Bill Asprey
Encyclopedia
William Asprey (born 11 September 1936) is an English
former football player and manager. He spent thirteen years as a player with Stoke City
, also managing the club for a brief period in the mid 1980s.
in 1936, he played 341 times for Stoke City
between 1953–54
and 1965–66
, winning a Second Division
Championship medal and a League Cup
runners-up medal. He subsequently played for Oldham Athletic before being purchased by Port Vale
for £2,000 in December 1967. He enjoyed regular football until September 1968 and retired as a player in December 1968, at the age of 32.
and scored by Ernie Hunt
in a league game against Everton in October 1970. This was immediately outlawed due to the fact the ball was touched twice.
In 1972 he joined Don Howe at WBA before taking charge of the Rhodesian National Team. In 1980 Bill Asprey took a coaching position in Syria, but not before having a spell at Oxford United.He joined the staff and became manager in July , but was sacked at Christmas the following season after a season and a half with little success.
He returned to Stoke City as assistant manager to Richie Barker, whom he succeeded in January 1984. Initially successful in keeping Stoke from relegation, he left through ill health in April.
After a break from football, he took the Olympic Team Position in Iraq, leaving prior to the Gulf War, in 1990.
Bill joined the Malaysian team later that year and then moved on to team in Bahrain.
In 1993, Asprey retired from football.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former football player and manager. He spent thirteen years as a player with Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, also managing the club for a brief period in the mid 1980s.
Playing career
Born in WolverhamptonWolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
in 1936, he played 341 times for Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
between 1953–54
1953-54 in English football
The 1953–54 season was the 74th season of competitive football in England.-National team:The Marvellous Magyars shocked football by defeating England 6–3 at Wembley Stadium.-Honours:...
and 1965–66
1965-66 in English football
The 1965–66 season was the 86th season of competitive football in England.-Diary of the season:7 October 1965: An experiment to broadcast a live game to another ground takes place...
, winning a Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Championship medal and a League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
runners-up medal. He subsequently played for Oldham Athletic before being purchased by Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
for £2,000 in December 1967. He enjoyed regular football until September 1968 and retired as a player in December 1968, at the age of 32.
Coaching career
After retiring from playing, Asprey joined Sheffield Wednesday's coaching staff, in 1968. In 1970 he joined Coventry City as Noel Cantwell's assistant. The Sky Blues played in the European Fairs Cup (now the UEFA Europa League) but lost 7–3 on aggregate in the 2nd round to Bayern Munich, despite winning the second leg 2–1 at Highfield Road. In that year, Highfield Road became the first all-seater, floodlit stadium in the country.In a training session at Coventry City he came up with the idea of the famous donkey-kick free-kick routine that was executed by Willie CarrWillie Carr
William McInanny Carr is a former Scottish international footballer.-Career:Carr was born in Glasgow but spent part of his formative teenage years in Cambridge, where his family relocated in 1963...
and scored by Ernie Hunt
Ernie Hunt
Roger Patrick "Ernie" Hunt is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Swindon Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, Coventry City, Doncaster Rovers and Bristol City, and for the Los Angeles Wolves in the United Soccer Association. At international level, he was capped...
in a league game against Everton in October 1970. This was immediately outlawed due to the fact the ball was touched twice.
In 1972 he joined Don Howe at WBA before taking charge of the Rhodesian National Team. In 1980 Bill Asprey took a coaching position in Syria, but not before having a spell at Oxford United.He joined the staff and became manager in July , but was sacked at Christmas the following season after a season and a half with little success.
He returned to Stoke City as assistant manager to Richie Barker, whom he succeeded in January 1984. Initially successful in keeping Stoke from relegation, he left through ill health in April.
After a break from football, he took the Olympic Team Position in Iraq, leaving prior to the Gulf War, in 1990.
Bill joined the Malaysian team later that year and then moved on to team in Bahrain.
In 1993, Asprey retired from football.
Career statistics
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Oxford United Oxford United F.C. Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The... |
22 July 1979 | 1 December 1980 | 70 | 20 | 20 | 30 | |
| Stoke City Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts... |
9 December 1983 | 15 April 1985 | 64 | 14 | 15 | 35 | |
| Total | 134 | 34 | 35 | 65 | |||
Honours
with Stoke City- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
champions: 1962–63 - Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
runner-up: 19641964 Football League Cup FinalThe 1964 Football League Cup Final, the fourth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Stoke City and Leicester City, both of the First Division, over two legs...