Graham Wilkins
Graham George Wilkins (born 28 June 1955 in Hillingdon) is an English retired professional football full back who made over 130 appearances in the Football League for Chelsea. He also played league football for Brentford and Southend United.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Graham George Wilkins[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 June 1955 | ||
| Place of birth | Hillingdon, England | ||
| Position(s) | Full back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1965–1972 | Chelsea | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1982 | Chelsea | 137 | (1) |
| 1982–1984 | Brentford | 38 | (0) |
| 1984 | → Southend United (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| Southall | |||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
Career
Able to play on either flank as a full back, Wilkins began his career at Chelsea at the age of 10 and signed his first professional contract in 1972.[2][3] He remained a bit-part player until the 1976–77 season, when he made 29 appearances to help the Blues to promotion back to the First Division.[4][5] Wilkins remained at Stamford Bridge until July 1982, by which time he had made 151 appearances and scored one goal.[4] He dropped down to the Third Division to join West London neighbours Brentford on a free transfer,[3] but with the Bees he experienced "the worst two years of my life. I dislocated my shoulder, had seven teeth kicked out, ruptured my cruciate ligaments and that was it".[2] Wilkins' final appearances as a professional came late in the 1983–84 season, on loan at Third Division club Southend United.[3]
Personal life
Wilkins was the son of footballer George Wilkins and the eldest of four Hillingdon-born brothers who played professional football.[6] He later worked at Heathrow Airport.[6]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Chelsea | 1972–73[4] | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 1973–74[4] | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| 1974–75[4] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| 1975–76[4] | Second Division | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | ||
| 1976–77[4] | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | |||
| 1977–78[4] | First Division | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | ||
| 1978–79[4] | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 1 | |||
| 1979–80[4] | Second Division | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | ||
| 1980–81[4] | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | |||
| 1981–82[4] | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Total | 137 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 151 | 1 | |||
| Brentford | 1982–83[7] | Third Division | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| 1983–84[7] | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| Total | 38 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 0 | ||
| Southend United (loan) | 1983–84[8] | Third Division | 3 | 0 | — | — | 1[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 178 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 202 | 1 | ||
- Appearances in Football League Group Cup.
- Appearance in Football League Trophy.
References
- "Graham Wilkins". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
- "Foot in both camps: Graham Wilkins". www.chelseafc.com. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
- Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2011, p. 340.
- "Graham Wilkins". 11v11.com. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
- "Football Club History Database – Chelsea". fchd.info. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
- Henderson, Charlie; Bevan, Chris (23 February 2007). "Were you there ..." BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
- Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. pp. 424–425. ISBN 978-1906796716.
- "SUFCdb | Player Profile". www.sufcdb.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2018.