Len Stephenson

Len Stephenson
Personal information
Full name Robert Leonard Stephenson[1]
Date of birth (1930-07-14)14 July 1930[1]
Place of birth Blackpool, England[1]
Date of death 29 September 2014(2014-09-29) (aged 84)[2]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Centre-forward
Youth career
St. Mary's Youth Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1948–1955 Blackpool 24 (10)
1955–1957 Port Vale 61 (16)
1957–1958 Oldham Athletic 8 (0)
Witton Albion
Total 93 (26)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Robert Leonard Stephenson (14 July 1930 – 29 September 2014) was an English footballer. A centre-forward, he scored 26 goals in 93 league games in a seven-year career in the Football League for Blackpool, Port Vale, and Oldham Athletic.

Career

Stephenson began his professional career with Joe Smith's Blackpool in November 1948. It wasn't until just over two years later, on 20 January 1951, that he made his debut in a 2–2 league draw with Sunderland at Bloomfield Road. He scored the hosts' second goal in his only appearance of the 1950–51 campaign.[3] He made three First Division appearances during the following season,[4] before injury struck, and sat out the entire 1952–53 term, at the climax of which Blackpool won the FA Cup.[5]

Stephenson returned to the Blackpool line-up two-thirds of the way through 1953–54, scoring their first goal in a 3–2 home league victory over Aston Villa on 23 January. He made seven more league appearances that season, scoring another three goals. He also scored in the FA Cup, in Blackpool's third-round replay victory over Luton Town at Molineux Stadium.[6]

He scored five goals in his eleven league appearances during 1954–55, including the only goal of the game in a victory over West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on 11 December. He made his final appearance for the "Seasiders" on 15 January, in a 2–0 defeat at home to Wolves.[7]

Stephenson joined Port Vale on 10 March 1955 for £5,000.[1] He scored his first goal for the "Valiants" on 19 March, in a 2–1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Vale Park.[1] He made a further nine Second Division appearances, without scoring any further goals, in the 1954–55 season.[1]

With 14 goals in 33 appearances, he was the club's top scorer in the 1955–56 season;[1] however, he lost his place in January 1957 after manager Freddie Steele resigned from his post.[1] The club were relegated under new boss Norman Low, and Stephenson was transferred to Oldham Athletic for £1,025 in June 1957.[1] He made eight Third Division North appearances for Ted Goodier's "Latics" in 1957–58, before departing Boundary Park to finish his career with Cheshire County League side Witton Albion.[8] He scored 11 goals in 23 games in the 1958–59 season and 11 goals from 39 games in the 1959–60 campaign.[9][10]

Career statistics

Source:[11]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Blackpool 1950–51 First Division 1 1 0 0 1 1
1951–52 First Division 3 0 0 0 3 0
1952–53 First Division 9 4 4 1 13 5
1953–54 First Division 11 5 0 0 11 5
Total 24 10 4 1 28 11
Port Vale 1954–55 Second Division 10 1 0 0 10 1
1955–56 Second Division 31 12 2 2 33 14
1956–57 Second Division 20 3 2 1 22 4
Total 61 16 4 3 65 19
Oldham Athletic 1957–58 Third Division North 8 0 0 0 8 0
Career total 93 26 8 4 101 30

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 281. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ^ Baggaley, Mike (29 September 2014). "Former Port Vale and Blackpool striker Len Stephenson dies aged 84". The Sentinel. Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  3. ^ Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p. 276. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
  4. ^ Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p. 278
  5. ^ Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p. 280
  6. ^ Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p. 282
  7. ^ Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p. 284
  8. ^ Oldham F.C. at Neil Brown's statistical website
  9. ^ "1957-58 PLAYERS RECORDS". www.wittonalbionfc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  10. ^ "1958-59 PLAYERS RECORDS". www.wittonalbionfc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  11. ^ Len Stephenson at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)