Johnny Miller (footballer)

John Tony Miller (21 September 1950 – 18 February 2016) was an English footballer, described by Jeff Kent as an "exciting right winger who provided pinpoint crosses".[1] He scored 23 goals in 213 league games in a 14-year career in the Football League playing for Ipswich Town, Norwich City, Mansfield Town, and Port Vale. He was promoted out of the Second Division with Norwich City in 1974–75, and won the Third Division with Mansfield Town in 1976–77.

Johnny Miller
Personal information
Full name John Tony Miller[1]
Date of birth (1950-09-21)21 September 1950[1]
Place of birth Ipswich, England[1]
Date of death 18 February 2016(2016-02-18) (aged 65)
Place of death Mansfield, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s) Right winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1974 Ipswich Town 51 (2)
1974–1976 Norwich City 23 (3)
1976–1980 Mansfield Town 113 (14)
1980–1982 Port Vale 26 (4)
Oakham United
Selston
Total 213+ (23+)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Miller began his career at Ipswich Town. The "Blues" finished 12th in the First Division in 1968–69 under the stewardship of Bobby Robson. They then went on to finish 18th in 1969–70, 19th in 1970–71, and 13th in 1971–72, before launching title challenges that ended with fourth-place finishes in 1972–73 and 1973–74. He scored two goals in 51 league appearances at Portman Road. He then switched to rivals Norwich City for a fee of £47,500, and helped John Bond's "Canaries" to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1974–75.[3] He also appeared at Wembley Stadium in the 1975 League Cup final, where Norwich lost 1–0 to Aston Villa.[4] They then posted a tenth-place finish in the top-flight in 1975–76. Miller scored three goals in 23 league games in his spell at Carrow Road.

Miller then dropped down to the Third Division with Mansfield Town, and helped Peter Morris's "Stags" to win promotion as champions in 1976–77.[5] However they were then relegated straight back down to the third tier in 1977–78. New boss Billy Bingham took the club to an 18th-place finish in 1978–79, before Mick Jones led Mansfield to relegation in 1979–80. He scored 14 goals in 113 league appearances at Field Mill. He joined Port Vale, initially on trial, in September 1980.[1] He scored five goals in 31 appearances in the 1980–81 season, and became a key first team player at Vale Park as manager John McGrath began rebuilding the "Valiants" to challenge for promotion out of the Fourth Division.[1] However, he was prevented from playing in the 1981–82 season due to a knee injury; this injury led to his retirement in March 1982.[1] He later made a comeback with Oakham United, before moving on to Selston and taking up the assistant manager position at Blidworth Welfare.[1] After leaving the game he worked as a taxi driver in Mansfield. He died in a hospital in Mansfield after a battle with cancer on 18 February 2016 at the age of 65.[5][4]

Statistics

Source:[6]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ipswich Town 1968–69 First Division 10000010
1969–70 First Division 10000010
1970–71 First Division 60000060
1971–72 First Division 3012010331
1972–73 First Division 810031112
1973–74 First Division 50003181
Total 5122052584
Norwich City 1974–75 Second Division 1430062205
1975–76 First Division 90000090
Total 2330063296
Mansfield Town 1976–77 Third Division 4053030465
1977–78 Second Division 3252120366
1978–79 Third Division 3141091415
1979–80 Third Division 1000000100
Total 113146114113316
Port Vale 1980–81 Fourth Division 2645100315
Career total 2132313227525330

Honours
Norwich City
Mansfield Town

References
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 197. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. Rollin, Jack (1980). Rothmans football yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 238. ISBN 0362020175. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  3. "Former Blue Johnny Miller Dies". twtd.co.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  4. Wise, Chris (19 February 2016). "Former Norwich City winger Johnny Miller dies, aged 65". Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  5. "Former Mansfield Town winger Johnny Miller dies". Chad. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  6. Johnny Miller at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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