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John Fraser (footballer, born 1953)

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John Fraser
Personal information
Full name John Fraser[1]
Date of birth (1953-07-12) 12 July 1953 (age 71)
Place of birth White City, England
Position(s) Full back, utility player
Youth career
1967–1971 Fulham
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1971–1976 Fulham 56 (1)
1976–1980 Brentford 123 (6)
1980–1981 Oxford City 42 (1)
Total 221 (8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

John Fraser (born 12 July 1953) is an English former footballer who played as a full back in the Football League for Brentford and Fulham.

Career

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Fulham

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After being spotted playing for his school team, Fraser entered the youth system at First Division club Fulham at the age of 14 in 1967.[2] He began his career as a midfielder, but switched to full back under reserve team manager George Cohen and signed his first professional contract in 1971.[2][3] He made his senior debut during the 1971–72 Second Division season and gradually built on his appearance record year-by-year to play 25 games during the 1974–75 season.[4] An injury to Les Strong allowed him a place in the starting lineup for the 1975 FA Cup Final, which was lost 2–0 to West Ham United.[2] Fraser fell out of favour with manager Alec Stock during the 1975–76 pre-season and departed the club at the end of the season.[2] He made 65 appearances and scored one goal as a first team player at Craven Cottage.[4]

Brentford

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Fraser dropped to the Fourth Division to sign for Fulham's neighbours Brentford in July 1976 on a free transfer.[3] He was a near ever-present during the 1976–77 season and was used in a utility role by manager Bill Dodgin Jr, playing both full back positions and on the wing.[5] He was a regular until a groin injury ruined a successful 1977–78 season,[3] in which he helped the Bees to automatic promotion to the Third Division by filling in at the midfield and at inside forward.[5] He rejected a new contract and departed Griffin Park early in the 1980–81 season, despite having missed just four matches of the previous season.[3] Fraser made 131 appearances and scored seven goals during three seasons with Brentford.[5]

Oxford City

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Fraser closed out his career in non-League football with Isthmian League First Division club Oxford City.[5] He made 42 appearances and scoring one goal during the 1980–81 season before retiring from football.[5][6]

Personal life

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Fraser completed The Knowledge while a Brentford player and became a black cab driver after retiring from football.[2]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Fulham 1971–72[4] Second Division 9 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
1972–73[4] Second Division 4 0 1 0 0 0 5 0
1973–74[4] Second Division 17 0 3 0 0 0 20 0
1974–75[4] Second Division 20 1 4 0 1 0 25 1
1975–76[4] Second Division 5 0 0 0 1 0 6 0
Total 55 1 8 0 2 0 65 2
Brentford 1976–77[7] Fourth Division 39 2 2 1 0 0 41 3
1977–78[7] Fourth Division 19 0 1 0 2 0 22 0
1978–79[7] Third Division 23 0 0 0 1 0 24 0
1979–80[7] Third Division 42 4 1 0 2 0 45 4
Total 123 6 4 1 5 0 132 7
Career total 178 7 12 1 7 0 197 9

Honours

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Fulham

Brentford

References

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  1. ^ "John Fraser". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Memory Lane". Fulham Football Club. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 278. ISBN 978-1906796709.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "John Fraser". Fulhamweb. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d e Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 60. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  6. ^ "Players (Alphabetic)". docs.google.com. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d e White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 394–395. ISBN 0951526200.
  8. ^ Vernon, Leslie; Rollin, Jack (1977). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78. London: Brickfield Publications Ltd. p. 491. ISBN 0354 09018 6.
[edit]
  • John Fraser at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database