John Butcher (footballer)

Infobox Football biography
playername = John Butcher


fullname = John Melvin Butcher
nickname =
height = height|ft=6|in=3
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1956|5|27
cityofbirth = Newcastle upon Tyne
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Retired
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years=1976–1982
1982–1984
1982
1983–1984
1984–1987
1985
1987–1989
1989
clubs = Blackburn Rovers
Oxford United
→ Halifax Town (loan)
→ Bury (loan)
Chester City
→ Bury (loan)
Altrincham
Macclesfield Town
caps(goals) = 104 0 (0)
16 0 (0)
5 0 0 (0)
11 0 (0)
84 0 (0)
5 0 0 (0)
43 0 (0)
0 0 0 (0)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
managerclubs =
manageryears =
pcupdate = 7 January 2008
John Butcher (born 27 May 1956, Newcastle upon Tyne) was a professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played in The Football League for five clubs.

Playing career

Butcher began his career with Blackburn Rovers, who he turned professional with in March 1976. He made more than 100 league appearances in six years at Ewood Park, the majority coming in seasons 1977–78 and 1978–79. He moved to Oxford United in July 1982, although he was loaned out to Halifax Town three months later and then had a temporary spell with Bury from December 1983.

After not playing for Oxford during the 1983–84 season, Butcher was allowed to join Chester City on a free transfer in August 1984. He made his debut on the opening day of the new season against Scunthorpe United and went on to play 36 first-team games during the season [cite book | author=Chas Sumner | title=On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885-1997 | year=1997| pages= p.121|id=ISBN 1-874427-52-6] .The following campaign saw Butcher have spells out of the side after losing out to David Kaye and Ray Cashley and he was allowed to return to Bury for another loan spell in October 1985. A month later he was back at Chester and missed just three of the final 29 games as the Blues were promoted from Division Four. The summer of 1986 saw Billy Stewart signed by Harry McNally and he was to largely be first choice ahead of Butcher in 1986–87, whose final appearance for the club was a 1–0 defeat to Blackpool on 4 May 1987.

At the end of the season Butcher was released [cite book | author=Chas Sumner | title=On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885-1997 | year=1997| pages= p.104|id=ISBN 1-874427-52-6] and he joined GM Vauxhall Conference side Altrincham, where he played for two years. He then spent time with Macclesfield Town without making any Conference appearances. Butcher has since worked as a warehouse manager [http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:xnVzLe5pxoMJ:www.themightyshakers.co.uk/oldsites/gordon/programmes/9900-programmes/pr-oxford-home.htm+john+butcher+oxford+goalkeeper&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=uk See 'A foot in both camps' section] and has played amateur football for Chester based side Upton AA [http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:xnVzLe5pxoMJ:www.themightyshakers.co.uk/oldsites/gordon/programmes/9900-programmes/pr-oxford-home.htm+john+butcher+oxford+goalkeeper&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=uk See 'A foot in both camps' section] .

Honours

Blackburn Rovers
* Football League Division Three runners-up: 1979–80 (8 apps).

Chester City
* Football League Division Four runners-up: 1985–86 (34 apps).

External links

* [http://www.rageonline.co.uk/mainpage.php?type=player&player_id=35 Oxford United career details]
* [http://www.shaymenonline.org/sol2/players.php?section=profile&subsection=gamesplayed&id=493 Halifax Town career details]

References