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George Yardley (footballer)

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George Yardley
Personal information
Full name George McArthur Yardley[1]
Date of birth (1941-10-08)8 October 1941
Place of birth Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland
Date of death 14 November 2018(2018-11-14) (aged 76)[2]
Place of death Dalgety Bay, Fife, Scotland
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3]
Position(s) Goalkeeper, Centre forward
Youth career
Abbotshall Boy's Brigade
Novar Star Youth
Frances Colliery Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1959–1964 East Fife 62 (17)
1964 Forfar Athletic 4 (0)
1965 St. George-Budapest
1966 Luton Town 1 (0)
1966–1969 Tranmere Rovers 76 (49)
1969 St. George-Budapest
1969–1970 Tranmere Rovers 46 (19)
St. George-Budapest
1973–1974 Altrincham
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

George McArthur Yardley (8 October 1942 – 14 November 2018) was a Scottish footballer. Yardley began his career as a goalkeeper before becoming a centre forward, most notably for Tranmere Rovers F.C.

Playing career

Born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Yardley played his first football as a goalkeeper as an eight-year-old playing for Dunnikier Primary School. However, on moving to Temple Hall Secondary School he was forced to play as a forward because another goalkeeper was already playing.[4] At Frances Colliery Juniors he played mostly as a forward, occasionally playing in goal.[4]

In 1959 he signed an amateur contract with East Fife as a goalkeeper. After sustaining a hand injury in 1960 Yardley switched to primarily playing as a forward though he did play a number of matches in goal.[4][5] In 1964 Yardley trialled with Forfar Athletic, playing four matches. He then played out the second half of the 1963/1964 season with Montrose.[4]

Yardley played for Australian club St. George-Budapest in three separate stints. He played one season at St. George during the 1965 Australian season after emigrating to Australia in August 1964.[6][7]

On returning from Australia in October 1966, Yardley trialled for a month with English Fourth Division team Luton Town, playing one match.[4][8] In November 1966 he moved to Tranmere Rovers. In four seasons between 1966 and 1970 he played 123 matches, scoring 68 goals.[9] He was leading goal scorer for Rovers on four separate occasions.[4][6][7][10]

His second stint in Australia was in 1969 before returning to Tranmere Rovers.[6] At the completion of his career at Tranmere he moved again to Australia.[7] Yardley had a short stint with Altrincham in the 1973–74 season.[5]

International career

Yardley played one match on 5 March 1960 for Scotland Amateurs against Wales at Rugby Park in Kilmarnock, which ended 3-3.[4][11]

Personal life

After his football career, Yardley became a design draughtsman on the Wirral.[12] He died on 14 November 2018 in a care home at Dalgety Bay, Fife.[2]

References

  1. ^ "George Yardley". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Announcing the passing of George Yardley", Chester Chronicle. Retrieved 25 November 2018
  3. ^ "Yardley Memories". Rovers Rearguard. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Voices from the past – George Yardley". merseyworld.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  5. ^ a b Rowley, Terry. "A to Z of Altrincham Football Club". Altrincham F.C. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  6. ^ a b c "Australian Player Database – Y". ozfootball.net. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  7. ^ a b c www.since1888.co.uk Retrieved 1 September 2009
  8. ^ "LUTON TOWN : 1946/47 – 2007/08". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  9. ^ Hilton, Nick (21 August 2003). "On scent of Yardley run". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  10. ^ "Some of Tranmere Rovers Top Scorers". tranmere-rovers.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 January 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  11. ^ "Luton Links". Altrincham F.C. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  12. ^ Edwards, Leigh (26 August 2012), "Back to the Future – Tranmere Rovers FC", Official Shrewsbury Town Matchday Programme: 32–33
  • George Yardley at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
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