DONCASTER ROVERS 2 - 1
16/03/1949 Liverpool Senior CupA NEW BRIGHTON 0 - 1
12/03/1949 LeagueH TRANMERE ROVERS 2 - 3
05/03/1949 LeagueA MANSFIELD TOWN 1 - 1
05/02/1949 LeagueH DARLINGTON 1 - 3
27/12/1948 LeagueA BARROW 1 - 2
13/11/1948 LeagueA HULL CITY 1 - 5
28/09/1948 Lancashire Senior Cup / 1A BURNLEY 0 - 3
14/09/1948 LeagueH CREWE ALEXANDRA 0 - 0
11/09/1948 LeagueH HARTLEPOOL 1 - 2
06/09/1948 LeagueA CREWE ALEXANDRA 0 - 1
04/09/1948 LeagueA GATESHEAD 2 - 2
30/08/1948 LeagueA YORK CITY 3 - 1
17/04/1948 LeagueH ROTHERHAM UNITED 1 - 2
10/04/1948 LeagueA CARLISLE UNITED 3 - 2
27/03/1948 LeagueA CHESTER (1885) 0 - 0
26/03/1948 LeagueH ACCRINGTON STANLEY 1 - 1
20/03/1948 LeagueH MANSFIELD TOWN 1 - 1
13/03/1948 LeagueA YORK CITY 3 - 3
06/03/1948 LeagueH OLDHAM ATHLETIC 4 - 0
28/02/1948 LeagueA TRANMERE ROVERS 2 - 2
21/02/1948 LeagueA NEW BRIGHTON 2 - 2
14/02/1948 LeagueH ROCHDALE 2 - 2
07/02/1948 LeagueA HALIFAX TOWN 0 - 0
31/01/1948 LeagueH WREXHAM 1 - 0
19/10/1946 LeagueH OLDHAM ATHLETIC 2 - 4
15/10/1946 Lancashire Senior Cup / 1 2LA BURY 0 - 3
12/10/1946 LeagueA STOCKPORT COUNTY 0 - 2
02/03/1946 Football League War CupH BARROW 4 - 2
20/10/1945 War-Time: LeagueH ACCRINGTON STANLEY 0 - 0
01/05/1943 War-Time: LeagueH CHESTER (1885) 4 - 2
24/04/1943 War-Time: LeagueH TRANMERE ROVERS 4 - 5
17/04/1943 War-Time: LeagueA LIVERPOOL 0 - 3
27/03/1943 Lancashire Senior Cup / 1 2LA EVERTON 1 - 2
20/03/1943 Lancashire Senior Cup / 1 1LH EVERTON 4 - 1
27/02/1943 Football League War Cup / QualifyingA EVERTON 2 - 10
20/02/1943 Football League War CupH EVERTON 3 - 8
13/02/1943 Football League War CupH BURNLEY 2 - 0
06/02/1943 Football League War CupA BURNLEY 4 - 5
12/12/1942 War-Time: LeagueA BLACKBURN ROVERS 2 - 2
28/11/1942 War-Time: LeagueA LIVERPOOL 2 - 6
21/11/1942 War-Time: LeagueH LIVERPOOL 3 - 2
14/11/1942 War-Time: LeagueH BLACKPOOL 3 - 2
31/10/1942 War-Time: LeagueA TRANMERE ROVERS 2 - 2
19/09/1942 War-Time: LeagueH BOLTON WANDERERS 6 - 2
12/09/1942 War-Time: LeagueA BOLTON WANDERERS 3 - 1

Games where player has scored

Date Competition Venue Opponents Score
04/02/1950LeagueH DARLINGTON 1 - 1
24/12/1949LeagueH STOCKPORT COUNTY 1 - 0
17/12/1949LeagueA MANSFIELD TOWN 2 - 1
03/12/1949LeagueH ROTHERHAM UNITED 4 - 0
26/04/1949LeagueH HALIFAX TOWN 2 - 3
27/12/1948LeagueA BARROW 1 - 2
13/11/1948LeagueA HULL CITY 1 - 5
04/09/1948LeagueA GATESHEAD 2 - 2
30/08/1948LeagueA YORK CITY 3 - 1
06/03/1948LeagueH OLDHAM ATHLETIC 4 - 0
02/03/1946Football League War CupH BARROW 4 - 2
24/04/1943War-Time: LeagueH TRANMERE ROVERS 4 - 5
20/03/1943Lancashire Senior Cup / 1 1LH EVERTON 4 - 1
20/02/1943Football League War CupH EVERTON 3 - 8
31/10/1942War-Time: LeagueA TRANMERE ROVERS 2 - 2

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On This Day: January 2nd

by Daniel Hayes -

Today we look back at a memorable FA Cup clash with Leyton Orient in 1999 and also remember former Player and Manager Alan Ball, Father and mentor to Alan Ball the England International,  who passed away on this day in 1982. Southport ace Phil raps 'conned' ref That was the headline in

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