Wayne Biggins
Encyclopedia
Wayne Biggins is an English former professional footballer born in Sheffield
who made more than 450 appearances in the Football League
and also played in the Scottish Football League
. He was a striker and was nicknamed "Bertie" throughout his career.
he played just eight games for them before he was released. He then played non-league football for Matlock Town
and King's Lynn
while working as a hod carrier. Biggins found a way back into league football with Burnley
in 1984, for whom he scored 29 goals in 78 appearances. His form attracted the attention of Norwich City
, whose manager Ken Brown signed him in October 1985 for a transfer fee of £35,000. Norwich were re-building their squad after relegation from the first division and were looking to bounce back to the top flight at the first attempt. They succeeded, and Biggins ended the season with a second division championship medal. He stayed at Carrow Road
until the summer of 1988 when Manchester City
's new manager Mel Machin
– who had until that summer been Brown's assistant at Norwich – took him to Maine Road
. He scored 9 goals in 32 games for Manchester City before moving to Stoke City
, where he scored 46 goals in 122 games, and then to Barnsley
.
Lou Macari then signed him for Celtic
. His and Macari's time at Celtic coincided with a period generally regarded by the club's fans as the worst in their history. Biggins struggled to make an impact at Parkhead and is not remembered with fondness by the club's supporters.
He returned to Stoke for £125,000 on transfer deadline day in March 1994, before playing out his league career with Luton Town
, Oxford United
and Wigan Athletic
. He won a Third Division
championship medal with Wigan in 1997. He went back into non-league football
with Leek Town
before moving to Stocksbridge Park Steels
, where he became assistant manager and then manager until November 2003. He later played for and coached Buxton
.
Stoke City
Wigan Athletic
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
who made more than 450 appearances 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...
and also played in the Scottish Football League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
. He was a striker and was nicknamed "Bertie" throughout his career.
Career
Biggins was a latecomer to league football, for although he began his career with Lincoln CityLincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
he played just eight games for them before he was released. He then played non-league football for Matlock Town
Matlock Town F.C.
Matlock Town F.C. is an English football club based at Causeway Lane in Matlock, Derbyshire.-History:The club was established in the late 1870s and have competed in the Central Alliance and the Midland Counties League before reaching the Northern Premier League.In the 1974–75 season the club won...
and King's Lynn
King's Lynn F.C.
King's Lynn F.C. was an English football club based in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Established in 1879, they were wound up at the High Court on 25 November 2009 with debts of £77,000 and went out of business in December after a failed appeal...
while working as a hod carrier. Biggins found a way back into league football with Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
in 1984, for whom he scored 29 goals in 78 appearances. His form attracted the attention of Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
, whose manager Ken Brown signed him in October 1985 for a transfer fee of £35,000. Norwich were re-building their squad after relegation from the first division and were looking to bounce back to the top flight at the first attempt. They succeeded, and Biggins ended the season with a second division championship medal. He stayed at Carrow Road
Carrow Road
Carrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
until the summer of 1988 when Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
's new manager Mel Machin
Mel Machin
Melvyn "Mel" Machin is an English former footballer and manager.A midfielder, he started his career at Port Vale in 1962, before he moved on to Gillingham four years later. He made his name at the club from 1966 to 1971, before he transferred to Bournemouth for a three year spell...
– who had until that summer been Brown's assistant at Norwich – took him to Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
. He scored 9 goals in 32 games for Manchester City before moving to Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, where he scored 46 goals in 122 games, and then to Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
.
Lou Macari then signed him for Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
. His and Macari's time at Celtic coincided with a period generally regarded by the club's fans as the worst in their history. Biggins struggled to make an impact at Parkhead and is not remembered with fondness by the club's supporters.
He returned to Stoke for £125,000 on transfer deadline day in March 1994, before playing out his league career with Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
, 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 Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. He won a 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...
championship medal with Wigan in 1997. He went back into 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 Leek Town
Leek Town F.C.
Leek Town Football Club is an English football club based in Leek, Staffordshire, currently playing in the Northern Premier League Division One South...
before moving to Stocksbridge Park Steels
Stocksbridge Park Steels F.C.
Stocksbridge Park Steels Football Club is a football club based in Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire, England, playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division. The club was formed in 1986 after a merger between two other clubs, and initially played in the Northern Counties East League...
, where he became assistant manager and then manager until November 2003. He later played for and coached Buxton
Buxton F.C.
Buxton Football Club are an English football club based in Buxton, Derbyshire. They were established in 1877 and joined the Combination League in 1891. They then joined the Manchester League in 1899 and won the championship in 1932. They reached the 3rd round of the FA Cup in the 1951-52 season....
.
Honours
Norwich City- 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...
champions: 1985–86
Stoke City
- Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
winners: 1992
Wigan Athletic
- Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe 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...
champions: 1996–97
External links
- Biggins' league stats at Neil Brown's site
- Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk