Ian Frederick Filby (born 9 October 1954) is an English retired professional footballer who played professionally as a forward for a number of clubs in England, South Africa and North America.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ian Frederick Filby[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 9 October 1954 | ||
| Place of birth | Woodford, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1971–1972 | Orient | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1975 | Orient | 0 | (0) |
| 1973 | → Montreal Olympique (loan) | 19 | (3) |
| 1974 | → Brentford (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1974 | → St Mirren (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| → Romford (loan) | 5 | (1) | |
| 1976–1978 | Durban City | ||
| 1979 | Lusitano | ||
| 1979–1980 | Sacramento Gold | 42 | (25) |
| 1980 | Pennsylvania Stoners | ||
| 1981 | California Surf | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
editEarly years
editFilby began his career in the youth system at Second Division club Orient and signed his first professional contract on his 18th birthday in October 1972.[3] He later won the London Challenge Cup with the reserve team in 1972 and 1973.[1] Filby moved to Canada to join North American Soccer League club Montreal Olympique on loan for the 1973 season.[2] Manager Graham Adams commented that Filby was faster and had better ball control than the previous season's highly rated Scottish player Graeme Souness.[4] Despite the build-up, Filby managed just three goals in Olympique's 19 regular season games.[2] Filby was loaned to Brentford, St Mirren and Romford during the 1974–75 season and departed Orient at the end of the campaign.[3][1][5]
South Africa
editFilby moved to South Africa in 1976 and played for National Football League and National Premier Soccer League clubs Durban City and Lusitano.[2]
United States
editFilby returned to North America to sign for American Soccer League club Sacramento Gold in 1979.[2] He had a good 1979 season, finishing the campaign as the league's top scorer (with 45 points) and winning the championship (after a 1–0 victory over Columbus Magic in the final) and being named on the league's All-Star team.[6] Filby scored 11 goals in the 1980 season, before transferring to American Soccer League club Pennsylvania Stoners midway through the season.[2][7] He won his second successive championship with the Stoners, beating former club Sacramento Gold 2–1 in the final.[7] Filby returned to the North American Soccer League to sign for California Surf in 1981.[2] After retiring from professional play, Filby remained in Northern California and continued to play in the amateur Central California Soccer League.[8]
Personal life
editFilby's brother Malcolm was also a footballer and the pair played together at Sacramento Gold and California Surf.[9][10][11]
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Montreal Olympique (loan) | 1973[2] | North American Soccer League | 19 | 3 | — | — | 19 | 3 | ||
| Brentford (loan) | 1974–75[12] | Fourth Division | 3 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Sacramento Gold | 1979[2] | American Soccer League | 26 | 14 | — | — | 26 | 14 | ||
| California Surf | 1981[2] | North American Soccer League | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 49 | 17 | 0 | 0 | — | 49 | 17 | |||
Honours
editOrient Reserves
- London Challenge Cup: 1971–72, 1972–73[1]
Sacramento Gold
Pennsylvania Stoners
Individual
- American Soccer League All-Star: 1979[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 56. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Ian Filby". NASL Soccer North American Soccer League Players. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ a b Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 272. ISBN 978-1906796709.
- ^ "Corsi to start for Italian ace". The Montreal Gazette. 22 May 1973. p. 42. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ "Player Appearances and goalscoring records – F". Scottish Football Historical Archive. p. 231. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- ^ a b c "The Year in American Soccer – 1979". sover.net. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ a b c "The Year in American Soccer – 1980". homepages.sover.net. Archived from the original on 5 November 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
- ^ Filby Finds A Happy Home At Turn Verein Sacramento Bee – Sunday, 5 October 1986
- ^ "June 8, 1977 – Sacramento Spirits vs. Los Angeles Skyhawks". Fun While It Lasted. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ "Malcolm Filby". www.footballzz.co.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ "Malcolm Filby". NASL Soccer North American Soccer League Players. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 393. ISBN 0951526200.