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George Lawrence (footballer)
Encyclopedia
George Randolph Lawrence (born 14 September 1962) is a former professional footballer now retired. He played as a midfielder, spending most of his career with Southampton
and was known by the nickname "Chicken George" throughout his career.
, London
and was a pupil at Christopher Wren School where he was spotted by Southampton's London scouting network, joining The Saints as a trainee in August 1979. He made his debut in a League Cup
match against Chelsea
on 6 October 1981 replacing Nick Holmes
. He made his first appearance in the starting line-up on 17 October, replacing Mick Channon
in a league game against Notts County
.
According to Holley & Chalk's "The Alphabet of the Saints", he "soon brought added meaning to the word unpredictable". He was "full of strong surging runs" and "would, when remembering to take the ball with him, completely perplex opposing defenders and cause havoc in the penalty area".
In his first period at The Dell
, Southampton had an abundance of strikers, including Channon and Steve Moran
, together with Kevin Keegan
, Steve Williams and David Armstrong
in midfield, so his chances were limited. He spent the end of the 1981-82 season
on loan at Oxford United
and, after returning to Southampton for the start of the following season, he moved permanently to Oxford in November 1982.
After two years with Oxford, he was rather surprisingly re-signed by the Saints' newly appointed manager, Chris Nicholl
. Again, Lawrence was in competition with several strikers including Moran, Joe Jordan
, Alan Curtis
and Danny Wallace
. Lawrence knuckled down and, always with a smile on his face, set out to try to make his second spell more productive than the first.
The 1986–87 season
was his most successful with Southampton, making 36 League appearances and was the club's (joint) second-best scorer for the season with eight goals (a long way behind Colin Clarke with twenty). It was somewhat of a surprise to the Saints fans, therefore, when he was sold by to Millwall
for £160,000 in July 1987, although by now Matt Le Tissier
and Alan Shearer
were coming up through the ranks and were pushing for promotion to the first team. In his two periods with the Saints he made 104 appearances in all competitions, scoring 15 goals.
In his first season
at Millwall, he helped them win the Football League Division 2 championship, and then spent the 1988–89 season
with them in the First Division. He then spent three years at Bournemouth
before spending the summer of 1992 in Finland with Mikkelin Palloilijat
. In 1993, he made 14 appearances for Portsmouth
, all from the substitutes' bench (without scoring). He finished his playing career with a spell in Malta
, playing with Hibernians F.C.
where he won two consecutive titles, followed by lower-league football.
Since retiring from playing professionally, he has continued to turn out in veterans' matches as well as earning a living as a player's agent.
Hibernians
which was being aired on British television at the time he started his career.
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and was known by the nickname "Chicken George" throughout his career.
Playing career
Lawrence was born in KensingtonKensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and was a pupil at Christopher Wren School where he was spotted by Southampton's London scouting network, joining The Saints as a trainee in August 1979. He made his debut in 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...
match against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on 6 October 1981 replacing Nick Holmes
Nick Holmes (footballer)
Nicholas Charles Holmes is a retired footballer, who won the FA Cup Final with Southampton in 1976 and, from July 2002 to July 2010, was general manager of Salisbury City.-Southampton:...
. He made his first appearance in the starting line-up on 17 October, replacing Mick Channon
Mick Channon
Michael Roger "Mick" Channon is a sportsman who enjoyed a career as a striker with Southampton and England in the 1970s and later became a hugely successful racehorse trainer.-Southampton:...
in a league game against Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
.
According to Holley & Chalk's "The Alphabet of the Saints", he "soon brought added meaning to the word unpredictable". He was "full of strong surging runs" and "would, when remembering to take the ball with him, completely perplex opposing defenders and cause havoc in the penalty area".
In his first period at The Dell
The Dell (Southampton F.C.)
The Dell in Milton Road, Southampton, England was the home ground of Southampton Football Club, between 1898 and 2001.-New stadium:Since 1896, Southampton had been tenants of Hampshire County Cricket Club at the County Ground, having vacated the Antelope Ground in the summer of 1896...
, Southampton had an abundance of strikers, including Channon and Steve Moran
Steve Moran
Stephen James "Steve" Moran, was a pacy mobile striker who was one of the stars for Southampton during the mid 1980s. Moran was one of the finest strikers that Southampton has possessed...
, together with Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
, Steve Williams and David Armstrong
David Armstrong (English footballer)
David Armstrong, born Durham, 26 December 1954 is a former footballer who played most of his career for Middlesbrough , before moving to Southampton in August 1981 where he played for a further six seasons...
in midfield, so his chances were limited. He spent the end of the 1981-82 season
1981-82 in English football
The 1981–82 season was the 102nd season of competitive football in England.It was also the first season that the Three points for a win system was introduced.- First Division :Three points for a win was introduced for the first time in England...
on loan at 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...
and, after returning to Southampton for the start of the following season, he moved permanently to Oxford in November 1982.
After two years with Oxford, he was rather surprisingly re-signed by the Saints' newly appointed manager, Chris Nicholl
Chris Nicholl
Christopher John "Chris" Nicholl is an English-born former Northern Ireland international footballer.-Playing career:Nicholl was born in Macclesfield...
. Again, Lawrence was in competition with several strikers including Moran, Joe Jordan
Joe Jordan (footballer)
Joseph "Joe" Jordan is a Scottish football coach and former player and manager. He is currently first team coach for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, under manager Harry Redknapp....
, Alan Curtis
Alan Curtis (footballer)
Alan Thomas Curtis is a former Welsh international footballer, who played as a forward. He played 35 times for Wales scoring 6 goals...
and Danny Wallace
Danny Wallace (footballer)
David Lloyd "Danny" Wallace is an English former footballer who played for Southampton, Manchester United, Millwall, Birmingham City and Wycombe Wanderers. He won one full cap for England. His football career was ended prematurely by the effects of multiple sclerosis.-Southampton:Wallace was born...
. Lawrence knuckled down and, always with a smile on his face, set out to try to make his second spell more productive than the first.
The 1986–87 season
1986-87 in English football
The 1986–87 season was the 107th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The First Division championship went to Everton in their final season under the management of Howard Kendall before his departure to Athletic Bilbao. His side overcame a spate of injuries to fight off...
was his most successful with Southampton, making 36 League appearances and was the club's (joint) second-best scorer for the season with eight goals (a long way behind Colin Clarke with twenty). It was somewhat of a surprise to the Saints fans, therefore, when he was sold by to Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
for £160,000 in July 1987, although by now Matt Le Tissier
Matthew Le Tissier
Matthew "Matt" Le Tissier is a retired English footballer who played for Southampton and England.An attacking midfielder with exceptional technical skills, Le Tissier is the second-highest ever scorer for Southampton behind Mick Channon and was voted PFA Young Player of the Year in 1990. He was...
and Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
were coming up through the ranks and were pushing for promotion to the first team. In his two periods with the Saints he made 104 appearances in all competitions, scoring 15 goals.
In his first season
1987-88 in English football
The 1987–88 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all season....
at Millwall, he helped them win the Football League Division 2 championship, and then spent 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...
with them in the First Division. He then spent three years at Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
before spending the summer of 1992 in Finland with Mikkelin Palloilijat
Mikkelin Palloilijat
Mikkelin Palloilijat is a Finnish football club, based in Mikkeli. Club was formed in 1929 and has also had teams in volleyball, ice hockey and bandy. It played in the Finnish First Division from 2004 to 2006 but was relegated to Kakkonen at the end of the season...
. In 1993, he made 14 appearances for Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, all from the substitutes' bench (without scoring). He finished his playing career with a spell in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, playing with Hibernians F.C.
Hibernians F.C.
Hibernians F.C. is a Maltese football club hailing from the town of Paola, Malta. It is one of the top football teams in Malta. The club was founded in 1922, but football in Paola, Raħal Ġdid in Maltese, dates back to 1894. The team has a long successful story in its history. Hibernians has always...
where he won two consecutive titles, followed by lower-league football.
Since retiring from playing professionally, he has continued to turn out in veterans' matches as well as earning a living as a player's agent.
Honours
MillwallMillwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
- 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...
championship: 1987-88
Hibernians
Hibernians F.C.
Hibernians F.C. is a Maltese football club hailing from the town of Paola, Malta. It is one of the top football teams in Malta. The club was founded in 1922, but football in Paola, Raħal Ġdid in Maltese, dates back to 1894. The team has a long successful story in its history. Hibernians has always...
- Maltese Premier LeagueMaltese Premier LeagueThe Maltese Premier League, known as BOV Premier League for sponsorship reasons , is the top level league for football in Malta. The league was first competed in 1909...
championship: 1993-94 & 1994-95
Chicken George
Throughout his career, he was affectionately known by the nickname "Chicken George", after the character in the TV series RootsRoots (TV miniseries)
Roots is a 1977 American television miniseries based on Alex Haley's fictional novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. Roots received 36 Emmy Award nominations, winning nine. It also won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award. It received unprecedented Nielsen ratings with the finale still...
which was being aired on British television at the time he started his career.