Neil Sproston

Neil Sproston
Neil Sproston
Personal information
Full name Neil Robert Sproston
Date of birth 20 November 1970 (1970-11-20) (age 40)
Place of birth Dudley, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1]
Playing position Forward
Youth career
1986–1988 Birmingham City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1988–1990 Birmingham City 1 (0)
1990 Alvechurch ? (?)
1990–1991 Armitage 90 ? (?)
1991–1992 Oldswinford ? (?)
1992–199x Dudley Town ? (?)
– Gornal Sports ? (?)
1993–1994 Lye Town ? (?)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Neil Robert Sproston (born 20 November 1970) is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Birmingham City.[2]

Sproston was born in Dudley, West Midlands. When he left school in 1986, he joined Birmingham City as a YTS trainee, and turned professional two years later. With fellow forwards Tony Rees, Andy Kennedy and Steve Whitton unavailable, Sproston, still a trainee, was given a place on the substitutes' bench for the Second Division game at home to Middlesbrough on 24 October 1987, four weeks before his 17th birthday. He came into the game as the second substitute used, to replace John Trewick, and marked his debut by receiving a head wound which needed stitches.[3][4] At the time he was the second-youngest player (behind Trevor Francis) to appear for Birmingham's first team.[5] In the youth team Sproston was tried in a variety of positions, ending up playing in midfield, but never played for the first team again. Released at the end of the 1989–90 season, he went on to play for a number of non-league teams in the West Midlands area.[3]

References

  1. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed (1990). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1990–91 (21st ed.). Queen Anne Press. p. 84. ISBN 0-356-17911-7. 
  2. ^ "Birmingham City : 1946/47–2007/08". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/birmingham/birmingham.htm. Retrieved 25 April 2009. 
  3. ^ a b Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 126. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9. 
  4. ^ Matthews, p. 222.
  5. ^ White, Peter (5 September 1998). "Francis is not short of a striker". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/1998/sep/05/match.sport. Retrieved 25 April 2009. 


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