Peter Goring
Encyclopedia
Harry Goring (January 2, 1927 – December 1994) was an English
football
er.
Born in Bishop's Cleeve
, Gloucestershire
, Goring first played for local Southern League
side Cheltenham Town
, making a name for himself as a prolific centre forward
. He was signed by First Division
Arsenal
in January 1948, although he spent the next eighteen months playing in the reserve side.
After impressing on the club's tour of Brazil
in the summer of 1949, Goring made his first-team debut against Chelsea
on August 24, 1949; Arsenal won 2-1. In his first season, Goring was the club's second-top goalscorer in the League, with 21 goals in 29 matches. Arsenal only finished fifth that season, but did win the FA Cup
, beating Liverpool
2-0 in the final; Goring started up front but did not score.
Goring continued to play up front for the Gunners (scoring 16 times the following season), but was displaced by Cliff Holton
in 1951-52
, and his form noticeably dropped; he only scored five goals in 19 appearances that season. However, he fought his way back into the side the following season, where he scored ten goals in 29 appearances, as Arsenal won the League on goal average.
However, in 1953-54
his goalscoring touch deserted him entirely, and he only played nine matches without scoring a single goal. Arsenal manager Tom Whittaker
still had faith in Goring, and after switching him to right half, Goring became a first team regular once again. He missed only six matches over the next two seasons, and was picked for a Football Association
XI that toured the West Indies in the summer of 1955.
The latter years of Goring's career were afflicted by age and injuries; in his final three seasons at the club, between 1956 and 1959, he only played 25 times - only twice in 1958-59
- as he gradually dropped down to the reserves. In all he played 240 matches for Arsenal, scoring 53 goals. Goring moved on in the summer of 1959 to Boston United
in a swap deal that took Alan Ashberry to Arsenal, before retiring from playing.
After retiring from football Goring returned to Cheltenham
to run the family butcher's shop, Wheeler & Goring on Tewkesbury Road. In September 1968 Goring was appointed manager of Forest Green Rovers
he stayed in charge of the club for 11 seasons until he resigned in October 1979, during which time he took them from the Gloucestershire County League
to Hellenic League
. He died in 1994, aged 67.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
er.
Born in Bishop's Cleeve
Bishop's Cleeve
Bishop's Cleeve is an urbanised village in the Borough of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England, near Cheltenham. The village lies at the foot of Cleeve Hill, the highest point in the Cotswolds.- History :...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, Goring first played for local Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
side Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham Town F.C.
Cheltenham Town Football Club is an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Founded in 1887, the team has played at four different grounds, namely Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Carter's Field and now the Abbey Business Stadium, although it is more...
, making a name for himself as a prolific centre forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He was signed by 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....
Arsenal
Arsenal 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...
in January 1948, although he spent the next eighteen months playing in the reserve side.
After impressing on the club's tour of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in the summer of 1949, Goring made his first-team debut 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 August 24, 1949; Arsenal won 2-1. In his first season, Goring was the club's second-top goalscorer in the League, with 21 goals in 29 matches. Arsenal only finished fifth that season, but did win 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...
, beating Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
2-0 in the final; Goring started up front but did not score.
Goring continued to play up front for the Gunners (scoring 16 times the following season), but was displaced by Cliff Holton
Cliff Holton
Clifford Charles "Cliff" Holton was an English footballer.Born in Oxford, Holton played as a full back for non-league Oxford City as a youth, before joining Arsenal in October 1947 at the age of 18. He spent three seasons in the Gunners' reserve team, eventually converting to a centre forward...
in 1951-52
1951-52 in English football
The 1951–52 season was the 72nd season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
, and his form noticeably dropped; he only scored five goals in 19 appearances that season. However, he fought his way back into the side the following season, where he scored ten goals in 29 appearances, as Arsenal won the League on goal average.
However, in 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:...
his goalscoring touch deserted him entirely, and he only played nine matches without scoring a single goal. Arsenal manager Tom Whittaker
Tom Whittaker (footballer)
Thomas James "Tom" Whittaker MBE was an English football player, trainer and manager, chiefly associated with Arsenal Football Club...
still had faith in Goring, and after switching him to right half, Goring became a first team regular once again. He missed only six matches over the next two seasons, and was picked for a Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
XI that toured the West Indies in the summer of 1955.
The latter years of Goring's career were afflicted by age and injuries; in his final three seasons at the club, between 1956 and 1959, he only played 25 times - only twice in 1958-59
1958-59 in English football
The 1958–59 season was the 79th season of competitive football in England.-Diary of the season:August 1958: The Football League season begins with the new national Third and Fourth divisions that have been created from the old Third Division North and Third Division South.September 1958: Manchester...
- as he gradually dropped down to the reserves. In all he played 240 matches for Arsenal, scoring 53 goals. Goring moved on in the summer of 1959 to Boston United
Boston United F.C.
Boston United Football Club are an association football club based in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. They currently play in the Conference North. The club is known as 'the Pilgrims' in reference to the Pilgrim Fathers, who fled from Boston to the USA and founded Boston, Massachusetts. The club's...
in a swap deal that took Alan Ashberry to Arsenal, before retiring from playing.
After retiring from football Goring returned to Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
to run the family butcher's shop, Wheeler & Goring on Tewkesbury Road. In September 1968 Goring was appointed manager of Forest Green Rovers
Forest Green Rovers F.C.
Forest Green Rovers Football Club is an English football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, currently the longest-serving members of the Conference National. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.-Early years:...
he stayed in charge of the club for 11 seasons until he resigned in October 1979, during which time he took them from the Gloucestershire County League
Gloucestershire County League
The Gloucestershire County League is a football league in England, founded in 1968. The league is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA....
to Hellenic League
Hellenic Football League
The Hellenic Football League is an English football league covering an area including the English counties of Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, southern Buckinghamshire, southern Herefordshire, western Greater London, and northern Wiltshire. There is also one team from Hampshire.The league...
. He died in 1994, aged 67.