Don Welbourne

Don Welbourne

Personal information
Date of birth	12 March 1949 (1949-03-12) (age 62)
Place of birth	Scunthorpe, England
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
–	Scunthorpe United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1966–1976	Scunthorpe United	254	(5)
1975	Boston Minutemen	17	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Donald "Don" Welbourne (born 12 March 1949^[1]) is an English former professional footballer who made more than 250 appearances in the Football League playing as a central defender for Scunthorpe United.^[2] He also played in the North American Soccer League (NASL) for the Boston Minutemen.

Career

Welbourne was born in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. He began his football career as an apprentice with Scunthorpe United, and made his debut as a 17-year-old in September 1966. After establishing himself in the first team a couple of years later, he spent seven seasons as a regular, and was part of the Fourth Division team that knocked First Division Sheffield Wednesday out of the 1969–70 FA Cup on Wednesday's own ground, before injury ended his professional career in November 1975.^[3][4] In 1969, he and Grimsby Town player Graham Rathbone were sent off for fighting, and each received an eight-week ban, "suspensions of unprecedented severity", according to The Times.^[5] Welbourne played for the Boston Minutemen, alongside Eusébio, as they won the Northern Division of the North American Soccer League in 1975.^[6] He later became a window-cleaner.^[4]

Welbourne's older brother Duncan was also a professional footballer who played more than 450 games for Watford.^[7]

References

1. ^ "On This Week – March 10–16". Scunthorpe United F.C. http://www.scunthorpe-united.co.uk/page/OnThisWeek/0,,10442~1261533,00.html. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 
2. ^ "Scunthorpe United : 1950/51 – 2009/10". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/scunthorpe/scunthorpe.htm. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 
3. ^ Norton, Michael (17 June 2007). "The Iron Alphabet: St–Y". Scunthorpe United F.C. http://www.scunthorpe-united.co.uk/page/News/0,,10442~1053730,00.html. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Spirit of 1970 can bring Iron cup glory". Scunthorpe Telegraph. 23 January 2010. http://www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk/news/Spirit-1970-bring-Iron-cup-glory/article-1748052-detail/article.html. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 
5. ^ "FA's tough measures". The Times: p. 14. 10 October 1969. 
6. ^ "Donald Welbourne". NASL Jerseys. Dave Morrison. http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/W/Welbourne.Donald.htm. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 
7. ^ Jones, Trefor (1996). The Watford Football Club Illustrated Who's Who. p. 238. ISBN 0-9527458-0-1. 

External links

• Profile and photos at NASLJerseys

Persondata
Name	Welbourne, Don
Alternative names
Short description	Professional footballer
Date of birth	12 March 1949
Place of birth	Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England
Date of death
Place of death