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Norman Wilkinson (footballer born 1931)
Encyclopedia
Norman Francis Wilkinson (16 February 1931 – 29 January 2011) was an English footballer. He started his career with non-League
Crook Town before joining Football League
team Hull City
in 1953. He joined York City
in 1954 and is the club's leading goalscorer with 143 goals. He returned to non-League with Annfield Plain
after retiring from League football.
, Northumberland, Wilkinson started his career playing in non-League football
with Northern League side Crook Town, before joining Hull City
of the Second Division
as an amateur in November 1952. He made eight appearances and scored three goals in the Football League
for Hull in the 1953–54 season. He joined Third Division North
team York City
for a signing on fee of £10 in May 1954. He scored two goals on his debut in the 6–2 victory against Wrexham on the opening day of the 1954–55 season. He was part of the team that reached the FA Cup
semi-final in the 1954–55 season, scoring against Scarborough
, Dorchester Town
and Tottenham Hotspur
. Wilkinson is York's highest goalscorer with 143 goals in all competitions. He retired from League football in 1966 but continued on playing non-League football for Annfield Plain
and also worked as a scout for York in the North East
.
. Before signing for Hull he served in the Royal Air Force
. He died in his sleep at the age of 79 on 29 January 2011.
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
Crook Town before joining Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
team Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
in 1953. He joined York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
in 1954 and is the club's leading goalscorer with 143 goals. He returned to non-League with Annfield Plain
Annfield Plain F.C.
Annfield Plain Football Club is an English amateur association football club. The club is based in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, County Durham and its home stadium is Derwent Park. The first team joined the North Eastern League for the 1925–26 season and played in the league until 1964, when they...
after retiring from League football.
Career
Born in AlnwickAlnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
, Northumberland, Wilkinson started his career playing in non-League football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
with Northern League side Crook Town, before joining Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
of the 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...
as an amateur in November 1952. He made eight appearances and scored three goals in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Hull in the 1953–54 season. He joined Third Division North
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
team York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
for a signing on fee of £10 in May 1954. He scored two goals on his debut in the 6–2 victory against Wrexham on the opening day of the 1954–55 season. He was part of the team that reached 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...
semi-final in the 1954–55 season, scoring against Scarborough
Scarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
, Dorchester Town
Dorchester Town F.C.
Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South...
and Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
. Wilkinson is York's highest goalscorer with 143 goals in all competitions. He retired from League football in 1966 but continued on playing non-League football for Annfield Plain
Annfield Plain F.C.
Annfield Plain Football Club is an English amateur association football club. The club is based in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, County Durham and its home stadium is Derwent Park. The first team joined the North Eastern League for the 1925–26 season and played in the league until 1964, when they...
and also worked as a scout for York in the North East
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
.
Personal life
During his career, Wilkinson played as a part-timer while also working as a shoe repairer and commuted from his home in north DurhamDurham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
. Before signing for Hull he served in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. He died in his sleep at the age of 79 on 29 January 2011.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Hull City Hull City A.F.C. Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football... |
1952–53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1953–54 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | |
| Total | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | |
| York City York City F.C. York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions... |
1954–55 | 39 | 19 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 23 |
| 1955–56 | 27 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 11 | |
| 1956–57 | 38 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 18 | |
| 1957–58 | 41 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 12 | |
| 1958–59 | 27 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 9 | |
| 1959–60 | 37 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 14 | |
| 1960–61 | 35 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 15 | |
| 1961–62 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 3 | |
| 1962–63 | 38 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 17 | |
| 1963–64 | 27 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 12 | |
| 1964–65 | 23 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 9 | |
| 1965–66 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 354 | 127 | 39 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 401 | 143 | |
| Career totals | 362 | 130 | 39 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 409 | 146 | |