Alan Oakes

Football player infobox


playername = "Alan Oakes"
fullname = Alan Arthur Oakes
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1942|9|7|mf=y
cityofbirth = Winsford
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Midfielder
height = height|ft=6|in=0
youthyears = 1958-59
youthclubs = Manchester City
years = 1959-76
1976-82
1982
1983-84
clubs = Manchester City
Chester
Northwich Victoria
Port Vale
caps(goals) = 564 0 (26)
211 0 (15)
0 0 0 0
1 0 0 (0)
nationalyears =
nationalteam = English League XI
nationalcaps(goals) =
manageryears = 1976-82
managerclubs = Chester

Alan Oakes (born September 7, 1942 in Winsford), is an English footballer who holds Manchester City's all-time record for appearances. Thanks to a further six year stint at Chester (spent mainly as player-manager), Oakes played 776 Football League matches - the seventh most in history [http://allfootballers.com/statsc.php?bid=mostleagueapps]

Permanent Fixture with Man City

Oakes signed for Manchester City on amateur terms in 1958 at the age of fifteen, signing as a professional a year later. His first-team debut came on November 14 1958 in a 1-1 draw against Chelsea. During the early 1960s Oakes proved to be one of the few consistent performers in a struggling Manchester City side. However, it was under the tutelage of management team Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison that Oakes blossomed. He played in all but one of the matches in Manchester City's League Championship winning season in 1967/68, and by the time he had added a League Cup medal in 1976, he had become part of more trophy winning sides than any other Manchester City player in history.

His last appearance for Manchester City came on May 4 1976, coming on as substitute for Mike Doyle against Manchester United.

Amongst footballing figures of his era Oakes was renowned for his professionalism; the great Liverpool manager Bill Shankly described him as "exactly the kind of player youngsters should use as a model".

Moving Into Management

After 17 years, and a record 669 first-team appearances for Man City, Oakes moved to Chester in the summer of 1976. Although he initially signed just as a player, he was soon in charge of team affairs after manager Ken Roberts moved upstairs. Oakes was to be player-manager throughout the remainder of his six years with the club, where he continued to break playing appearance records.

In his first season at the club, Oakes led Chester to the last-16 of the FA Cup for the first time since 1891. He would repeat the feat three years later and win the Debenhams Cup in 1977. In 1978, he came within a whisker of taking Chester into the top two divisions for the first time, as they finished just two points and places outside the three promotion spots in Football League Division Three. Oakes was also the man to give the legendary Ian Rush his big break in the professional game, handing him his Chester debut in April 1979.

Oakes was widely regarded as having done a good job at Chester but the 1981/82 season saw the Blues relegated. Oakes left the club in March 1982 and perhaps surprisingly would never manage in the Football League again. After making an FA Cup appearance for Northwich Victoria against Scunthorpe United in December 1982, Oakes became part of the coaching staff with Port Vale. While at Vale Park, Oakes was forced to make one final Football League appearance during an injury crisis - his 776th such match.

In 1992, Oakes return to Chester on the coaching staff and in 1993/94 he assisted Graham Barrow and Joe Hinnigan as Chester were promoted from Division Three.

Family Fortunes

Alan Oakes is the best known member of a prominent football family. His cousin Glyn Pardoe was also a member of the Manchester City side in the 1960s and 70s, and his son Michael is a professional footballer who has played for Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers amongst others as a goalkeeper. His nephew Andy Oakes is goalkeeper at Darlington, while another nephew, Chris Blackburn, plays for Aldershot.

Honours won

As a player

Manchester City F.C.

* Football League First Division winner 1968
* FA Cup winner 1969
* League Cup winner 1970
* UEFA Cup Winners Cup winner 1970
* League Cup winner 1976

As player-manager

Chester

* Debenhams Cup winner, 1977

References

*Gary James, Manchester: The Greatest City ISBN 1-899538-09-7