Carl Dale
Encyclopedia
Carl Dale is a Welsh
former professional footballer. He remains a cult favourite among the fans of his former teams.
where he was on schoolboy forms. However he was released by the club and instead began his senior playing career at Welsh side Conwy United
. He was to be a prolific scorer for the North Walian side, and followed it up by finding the net on a regular basis for their neighbours Rhyl
and Bangor City
. This prompted a move from Bangor City to English Football League side Chester City
in May 1988, for £12,000.
Unlike many strikers to move up from non-league to professional football, Dale remained prolific in Division Three. He made his debut as a substitute in the opening game of the 1988-89 season
against Blackpool
, with his first goal following a fortnight later against Bristol City
. He ended the season with 24 goals to his name, with 22 of them coming in league matches as he struck up a successful forward partnership with Steve Johnson
. The highlight was a hat-trick in a 7-0 demolition of Fulham
in April 1989, with Dale comfortably finishing as the club's top scorer and player of the season.
Although he struggled to hit the same heights over the next two years, Dale still enjoyed a decent strike rate and attracted interest from other league clubs. He rejected a new contract with Chester in 1991 and seemed set to join Maidstone United, but the transfer deal collapsed at tribunal stage and Cardiff City
snapped up the North Walian for £82,000.
Dale went on to spend the majority of his playing career at Cardiff where he played over 200 league games for them and became a firm favourite with the clubs supporters. During his time at Cardiff he won a division three championship and two Welsh cups with the team. As a result of his time there he is currently one of Cardiff's top ten all-time top scorers.
He eventually left Cardiff to sign for Yeovil Town
where he only spent one year. He helped the non-league side reach the FA Cup
third round, where the luck of the draw meant he was handed a trip back to Cardiff in January 1999. Dale scored to give Yeovil the lead, but Cardiff snatched a late equaliser and won the replay.
Two months later, Dale returned to South Wales when he joined Newport County
, where he finished his playing days.
Despite being a consistent performer for his club sides Dale never earned a cap for the Wales
national side although he did play for them at schoolboy level. This is mainly down to the fact that at the time Wales had a strong premier division strike force while he was playing in the likes of Ian Rush
, Mark Hughes
, Dean Saunders
and emerging talents like Nathan Blake
and John Hartson
. He was though called into the full Welsh squad when in prolific form at Chester in 1989, although he was not selected in any matches.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
former professional footballer. He remains a cult favourite among the fans of his former teams.
Club career
Dale started his career at ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
where he was on schoolboy forms. However he was released by the club and instead began his senior playing career at Welsh side Conwy United
Conwy United F.C.
Conwy United F.C. are a Welsh amateur football club based in Conwy, playing in the Cymru Alliance league.-Club history:Following the demise of Borough United in 1967, Welsh representatives in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963/64, there was a void of Welsh League clubs in the Conwy area...
. He was to be a prolific scorer for the North Walian side, and followed it up by finding the net on a regular basis for their neighbours Rhyl
Rhyl F.C.
Rhyl Football Club is a Welsh football club, playing in the Cymru Alliance.The club was founded in 1882 and the team plays its home matches at Belle Vue, Rhyl, which can accommodate 3,000 spectators.- History :Few clubs in the Welsh Premier League have as distinguished a past as Rhyl's...
and Bangor City
Bangor City F.C.
Bangor City Football Club are a semi-professional Welsh football club from the City of Bangor. The club compete in the Welsh Premier League, being ever present since the league was founded in 1992....
. This prompted a move from Bangor City to English Football League side Chester City
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
in May 1988, for £12,000.
Unlike many strikers to move up from non-league to professional football, Dale remained prolific in Division Three. He made his debut as a substitute in the opening game of the 1988-89 season
1988-89 in English football
The 1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.-Hillsborough disaster:On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital...
against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, with his first goal following a fortnight later against Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
. He ended the season with 24 goals to his name, with 22 of them coming in league matches as he struck up a successful forward partnership with Steve Johnson
Steve Johnson (English footballer)
Steve Johnson is a former English professional footballer who played as a striker. He played in The Football League for six different clubs and also played in non-league football and abroad.-Playing career:...
. The highlight was a hat-trick in a 7-0 demolition of Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
in April 1989, with Dale comfortably finishing as the club's top scorer and player of the season.
Although he struggled to hit the same heights over the next two years, Dale still enjoyed a decent strike rate and attracted interest from other league clubs. He rejected a new contract with Chester in 1991 and seemed set to join Maidstone United, but the transfer deal collapsed at tribunal stage and Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
snapped up the North Walian for £82,000.
Dale went on to spend the majority of his playing career at Cardiff where he played over 200 league games for them and became a firm favourite with the clubs supporters. During his time at Cardiff he won a division three championship and two Welsh cups with the team. As a result of his time there he is currently one of Cardiff's top ten all-time top scorers.
He eventually left Cardiff to sign for Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
where he only spent one year. He helped the non-league side reach the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
third round, where the luck of the draw meant he was handed a trip back to Cardiff in January 1999. Dale scored to give Yeovil the lead, but Cardiff snatched a late equaliser and won the replay.
Two months later, Dale returned to South Wales when he joined Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, where he finished his playing days.
Despite being a consistent performer for his club sides Dale never earned a cap for the Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
national side although he did play for them at schoolboy level. This is mainly down to the fact that at the time Wales had a strong premier division strike force while he was playing in the likes of Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
, Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
, Dean Saunders
Dean Saunders
Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers....
and emerging talents like Nathan Blake
Nathan Blake
Nathan Alexander Blake is a Welsh former professional footballer, who played in the Premier League for several clubs and also represented his country at international level...
and John Hartson
John Hartson
John Hartson is a former Welsh international footballer who played as a striker, best known for his spells with West Ham and Celtic. Hartson also featured prominently for Wales, earning 51 caps until his international retirement in 2006...
. He was though called into the full Welsh squad when in prolific form at Chester in 1989, although he was not selected in any matches.