John Philbin (6 September 1913 – 1983) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward in the Football League for Derby County, Torquay United and Brighton & Hove Albion.[1][2]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Philbin[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 6 September 1913[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Jarrow, England | ||
| Date of death | 1983 (aged 69) | ||
| Place of death | Torbay, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1933 | Washington Colliery | ||
| 1933–1936 | Derby County | 1 | (0) |
| 1936–1938 | Torquay United | 69 | (10) |
| 1938–1946 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 6 | (1) |
| 1947–1950 | Dartmouth United | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Life and career
editPhilbin was born in Jarrow, County Durham, in 1913.[2] He played football for a local team before joining North-Eastern League club Washington Colliery in 1933. He had only been there a month,[3] in which he played four times, before signing for Derby County of the Football League First Division. Manager George Jobey said he "[showed] every sign of developing into a 'class' player", and the Derby Evening Telegraph's correspondent was "told by those who have seen him play that before the dawn of another season he will be a strong candidate for inclusion in the Rams' League side."[4] Philbin made his debut against Leeds United in April 1935, and had three good attempts on goal early on, but Derby lost 2–1, and that was his only league appearance.[5]
In 1936, he moved on to Torquay United of the Third Division South. He went straight into Torquay's team for the opening fixture of the 1936–37 season, and scored both his side's goals in a 2–2 draw with Reading.[6] In style, he added technical ability to a Torquay team that made up in vigour, strength and enthusiasm what they lacked in "guile".[7][8] He remained a regular in the side, and scored 10 goals from 69 league appearances over two seasons.[2] In 1938, he and team-mate Freddie Green joined another Southern Section team, Brighton & Hove Albion.[9] Neither made an impact at their new club. Philbin made six appearances, scoring once, before the Football League was abandoned for the duration of the Second World War.[1]
After playing a few matches in the 1945–46 season,[1] Philbin returned to the Torbay area, where he spent some years with Dartmouth United, helping them win the 1948–49 Devon Senior Cup,[10] and then coached at Paignton Corinthians under the management of former Torquay player Russell Phillips.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Carder, Tim; Harris, Roger (1997). Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Hove: Goldstone Books. p. 195. ISBN 978-0-9521337-1-1.
- ^ a b c d e Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 207. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
- ^ "Derby's recruit". Sunderland Echo. 6 December 1933. p. 9.
- ^ "Two Derby County reserve players under suspension". Derby Evening Telegraph. 6 December 1933. p. 11.
- ^ "Derby miss points. Furness gets a valuable "couple" for Leeds. (The League—Division I.)". Sports Special. Sheffield. 13 April 1935. p. 8.
Philbin went very close with a header from Duncan's centre, but Furness gave the visitors the lead, in ten minutes, from a pass by Duggan. Cochrane almost increased the lead in the next minute. ... Leeds were the keener and more businesslike side for a time, and Philbin had hard luck with two good scoring attempts for Derby, who gradually assumed the ascendant. Crooks headed the equaliser in 22 minutes from Duncan's free-kick.
- ^ "League results & scorers". Western Daily Press. Bristol. 31 August 1936. p. 4.
- ^ Exonian (24 August 1936). "Form in football practices". Western Morning News. Plymouth. p. 11.
A featire of the match was the clever play of Philbin.
- ^ Exonian (7 February 1938). "Exeter–Torquay battle. Vigour predominant. Deserved victory by City". Western Morning News. Plymouth. p. 11.
Philbin, one of few players in this match who relied upon guile and not dash alone ... impressed as a stylish forward who knew when and how to pass the ball.
- ^ "Torquay transfers. Football. Green and Philbin go to Brighton". Western Morning News. Plymouth. 23 June 1938. p. 14.
It was announced yesterday that Green, full-back, and Philbin, inside-forward, on the books of Torquay United, had been transferred to Brighton and Hove.
- ^ "High scores in P. & D. League". Western Morning News. Plymouth. 8 September 1947. p. 6.
Exonian (16 May 1949). "Professional 'class' tips scales. Dartmouth Utd. Cup winners". Western Morning News. Plymouth. p. 6.The extra class of the professional contingent, tipped the scales in Dartmouth's favour. Philbin, formerly with Torquay United was the chief architect of victory, and the ease with which he drew the defence out position was proof of his deft ball control.
- ^ "New Paignton club may enter P. and D. League". Western Morning News. Plymouth. 15 May 1950. p. 7.
- ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 March 2019.