Michael Wayne Anthony Ebanks (born 2 October 1964) is an English former footballer who played at right-back for West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, Port Vale and Cambridge United between 1981 and 1987. He helped Port Vale to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1985–86. He later became a police officer.

Wayne Ebanks
Personal information
Full name Michael Wayne Anthony Ebanks[1]
Date of birth (1964-10-02) 2 October 1964 (age 59)[1]
Place of birth Birmingham, England[1]
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2]
Position(s) Right-back
Youth career
West Bromwich Albion
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1985 West Bromwich Albion 7 (0)
1984Stoke City (loan) 10 (0)
1985Port Vale (loan) 11 (0)
1985–1987 Port Vale 28 (0)
1987–1988 Cambridge United 4 (0)
Total 60 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career edit

Ebanks began his career at West Bromwich Albion, and played seven First Division games for the "Baggies" in the 1983–84 season under the stewardship of Ron Wylie and Johnny Giles.[3] He then fell lout of the first-team picture at The Hawthorns, and was loaned out to Bill Asprey's Stoke City, playing ten First Division and two cup games for the "Potters" in the disastrous 1984–85 season. After leaving the Victoria Ground, he returned to Stoke-on-Trent in March 1985, this time on loan to rivals Port Vale.[1] He featured eleven times in the Fourth Division for the "Valiants", and impressed manager John Rudge enough to win permanent transfer in June 1985.[1] He featured 15 times as Vale won promotion to the Third Division in the 1985–86 season, and then played 22 games in the 1986–87 campaign.[1] He was given a free transfer in May 1987, and joined Cambridge United on a non-contract basis. He cut his time at the Abbey Stadium short to join the police force.[4]

Post-retirement edit

After leaving the game Ebanks joined the police force.[4]

Career statistics edit

Source:[5]

Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
West Bromwich Albion 1983–84 First Division 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Stoke City (loan) 1984–85 First Division 10 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 12 0
Port Vale 1984–85 Fourth Division 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
1985–86 Fourth Division 12 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 15 0
1986–87 Third Division 16 0 1 0 4 0 1 0 22 0
Total 39 0 3 0 4 0 2 0 48 0
Cambridge United 1987–88 Fourth Division 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 6 0
Career total 60 0 3 0 8 0 2 0 73 0
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League Trophy.

Honours edit

Port Vale

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 92. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 294. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. ^ "Stoke City FC". sporting-heroes.net. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  4. ^ a b Sherwin, Phil (14 August 2010). "Memory Match: Port Vale 4 Walsall 1 Vale Park Division Three 27th September 1986". The Sentinel. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
  5. ^ Wayne Ebanks at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  6. ^ Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Rags to Riches (1979–1990)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 258–290. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.