Bob Newton (footballer, born 1956)

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Bob Newton
Personal information
Full name Robert Newton[1]
Date of birth (1956-11-23) 23 November 1956 (age 67)
Place of birth Chesterfield, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1977 Huddersfield Town 42 (7)
1977–1982 Hartlepool United 150 (48)
1980 → New England (loan) 21 (14)
1981 → Jacksonville Tea Men (loan) 25 (3)
1982–1983 Port Vale 48 (22)
1983–1985 Chesterfield 78 (29)
1985–1986 Hartlepool United 11 (2)
1986 → Stockport County (loan) 6 (1)
1987 Bristol Rovers 8 (0)
1987 Goole Town
1987–1988 Boston United 27 (10)
1988–1990 AEP Paphos
1990 Lai Sun
1990–1991 Eastern
1991–1992 Alfreton Town
1992–199? Oakham United
Total 416 (136)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Robert Newton (born 23 November 1956) is an English footballer. Newton played as a striker for several clubs in the lower divisions of the English Football League during the 1970s and 1980s. He is most notable for his first five-year spell at Hartlepool United between 1977 and 1982, where he wrote himself into club history with his 48 goals in 150 league games. Popular with Hartlepool supporters, he was later voted as the club's 'Player of the 1980s'.[3][4]

Career[edit]

Huddersfield Town[edit]

Newton began his career at Huddersfield Town with the "Terriers" in 1973–74. Newton was named most valuable player in a world youth competition at 17, but suffered two severe injuries that took him off the field for more than two years.[5] He spent four years at Huddersfield and left to join Hartlepool United in mid-1977 for a fee of £5,000.[6]

Hartlepool United[edit]

He scored eight goals for Hartlepool in his debut season, including both goals in the club's shock 2–1 victory against Crystal Palace in the third round of the FA Cup.[7]

Off the field, Newton has had two car accidents, including one in 1978 in which his passenger, teammate Dave Wiggett, was fatally injured; he was sentenced to nine months in prison in 1979 after being found Guilty of causing death by reckless driving.[8][9] After the incident he moved to the United States, playing for the New England/Jacksonville Tea Men in the North American Soccer League in 1980 and 1981.[5][10]

Newton returned to English football and was well received by fans at the Victoria Ground, and for three years formed a strike partnership with teammate Keith Houchen. In 1981–82, Newton and Houchen each had 18 goals and were Hartlepool's top scorers with Newton scoring a total of sixty goals with Hartlepool.[11]

Port Vale[edit]

In September 1982, Newton was transferred to Port Vale for £15,000.[6] He went on to become the team's top scorer with 22 goals, while the club achieved promotion to the Third Division.[12][13] "Valiants" manager John McGrath nicknamed Newton and strike partner Ernie Moss as the "Kray twins" due to their dominance of opposition defenders.[14]

We were quite a big, physical team and, in Bob Newton, had this barrel-chested striker who just loved a battle with the opposition centre-halves. I hope he doesn't mind me saying that his game was less about finesse and more about blundering the ball into the net – taking the goalkeeper with it if necessary. Don't get me wrong, Bob was a good player, as his 24 goals in 51 appearances suggests. Besides, I had reason to be grateful for his fearsome reputation. When I broke into the team as a naive teenager, any defender who tried to kick lumps out of me would soon get a warning from Bob. He was a cult hero with supporters who loved to see him score goals, and bully defenders. He would sometimes take his false front tooth out to make him look more ferocious. There was nothing underhand or sneaky about his game. All the crowd could see when he was going to put a full-back into the Railway Stand."

— Former Port Vale teammate Robbie Earle in 2012.[15]

Chesterfield[edit]

The following season, he joined his hometown club Chesterfield, with Martin Henderson and £8,000 going to Port Vale.[16] Newton scored two goals on his debut on 15 October, in a 4–2 win over Rochdale.[17] He spent two seasons at Saltergate and topped the Spireites' goalscoring chart in both seasons, forming a powerful front three with Phil Brown and Ernie Moss.[16][13] After leaving Chesterfield Newton returned to Hartlepool in the summer of 1985 for a fee of £17,500 on the promise of better wages.[6][18][16]

Later career[edit]

After his return to Hartlepool, Newton struggled with illness and injury and was limited to two goals in 11 league matches before being loaned to Stockport County and subsequently released.[6] He finished his Football League career with the Bristol Rovers in 1987. He then played for the Cyprus-based AEP Paphos and Hong Kong's Eastern and Lai Sun, before returning to England.[12] He later played for several non-League clubs, including Goole Town, Boston United, Alfreton Town and Oakham United.[19][6]

Style of play[edit]

Newton was a strong and determined forward.[20]

Post-retirement[edit]

Since retiring, Newton has been involved in various charity causes.[21][22][23] He operated a mobile cafe near Chesterfield for many years.[19] He started a footballing coaching franchise called Schools Football Initiative (SFI) and hosted a radio show in Chesterfield.[6] In December 1986, seven years after being sent to prison for causing death by reckless driving, he pleaded guilty to reckless driving and was banned from driving for five years and given a suspended prison sentence after speeding through red lights at speeds of 85 mph in Chesterfield whilst twice the legal limit for alcohol.[24][25] He later worked as a lorry driver before he was again caught drunk driving and handed a 12-month driving ban in December 2007.[26] His son, Lee, was a trainee at Chesterfield.[16]

Career statistics[edit]

Source:[27][28][29]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Huddersfield Town 1973–74 Third Division 4 0 1 2 0 0 5 2
1974–75 Third Division 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
1975–76 Fourth Division 18 5 0 0 0 0 18 5
1976–77 Fourth Division 17 2 2 0 4 3 23 5
Total 42 7 3 2 4 3 49 12
Hartlepool United 1977–78 Fourth Division 30 3 5 5 2 0 37 8
1978–79 Fourth Division 23 8 2 2 2 1 27 11
1979–80 Fourth Division 33 12 1 1 0 0 34 13
1980–81 Fourth Division 27 10 1 0 0 0 28 10
1981–82 Fourth Division 34 15 2 2 1 1 37 18
1982–83 Fourth Division 3 0 0 0 4 0 7 0
Total 150 48 11 10 9 2 170 59
New England (loan) 1980 NASL 21 14 – – – – 21 14
Jacksonville Tea Men (loan) 1981 NASL 25 3 – – – – 25 3
Port Vale 1982–83 Fourth Division 41 20 1 0 0 0 42 20
1983–84 Third Division 7 2 0 0 2 2 9 4
Total 48 22 1 0 2 2 51 24
Chesterfield 1983–84 Fourth Division 33 14 3 3 1 0 37 17
1984–85 Fourth Division 45 15 2 1 4 2 51 18
Total 78 29 5 4 5 2 88 35
Hartlepool United 1985–86 Fourth Division 11 2 0 0 3 0 14 2
Stockport County (loan) 1985–86 Fourth Division 6 1 0 0 0 0 6 1
Bristol Rovers 1986–87 Third Division 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 0
Boston United 1986–87 Conference 7 4 0 0 0 0 7 4
1987–88 Conference 20 6 2 0 7 1 29 7
Total 27 10 2 0 7 1 36 11
Career total 416 136 22 16 30 10 468 162

Honours[edit]

Port Vale

Chesterfield

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Bob Newton". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 126. ISBN 0362020175.
  3. ^ "Centenary Supporter: Dave King". hartlepoolunited.co.uk. 8 July 2008. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  4. ^ "Ritchie Humphreys Crowned Pools' Finest". hartlepoolunited.co.uk. 7 May 2008. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  5. ^ a b Randy Beard (24 May 1980). "Lofty Ambitions- Newton Maps A Double Flight Plan". The Evening Independent.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "The Bob Newton Interview – Part 2". The Vale Park Beano. 36.
  7. ^ "1977/78 Games Featuring Bob Newton". In The Mad Crowd. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2009.
  8. ^ "Newton of Tea Men Charged in Hit-Run". The New York Times. 1 August 1981. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  9. ^ "Drink shame for ex-Pools ace Newton". Hartlepool Mail. 20 December 2007. Archived from the original on 30 May 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  10. ^ "Tea Men Topple Soccer Chiefs". The Press-Courier. 24 August 1981.
  11. ^ "Bob Newton". In The Mad Crowd. Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2009.
  12. ^ a b Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 214. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  13. ^ a b "Bob Newton". Chesterfield' official site. 7 January 2008. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2009.
  14. ^ "Steven Jennings keen to make a name for himself at Port Vale". The Sentinel. 23 August 2014. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  15. ^ Earle, Robbie (26 October 2012). "Pope is having a great season, but these Port Vale strikers are top of my hit parade". The Sentinel. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  16. ^ a b c d "Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  17. ^ "Debut scorers". Google Docs. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  18. ^ Gavin Ledwith (27 March 2009). "Shrimpers skinned by Honour and Walker". Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  19. ^ a b official matchday programme Port Vale v Exeter City (PDF). 2 April 2001. p. 47. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  20. ^ Earle, Robbie (17 November 2016). "Robbie Earle: Alex Jones follows some great Port Vale finishers". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 17 November 2016.[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ "Cancer dad spurs pal's charity aim". 3 August 2006. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  22. ^ "Sunderland's greatest day, bar one". The Northern Echo. 5 December 2008. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  23. ^ "A fan-tastic 10 years for HUDSA". Hartlepool Mail. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  24. ^ "Ex-Vale player banned". Staffordshrie Sentinel. 11 December 1986. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  25. ^ "Jail threat to drive-drive soccer star". Derby Daily Telegraph. 25 February 1987. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  26. ^ "Drink shame for ex-Pools ace Newton". Hartlepool Mail. 20 December 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  27. ^ Bob Newton at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  28. ^ "Statistics Season 1986/87". bufc.drfox.org.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  29. ^ "Statistics Season 1987/88". bufc.drfox.org.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  30. ^ Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Rags to Riches (1979–1990)". The Valiants' Years: The Story of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 258–290. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
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