- John Trollope (footballer)
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John Trollope Personal information Full name Norman John Trollope Date of birth 14 June 1943 Place of birth Wroughton, Wiltshire, England Playing position Left-back Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1960–1980 Swindon Town 770 (22) Teams managed 1981–1983 Swindon Town * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).Norman John Trollope MBE (born 14 June 1943) is a former footballer, manager and coach who served Swindon Town for twenty years.
A Swindon Town legend, Trollope holds the record for the number of league appearances made for one club - turning out for the Town in 770 games between 1960 and 1980, an achievement which saw him receive the MBE.[1]
Trollope made his debut for the club on 20 August 1960 in a 1-1 draw with Halifax Town, when he was aged seventeen and missed two matches that season.[1] Trollope was an ever-present in the side in the 1962-63 season - a trend which continued for seven seasons. A run of 368 consecutive matches was brought to an end in August 1968, when he sustained a broken arm in a match at Hartlepool United.[1] He didn't return to the team until January - by which time he had missed most of the Town's amazing League Cup run. He only appeared in the competition twice that season - in the first game against Torquay United, and in the victorious final at Wembley
Trollope continued to be a regular member of the side right up until the 1978-79 season, when he made sixteen appearances. He announced his retirement at the end of the season, and moved into the club's backroom staff.[1] However, after an appalling start to the 1980-81 season, Trollope was pushed back into action - a move which allowed him to break the appearance record - previously set at 764 appearances by Portsmouth's Jimmy Dickinson.[1] He finally retired from the playing staff at the end of that season, and replaced Bobby Smith as the club's manager early in the following season.
His time as manager was far from successful - working on a shoestring budget, he led Swindon to their first ever relegation to Division Four. He made way for Ken Beamish near the end of the 1982-83 season.[1]
Even this wasn't the end of Trollope's times at Swindon - he was appointed assistant manager to Lou Macari during Easter 1985, and he took charge of the youth team under Ossie Ardiles, Glenn Hoddle, John Gorman and Steve McMahon.[1]
His son Paul Trollope became a Wales football international and is currently part of the managerial set-up at Bristol Rovers alongside Lennie Lawrence.
On July 2, 2008 it was announced that Trollope would be returning to Swindon and take up the role of Under 15's coach in the Centre of Excellence. Previously he had been working for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
All time playing career
Season Team League Apps League Goals Cup Apps Cup Goals 1980-81 Swindon Town 14 0 1 0 1979-80 Swindon Town 0 0 0 0 1978-79 Swindon Town 16 (+2) 0 1 0 1977-78 Swindon Town 40 1 10 1 1976-77 Swindon Town 35 1 7 0 1975-76 Swindon Town 46 1 9 3 1974-75 Swindon Town 46 2 6 0 1973-74 Swindon Town 36 1 5 1 1972-73 Swindon Town 34 1 3 0 1971-72 Swindon Town 42 1 2 0 1970-71 Swindon Town 39 0 5 0 1969-70 Swindon Town 42 2 13 1 1968-69 Swindon Town 19 (+1) 1 3 0 1967-68 Swindon Town 46 2 6 0 1966-67 Swindon Town 46 2 13 1 1965-66 Swindon Town 46 3 4 0 1964-65 Swindon Town 42 2 2 0 1963-64 Swindon Town 42 0 7 0 1962-63 Swindon Town 46 1 6 0 1961-62 Swindon Town 46 1 5 0 1960-61 Swindon Town 44 0 6 0 TOTAL 770 22 114 7 References
- ^ a b c d e f g Mattick, Dick (2002). Swindon Town Football Club 100 Greats. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. pp. 117–118. ISBN 0752427148.
External links
- Profile at Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk
Swindon Town F.C. – managers S. Allen (1902–1933) · Vizard (1933–1939) · Harris (1939–1940) · Page (1945–1953) · Lindley (1953–1955) · Head (1956–1965) · D. Williams (1965–1969) · Ford (1969–1971) · Mackay (1971–1972) · L. Allen (1972–1974) · D. Williams (1974–1978) · Smith (1978–1980) · Trollope (1980–1983) · Beamish (1983–1984) · Macari (1984–1989) · Ardiles (1989–1991) · Hoddle (player) (1991–1993) · Gorman (1993–1994) · McMahon (1994–1998) · Quinn (1998–2000) · Todd (2000) · King (2000–2001) · Evans (2001) · King (2001–2005) · Onuora (2005–2006) · Wise (2006) · A. Williams (caretaker) (2006) · Sturrock (2006–07) · Byrne (caretaker) (2007–2008) · Malpas (2008) · Byrne (caretaker) (2008) · Wilson (2008–11) · Hart (2011) · Bodin (caretaker) (2011) · Di Canio (2011–)
Categories:- 1943 births
- Living people
- English footballers
- Swindon Town F.C. players
- English football managers
- Swindon Town F.C. managers
- Members of the Order of the British Empire
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