Paul Needham

Infobox Football biography
playername = Paul Needham


fullname = Andrew Paul Needham
nickname =
height = height|ft=5|in=10
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1961|6|15
cityofbirth = Buxton, Derbyshire
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Retired
clubnumber =
position = Full back
youthyears = 1975–1979
youthclubs = Chester
years = 1979–1983
1983–?
clubs = Chester
Oswestry Town
caps(goals) = 0 57 0 (1)

nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) = manageryears =
managerclubs =
pcupdate =

Paul Needham (born June 15 1961, Buxton) is a former English professional footballer who played as a full back. He made than 50 appearances in The Football League for Chester.

Playing Career

Although born in Buxton, Needham grew up in Chester and attended Upton-by-Chester High School in the city.'Seals in Profile', Chester v Blackpool matchday programme 17/4/81,] He joined Chester as an apprentice aged 16 after first appearing for their youth side 18 months earlier. He was a contemporary of Ian Rush in Chester's youth ranks in the late 1970s, with Chester enjoying two runs to the last 32 of the FA Youth Cup during this period. [cite web|url= http://www.chester-city.co.uk/youth_to_first.asp |title= From the youth to the first team| publisher= chester-city.co.uk| accessdate=2008-08-17]

Needham's professional debut followed as a substitute for Richie Gendall in a 1–0 defeat at Oxford United on November 15 1980, with his first start made in the number two shirt in a 1–0 victory at Fulham on March 17 1981.Sumner (1997), stats section] Going into 1981–82, Needham was one of just 14 professionals in the Chester side as the wage bill was cut. [Sumner (1997), p 97] The side finished adrift at the foot of Division Three and were relegated, although Needham enjoyed his first taste of regular football by making 27 league appearances and scoring his only goal for the club against Reading. The following season saw him appear in 21 league games but he was released along with players including Mark Dean, Paul Johnson, Greg Moffatt and Gary Simpson at the end of the season as the club again heavily reduced its wage bill. [Sumner (1997), p 99]

Needham then joined non–league side Oswestry Town. [Sumner (1997), p 141] He did not play professionally again.

External Links

* [http://www.chester-city.co.uk/team_ian_rush.asp Chester youth team photographs featuring Needham and Ian Rush]

Bibliography

*cite book | first=Chas | last=Sumner| coauthors= | title=On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City F.C. 1885-1997 | publisher=Yore Publications | location= | year=1997 | editor= | id=ISBN 978-1-874427-52-0

References