Brian Etheridge (footballer)

Brian George Etheridge (4 March 1944 – 26 March 2011) was an English professional footballer and manager. He played in the Football League for Northampton Town and Brentford and later played in Belgium. He managed non-league clubs Corby Town, Wellingborough Town and Rushden Town.

Brian Etheridge
Personal information
Full name Brian George Etheridge[1]
Date of birth (1944-03-04)4 March 1944
Place of birth Northampton, England
Date of death 26 March 2011(2011-03-26) (aged 67)[1]
Place of death Moulton, England
Position(s) Midfielder, inside left
Youth career
1960–1962 Northampton Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1962–1966 Northampton Town 17 (1)
1966–1967 Brentford 22 (2)
1967–1969 Daring Club de Bruxelles 40 (4)
1969–1970 Cercle Brugge 26 (0)
1970 Bedford Town 6 (0)
Corby Town
Wellingborough Town
Rushden Town
National team
England Youth 18
Teams managed
Corby Town (player-manager)
Wellingborough Town (player-manager)
Rushden Town (player-manager)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Northampton Town

Etheridge began his career at hometown Fourth Division club Northampton Town.[2] By the time he made his debut for the club during the 1962–63 season, the Cobblers had been promoted to the Third Division.[3] Northampton's ascension to the Second Division at the end of that season further harmed Etheridge's first team chances, with his best appearance tally being 9 league games during the 1964–65 season. He departed the club in February 1966, having made just 17 league appearances and scored one goal in four-and-a-half seasons at the County Ground.[1]

Brentford

Etheridge joined Third Division club Brentford in February 1966 for a £8,000 fee and quickly won a place in the team.[4][5] A poor 1965–66 season culminated in relegation to the Fourth Division, with Etheridge having made 16 appearances.[5] Etheridge found himself in the reserve team during the 1966–67 season and made just eight first team appearances.[5] He experienced some joy with the reserves and won the 1966–67 London Challenge Cup with the team.[6] Etheridge departed the Bees at the end of the 1966–67 season, after making 24 appearances and scoring two goals during 18 months at Griffin Park.[4]

Daring Club de Bruxelles

In the summer of 1967, Etheridge moved to Belgium to sign for First Division club Daring Club de Bruxelles, managed by Englishman Billy Elliott. He played in roughly half the club's matches and made 14 appearances and scored one goal during the 1967–68 season. He broke into the team in the following season and 28 appearances, scoring three goals and making appearances in Daring's 1968–69 Fairs Cup campaign.[7] Despite European football, a disastrous season saw the club relegated to the Second Division. Etheridge departed Daring at the end of the campaign, after making 40 league appearances and scoring four goals for the club.

Cercle Brugge

Etheridge transferred to Second Division club Cercle Brugge prior to the beginning of the 1969–70 season.[8] In a one-season stay, he made 26 appearances and scored no goals.[8]

Non-league football

Etheridge returned to England in 1970 and signed for Southern League Premier Division club Bedford Town.[9] He failed to last with the club and dropped down to the Southern League First Division to sign for Corby Town in November 1970.[9] He ended his playing career with Southern League club Wellingborough Town and United Counties League outfit Rushden Town.[9]

Management career

While at Corby Town, Wellingborough Town and Rushden Town, Etheridge combined his playing duties with that of managing each club.[9]

International career

While with Northampton Town, Etheridge won 18 caps for England Youth.[4][8] He was joined in the team by fellow Cobblers graduates Tommy Robson, Jim Hall and Graham Carr.[3]

Personal life

After leaving professional football, Etheridge became a businessman and was a partner in a packaging firm, based in Wales.[3] He was married to Pauline and had two children.[8]

Etheridge hanged himself at his home in March 2011, having suffered from depression and made several attempts on his life previously.[2]

Etheridge's grandson, Tom Collins, is a rugby union winger and full back for Northampton Saints and has been capped at England U20 level.[10][11]

Honours

Brentford

Career statistics
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 1965–66[5] Third Division 16 2 — — 16 2
1966–67[5] Fourth Division 6 0 2 0 0 0 8 0
Total 22 2 2 0 0 0 24 2
Cercle Brugge 1969–70[8] Belgian Second Division 26 0 4 0 — 30 0
Bedford Town 1970–71[12] Southern League Premier Division 5 0 1 0 — 6 0
Career total 53 2 7 0 0 0 60 2

References
  1. "Brian Etheridge". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  2. Clark, Emma. "Family tribute to former Cobbler after mental health problems". Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  3. Willsher, Gareth. "In memoriam". Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  4. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 53. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  5. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 388–389. ISBN 0951526200.
  6. Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. p. 82. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
  7. Brian Etheridge at WorldFootball.net
  8. "Brian Etheridge" (in Dutch). Cercle Museum. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  9. "Players List 1967–82, E-G – bedfordoldeagles". Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  10. "Tom Collins". RFU. Archived from the original on 6 December 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  11. "Northampton Saints – Rugby – Official Site : Home – News, features & General Information > Rugby > Profiles > profile". Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  12. "Teams 70.1.xlsx". docs.google.com. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
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