Andrew Neil Partner (born 21 October 1974) is an English former footballer who played in the Football League as a defender for Colchester United.

Andy Partner
Personal information
Full name Andrew Neil Partner[1]
Date of birth (1974-10-21) 21 October 1974 (age 49)[1]
Place of birth Colchester, England[1]
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Colchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1997 Colchester United 2 (0)
Heybridge Swifts
1997-1998 Wivenhoe Town 18 (1)
Clacton Town
Harwich & Parkeston
Total 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career edit

Born in Colchester, Partner is the son of former Colchester United trainee Neil Partner and step-son to former club chief executive Marie Partner.[2] He joined the U's during the club's brief stint outside of the Football League, making his debut on 16 December 1991 in 6–2 home defeat by Wycombe Wanderers.[3] The competition was not favoured by manager Roy McDonough, opting for a weakened team to fully concentrate on the league and pile more fixtures on league rivals Wycombe. Ultimately, the U's gained promotion back to the Football League at the end of the season.[2]

Partner made two Football League appearances for Colchester,[4] and in his final appearance during a 1–0 away defeat to Exeter City on 30 August 1994[5] he suffered a broken knee cap. This was the last time that he would play professional football or feature in the Colchester first-team.[2]

Partner's injury kept him out of action for two-and-a-half years, returning to action with the United reserves in March 1997 and featured in a number of reserve games until the end of the 1996–97 season, when he severed his ties with the club after six years. He joined Heybridge Swifts in the summer of 1997 and later had spells at Wivenhoe Town, Clacton Town and Harwich & Parkeston.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Colchester United – Player profile". Coludata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 May 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e Whitehead, Jeff; Drury, Kevin (2008). The Who's Who of Colchester United: The Layer Road Years. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 189. ISBN 978-1-85983-629-3.
  3. ^ "Colchester United – Match details – Colchester Utd 2–6 Wycombe Wanderers". Coludata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  4. ^ "COLCHESTER UNITED:1950/51–1989/90 & 1992/93–2011/12". Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Database. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  5. ^ "Colchester United – Match details – Exeter City 1–0 Colchester Utd". Coludata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 August 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2013.