Paul Bradshaw
Encyclopedia
Paul William Bradshaw (born 28 April 1956) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League
for Blackburn Rovers
, Wolverhampton Wanderers
, West Bromwich Albion
, Bristol Rovers
, Newport County
and Peterborough United
, and in the North American Soccer League
for the Vancouver Whitecaps
.
, and began his career as an apprentice at Blackburn Rovers
. He signed professionally in June 1973, and broke into the first team in the following season, making 18 appearances in the Third Division
. He came to prominence in the 1976–77 season, when he made 41 league appearances, and played in the first ever England under-21
international match, thus attracting the attention of First Division
club Wolverhampton Wanderers
.
Wolves paid a club record £150,000 for Bradshaw in September 1977. He made his debut on 1 October 1977 in a 3–0 home win over Leicester City
and remained the first-choice goalkeeper for the next five seasons. Bradshaw made 243 appearances for Wolves in total, winning the 1980 League Cup
, playing in two FA Cup
semi-finals and appearing in European competition. He was voted the club's Player of the Year in both 1981 and 1982.
He lost his place to John Burridge
for the 1982–83 season, as the club won promotion
back to the top flight at the first attempt. Bradshaw remained to play 10 more First Division games for the side before leaving in August 1984 to join the Vancouver Whitecaps
of the North American Soccer League
.
After the American league folded, Bradshaw returned to England. He joined West Bromwich Albion
in February 1985 as a back-up player until he took up a coaching role at Walsall
in June 1986. He soon returned to playing though, signing for Bristol Rovers
on a non-contract basis, and later played in Newport County
final season in the Football League
. After a second spell at West Bromwich Albion, he played the 1990–91 season with Peterborough United
and finished his career in non-league football
with Kettering Town
before retiring in 1992.
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 Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
, 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...
and Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
, and in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
for the Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...
.
Career
Bradshaw was born in AltrinchamAltrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
, and began his career as an apprentice at Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. He signed professionally in June 1973, and broke into the first team in the following season, making 18 appearances in the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
. He came to prominence in the 1976–77 season, when he made 41 league appearances, and played in the first ever England under-21
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
international match, thus attracting the attention of First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
club Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
.
Wolves paid a club record £150,000 for Bradshaw in September 1977. He made his debut on 1 October 1977 in a 3–0 home win over Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
and remained the first-choice goalkeeper for the next five seasons. Bradshaw made 243 appearances for Wolves in total, winning the 1980 League Cup
1980 Football League Cup Final
The 1980 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 1979–80 Football League Cup, the 20th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in The Football League...
, playing in two 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-finals and appearing in European competition. He was voted the club's Player of the Year in both 1981 and 1982.
He lost his place to John Burridge
John Burridge
John Burridge is an English former football goalkeeper who played for 29 different clubs in a career that lasted nearly 30 years. Overall, Burridge played 771 league games in the English and Scottish leagues, and several more at non-league level...
for the 1982–83 season, as the club won promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
back to the top flight at the first attempt. Bradshaw remained to play 10 more First Division games for the side before leaving in August 1984 to join the Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
.
After the American league folded, Bradshaw returned to England. He joined West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in February 1985 as a back-up player until he took up a coaching role at Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
in June 1986. He soon returned to playing though, signing for Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
on a non-contract basis, and later played in 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...
final season 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...
. After a second spell at West Bromwich Albion, he played the 1990–91 season with Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
and finished his career 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 Kettering Town
Kettering Town F.C.
Kettering Town Football Club are a football club originating in Kettering, Northamptonshire but currently based in the nearby village of Irthlingborough. The club play in the Conference National after winning the Conference North in 2007–08...
before retiring in 1992.
External links
- League stats at Neil Brown's site