Andy Higgins (footballer, born 1960)

Andy Higgins
Personal information
Full name Andrew Martin Higgins[1]
Date of birth (1960-02-12)12 February 1960[1]
Place of birth Bolsover, England[2]
Date of death July 2021 (2021-08) (aged 61)
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[3]
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1976–1978 Chesterfield
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1978–1981 Chesterfield 1 (0)
1981–1982 Port Vale 14 (0)
1982–1983 Hartlepool United 4 (1)
1983 King's Lynn
1983–1984 Rochdale 33 (6)
1984–1985 Chester City 19 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Andrew Martin Higgins (12 February 1960 – July 2021) was an English footballer who played as a defender. He played 71 league games in the Football League, mostly for teams struggling near the bottom of the Fourth Division.

Career

Higgins turned professional with Chesterfield in February 1978.[4] He played one Third Division game for the "Spireites" in 1978–79, under Arthur Cox.[5] He signed with Port Vale in February 1981, with manager John McGrath looking to add some strength to a poor defence.[1] Higgins played ten games in 1980–81, helping the "Valiants" to rise off the foot of the Football League.[1] However, he failed to nail down a regular place and played just four Fourth Division games in 1981–82.[1] He was given a free transfer away from Vale Park in May 1982, and moved on to Billy Horner's Hartlepool United.[1] He played four league games in 1982–83, scoring one goal for a team struggling near the foot of the Fourth Division.[6] He later played for King's Lynn, before joining his former teammate Jimmy Greenhoff at Rochdale, who were forced to apply for re-election to the Football League in 1983–84. He then played 19 league games for Chester City in 1984–85 before leaving for South Africa.[7] He had been signed by John McGrath at Chester, before Mick Speight took over at Sealand Road.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[8]
Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Chesterfield 1978–79 Third Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Port Vale 1980–81 Fourth Division 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
1981–82 Fourth Division 4 0 2 0 2 0 8 0
Total 14 0 2 0 2 0 18 0
Hartlepool United 1982–83 Fourth Division 4 1 0 0 1 0 5 1
Rochdale 1982–83 Fourth Division 11 2 0 0 0 0 11 2
1983–84 Fourth Division 22 4 2 0 2 0 26 4
Total 33 6 2 0 2 0 37 6
Chester City 1984–85 Fourth Division 19 1 1 0 2 0 22 1

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 136. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ^ "RIP, Andy Higgins (1960–2021)". Port Vale F.C. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  3. ^ Rollin, Jack (1980). Rothmans football yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 134. ISBN 0362020175. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Apprentices 2020.xlsx". Google Docs. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  5. ^ "stats". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  6. ^ "stats". .neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  7. ^ "stats". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  8. ^ Andy Higgins at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)