Brian Talbot

Infobox Football biography
playername = Brian Talbot


fullname = Brian Ernest Talbot
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1953|7|21|df=y
cityofbirth = Ipswich
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
nickname =
position = Midfielder
currentclub = Marsaxlokk (manager)
youthyears = 1968–1972
youthclubs = Ipswich Town
years = 1972–1979
1971
1972
1979–1985
1985–1986
1986–1988
1988–1990
1990–1991
1990–1992
1992–19??
clubs = Ipswich Town
→ Toronto Metros (loan)
→ Toronto Metros (loan)
Arsenal
Watford
Stoke City
West Bromwich Albion
Fulham
Aldershot
Sudbury Town
Career
caps(goals) = 177 (25)
010 0(2)
010 0(2)
254 (40)
048 0(8)
054 0(5)
074 0(5)
005 0(1)
011 0(0)
00? 0(?)
623 (84)
nationalyears = 1977–1980
nationalteam = England
nationalcaps(goals) = 006 0(0)
manageryears = 1988–1990
1991
1993–1996
1997–2004
2004–2005
2005–2006
2006–
managerclubs = West Bromwich Albion
Aldershot
Hibernians
Rushden & Diamonds
Oldham Athletic
Oxford United
Marsaxlokk

Brian Ernest Talbot (born 21 July 1953 in Ipswich) is an English football manager and former player.

Playing career

A midfielder, Talbot began his footballing career as an apprentice with Ipswich Town in 1968, turning professional in 1972; in the meantime he had spent two seasons on loan with Canadian club Toronto Metros. He made 227 appearances for Ipswich, and won the 1978 FA Cup with the club. In the 1978 FA Cup semi-final against West Bromwich Albion, Talbot scored the first goal eight minutes into the game. He was injured on the play when he collided head-to-head with Albion's skipper, John Wile. Wile played with a bandaged head for the remainder of the contest while Talbot was removed on a stretcher. In January 1979, Talbot moved to Arsenal for a fee of £450,000.

Talbot immediately became a first-team player at Arsenal. He played for the Gunners in the FA Cup final of that year, scoring a goal in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Manchester United; Talbot thus achieved the rare distinction of winning the FA Cup with two different teams in consecutive seasons. The following year he set a club record, as an ever-present in Arsenal's marathon 1979–80 season, when he played a total of 70 matches in a single season (the club reached the finals of both the FA Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup, but lost them both).

Talbot's impressive stamina and fitness meant he played nearly every Arsenal first-team game for the next five seasons, missing fewer than half a dozen League games. In all, the strong and sturdy midfielder played 327 first-team matches for the Gunners, scoring 49 goals. He also played for England, five times while at Ipswich and once as an Arsenal player.

After leaving Arsenal in June 1985 he went on to play for Watford, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Fulham and Aldershot. From 1984 to 1988 Talbot was also chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association.

Managerial career

Talbot first tasted football management with West Bromwich Albion, where he served as player-manager from November 1988 to January 1991. His tenure started well, with the side challenging for promotion in the 1988-89 season. However, the following season saw the side struggle, which continued into the 1990–91 season. His departure from West Brom coincided with the famous 4-2 FA Cup defeat at the hands of Woking. He then managed Aldershot (February–November 1991) and subsequently Maltese club Hibernians, where his team won the island's Premier League in 1993 and 1994.

Talbot returned to English club football as part of the coaching staff of Rushden and Diamonds, then in the Football Conference, in 1997. After a spell as head coach he was appointed club manager before the start of the 1999–2000 season. At the end of the 2000–01 season Rushden secured promotion to the Football League under his management. The team reached the Division Three playoffs in 2002 but lost in the final. In their second season in the League they secured the 2002–03 Division Three Championship, but were relegated the following season, Talbot having left the club in March 2004 after seven years to take over at Oldham Athletic.

Talbot succeeded in keeping Oldham in Division Two in 2004, but resigned in March 2005. In May 2005 he signed a two-year contract as manager of Oxford United before the final game of the 2004–05 season [ [http://www.oufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/TheBigInterview/0,,10342~662489,00.html Talbot Takes Over] ] . However, after an unsuccessful stint in charge, Talbot was sacked in March 2006, leaving the club 22nd in League Two and destined to lose their League status at the end of the season [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/o/oxford_utd/4805892.stm Talbot dismissed as Oxford boss] ] .

Talbot made a quick return to management with Maltese side Marsaxlokk, and guided them to the domestic league title and a place in the UEFA Champions League.

Honours (Player)

Winner
*FA Cup (1977-78) with Ipswich Town FC
*FA Cup (1978-79) with Arsenal FC

Finalist
*FA Cup (1979-80) with Arsenal FC
*UEFA Cup Winners Cup (1979-80) with Arsenal FC

Honours (Management)

Rushden & Diamonds FC

Champions
* 2002-03 Football League Division Three (now League Two)
* 2000-01 Football Conference

Finalists
* 2001-02 Football League Division Three Play-Off

Marsaxlokk

Champions
* 2006–07 Maltese Premier League

Hibernians

Champions
* 1993-94 Maltese Premier League
* 1992-93 Maltese Premier League

Notes

References

* [http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/briantalbot.htm Neil Brown's statistics]
*
* [http://www.soccerbase.com/managers2.sd?managerid=254 Brian Talbot's managerial stats] at Soccerbase.
* Harding, John, 'The Brian Talbot Years: 1984-88' [http://www.givemefootball.com/display.cfm?article=3092&type=1 The Official Website of the Professional Footballers' Association]