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Ivor Allchurch

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Ivor Allchurch
Personal information
Full name Ivor John Allchurch[1]
Date of birth (1929-10-16)16 October 1929
Place of birth Swansea, Wales
Date of death 10 July 1997(1997-07-10) (aged 67)
Place of death Swansea, Wales
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Inside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1947–1958 Swansea Town 327 (124)
1958–1962 Newcastle United 143 (46)
1962–1965 Cardiff City 103 (39)
1965–1968 Swansea Town 118 (40)
Total 691 (249)
International career
1950–1966 Wales 68 (23[2])
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ivor John Allchurch MBE (16 October 1929 – 10 July 1997) was a Welsh international footballer. His brother was Len Allchurch.

Known as 'The Golden Boy' of Welsh football,[3] Allchurch played for Swansea Town, Newcastle United and Cardiff City, where he played 691 games and scored 249 goals. His record of 68 caps for Wales stood until 1986, when it was exceeded by Joey Jones.[4] He also held the record number of goals scored for Wales, 23, which was eventually broken by Ian Rush. His talents were more widely recognised after his performance for Wales during the 1958 World Cup, in which he helped them to reach the quarter finals.

Biography

Early life

Allchurch was born in Swansea, and was first spotted playing football at Cwm Level,[5] in the Plasmarl area of Swansea, where he lived at the time. Joe Sykes,[6] a scout and former player of Swansea Town, who was there to watch another player, felt that in Allchurch he had 'unearthed a gem of great quality'. After gaining Allchurch's father's permission, Mr Sykes, as he was known by the players, took Ivor to meet the then manager of Swansea Town, Haydn Green.

Playing career

Allchurch started his career at Swansea Town in 1947, although he did not make his league debut until the 1950–51 season because of National Service. He went on to make 445 appearances and score 164 goals.

He joined Newcastle United F.C. in 1958 for a fee in the region of £28,000.[6] In August 1962, he moved on to Cardiff City, scoring on his debut in a 4–4 draw with his former club Newcastle United.[4] He went on to finish as the club's top scorer in the 1963–64 and 1964–65 seasons and later returned for a second spell at Swansea, at the age of 35. He was released by Swansea at the end of the 1967–68 season and signed for Worcester City. He later had a spell as player-manager of Haverfordwest County and ended his career at Pontardawe Athletic at the age of 50. Allchurch played 691 league games and scored 249 goals in his professional career.

He made his international debut against England in 1951 and played his final game for his country against Chile in 1966. In all, Allchurch scored 23 goals for Wales (a record until 1986) in 68 appearances (also a record until 1986). He was also a member of the Welsh squad that played in the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden.

Playing style and character

A similar player to Northern Ireland's Peter Doherty, Allchurch was a talented footballer, able to move past players with ease. His overall game was unhurried, consisting of pinpoint passes. He had a strong left-foot shot that could also be very accurate, scoring most of his goals from outside of the box. On and off the pitch Allchurch has been described as 'a gentleman', with a quiet unassuming manner.

Allchurch died in 1997, aged 67, at his home in his much loved City of Swansea. His funeral service, held at the city's Morriston crematorium, was attended by hundreds of people including many famous footballers.

Quotes about Allchurch

Sir Matt Busby – "Ivor never needed a number on his back for identification. His polish, his class could not be missed. He vies with the greatest of all time, yet he has a modesty that becomes him"

Sir Bobby Charlton: "He was a great player, with footballing presence and charisma"

Bobby Moore:"One of the best inside-forwards I have ever played against"

Recognition of achievements

To celebrate Allchurch's achievements for his local club, it was originally decided that money should be raised for a bust of him, which was raised by Swansea City supporters.

There is now a statue in honour of him outside

's Liberty Stadium.[7] His brother, Len, was also a footballer.

In 1966, he was awarded an MBE in recognition of his services to football.[6] He is also a member of the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Search 1984 to 2006 – Birth, Marriage and Death indexes". Findmypast.com. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  2. ^ Alpuin, Luis Fernando Passo (20 February 2009). "Wales – Record International Players". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 March 2009.
  3. ^ "All aboard the Ivor Allchurch ftrmetro". Swansea City A.F.C. 17 October 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  4. ^ a b Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.
  5. ^ "Ivor Allchurch". South Wales Evening Post. 18 August 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  6. ^ a b c Jones, Ken (12 July 1997). "Obituary: Ivor Allchurch". London: The Independent. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  7. ^ "Memorial planned for soccer star". BBC News. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  8. ^ "Inductees to roll of honour". Welsh Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
Awards
Preceded by BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year
1962 		Succeeded by

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