Tony Black (footballer)

Anthony Paul Black (born 15 July 1969) is an English retired footballer who played as a winger and striker.

Tony Black
Personal information
Full name Anthony Paul Black[1]
Date of birth (1970-07-15) 15 July 1970[1]
Place of birth Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England[1]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Winger[1]
Striker[2]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–199? Burnley Dynamos[3] ? (?)
199?–1994 Burnley United[3][4] ? (?)
1994–1995 Bamber Bridge ? (?)
1995–1997 Wigan Athletic 31 (2)
1998 Accrington Stanley ? (?)
1998–1999 Chorley ? (?)
1999–2002 Leigh RMI 71 (19)
2002 Accrington Stanley ? (?)
2003 Stalybridge Celtic 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Early career

Black played in the Pendle Charity League for amateur club Burnley Dynamos in 1990. He played as striker and helped Dynamos to promotion in the club's inception year. He also helped the club lift a 2nd division trophy cup, scoring 2 goals in the semi-final and one in the final.[3] After a short time with Dynamos, he moved to Burnley United of the West Lancashire Football League.[3]

Wigan Athletic

Football League Third Division club Wigan Athletic signed Black for £12,500 on 22 March 1995.[5] On 29 March, he made his debut for the club, playing the whole 90 minutes in a 1–1 draw with Hereford United at Springfield Park.[1][5] Black went on to make a further eight appearances in the remainder of the season, starting every game he played, but not managing to score any goals.[1]

On 2 December, in a FA Cup second round tie, Black scored his first goals for Wigan, netting two goals against his hometown club Barrow in a 4–0 win at Holker Street.[6] Soon afterwards, he broke his leg while playing for Wigan and retired on medical advice nearly two years later after failing to regain full fitness. However, he continued to play non-league football for several years and also started a new career as a chef.[5][7]

Accrington Stanley

Black signed for Northern Premier League club Accrington Stanley in January 1998.[8]

Leigh RMI

In March 1999, Black signed for Northern Premier League club Leigh RMI from Chorley.[9] On 13 March, he made his debut for the Railwaymen, scoring the opening goal in a 3–2 league win against Altrincham.[10] Three days later, he scored the winning goal in a President's Cup semi-final first-leg at Hilton Park, giving RMI a 1–0 aggregate lead over Runcorn.[11] On 3 April, Black scored against his former club as Leigh beat Accrington Stanley 2–1 in the league.[12] He scored in the President's Cup final on 15 April, however, RMI lost 2–1 to Droylsden on the night.[13] Black scored in the final league game of the 1998–99 season, netting in a 3–1 win against Gateshead, the result secured eighth spot in the league which guaranteed Leigh a place in the following season's President's Cup.[14]

On 24 August, Black scored his first goal of the 1999–2000 season, he opened the scoring in a 3–0 win against his former club Bamber Bridge.[15] The win, at Hilton Park, gave RMI their fourth consecutive win of the season, and maintained their two-point lead at the top of the league.[15] He scored a brace in a 4–2 league win against Frickley Athletic on 7 September.[16] Black followed that up by scoring both goals in a 2–0 Challenge Cup win at Radcliffe Borough on 12 October.[17] On 4 February 2000, he scored two-goals in a 3–2 win against bottom club Winsford United, the result gave Leigh a plush cushion at the top of the league.[18] He helped RMI gain promotion to the Football Conference, scoring 18 league goals on the way to winning the title.[19]

Black had a successful season with The Railwaymen, scoring 12 league goals that went a long way to firing RMI to a fifth-place finish in the Conference,[20][21] the club's highest ever league finish.

The following season, RMI were in a relegation fight and Black was forced down the pecking order at the club with the arrival of Dino Maamria and Michael Twiss. Despite this, Black still managed 6 league goals which helped RMI to safety.[22]

Accrington Stanley

Black signed on for a second spell at Accrington Stanley on 27 September 2002, stating that the Northern Premier League club interested him because it was closer to his home in Burnley.[23] Initially, he thought about quitting football because of work and family commitments, but claimed he would miss it too much and he wanted to play as long as he could.[23] On 2 October, Black made his second debut for Stanley, playing in a 4–2 win against Burscough at the Crown Ground.[24] He was released by Accrington on 23 December, less than two months after he signed for the club.[25]

Stalybridge Celtic

In January 2003, Black signed for Northern Premier League club Stalybridge Celtic.[26] On 18 January, he made his debut for Celtic, coming off the bench in a 4–1 league win against Ashton United at Bower Fold.[27] Two more substitute appearances followed, in the 1–0 wins against Burscough and Gateshead,[28][29] before Black made his first start for Stalybridge in a 1–0 defeat against Runcorn.[30] This turned out to be his last appearance for the club, Celtic manager Dave Miller agreed to release Black from his contract in March 2003.[31]

Career statistics
Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup FL Trophy Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Wigan Athletic 1994–95[1] Third Division 9000000090
1995–96[1] 212220010244
1996–97[1] 0000000000
1997–98[1] Second Division 1000100020
Total 312221010354
Career Total 312221010354

Honours

Club
Leigh RMI

Individual

References
  1. Tony Black at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  2. "Tony Black". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  3. Cowell, Craig (2007). Muddy Sunday. Rossendale Books. p. 314. ISBN 978-0-9557617-0-6.
  4. "Tony Black Player Profile". NonLeagueDaily.com. Baltic Publications Limited. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  5. "Wigan Athletic Football League players – A to Z – (Neil Bailey to Mauro Boselli)". BernardYOTAC. ThePieAtNight.co.uk. 17 March 2011. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  6. "Hodgson jumps ship". Independent.co.uk. The Independent. 3 December 1995. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  7. "Black stirring up a tasty Cup feast". The Mirror. Trinity Mirror plc. 18 November 2000. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  8. "Non-league football round-up". Lancashire Telegraph. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 22 January 1998. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  9. "RMI eye new boys". TheBoltonNews.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 9 March 1999. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  10. "Spot-on Dave wins the penalty battle". LancashireTelegraph.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 19 March 1999. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  11. "RMI gain upper hand". TheBoltonNews.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 17 March 1999. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  12. "Old boy makes it a Black day for Accrington". LancashireTelegraph.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 5 April 1999. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  13. "RMI's final agony". LancashireTelegraph.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 16 April 1999. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  14. "RMI save their best for last". LancashireTelegraph.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 3 May 1999. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  15. "Railwaymen steam to top". LancashireTelegraph.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 25 August 1999. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  16. "Railwaymen get back on track". LancashireTelegraph.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 8 September 1999. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  17. "RMI rise to derby Challenge". LancashireTelegraph.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 13 October 1999. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  18. "Jones joy in final drama". LancashireTelegraph.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 11 February 2000. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  19. "Leigh clinch promotion glory". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 28 June 2000. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  20. "2000–2001 Season Domestic Stats – Leading Scorers". ConfGuide.com. Conference Guide. 16 June 2001. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2013.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  21. "2000–2001 Season Domestic Stats – League Table". ConfGuide.com. Conference Guide. 16 June 2001. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2013.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. "Leigh RMI League Record 2001–2002". ConfGuide.com. Conference Guide. June 2002. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2013.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  23. "New striker is ready for his Stanley return". LancashireTelegraph.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 27 September 2002. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  24. "Stanley keep on rolling". LancashireTelegraph.co.uk. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. 3 October 2002. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  25. "Stanley sign Prendergast for £7,500". NonLeagueDaily.com. Baltic Publications Limited. 23 December 2002. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  26. "Latest Transfers". NonLeagueDaily.com. Baltic Publications Limited. 11 January 2003. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  27. "Hacked and sliced, but Celtic win again". StalybridgeCeltic.co.uk. Stalybridge Celtic Football Club. 18 January 2003. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  28. "Weathering the Burscough Storm". StalybridgeCeltic.co.uk. Stalybridge Celtic Football Club. 18 January 2003. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  29. "Important win". StalybridgeCeltic.co.uk. Stalybridge Celtic Football Club. 18 January 2003. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  30. "No shape". StalybridgeCeltic.co.uk. Stalybridge Celtic Football Club. 18 January 2003. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  31. "Waywell enters transfer market yet again". NonLeagueDaily.com. Baltic Publications Limited. 7 March 2003. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  32. "2000–2001 Conference Awards". ciderspace.co.uk. Ciderspace - The Independent Yeovil Town Website. 4 June 2001. Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  33. "News 14/05/01". Leigh-RMI.co.uk. Leigh Railway Mechanics Institute Football Club. 14 May 2001. Archived from the original on 6 February 2002. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
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