Allan Mansley Explained

Allan Mansley
Fullname:Allan Mansley
Birth Date:31 August 1946
Birth Place:Liverpool, England
Death Place:Southport, England
Position:Left winger
Youthclubs1:Everton
Youthclubs2:Sheffield Wednesday
Youthclubs3:Crewe Alexandra
Years1:1966–1967
Clubs1:Skelmersdale United
Years2:1967–1968
Clubs2:Blackpool
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:1968–1971
Clubs3:Brentford
Caps3:95
Goals3:24
Years4:1970
Clubs4:Fulham (loan)
Caps4:1
Goals4:0
Years5:1971
Clubs5:Notts County (loan)
Caps5:0
Goals5:0
Years6:1971–1972
Clubs6:Notts County
Caps6:11
Goals6:2
Years7:1971–1972
Clubs7:Lincoln City (loan)
Caps7:3
Goals7:0

Allan Mansley (31 August 1946 – 4 February 2001) was an English professional footballer, best remembered for his four years as a left winger in the Football League with Brentford. In a short league career, he also played for Notts County, Lincoln City and Fulham.

Career

Early years

Mansley began his career as a schoolboy in Liverpool with Everton and later spent time with league clubs Sheffield Wednesday and Crewe Alexandra.[1] He dropped into non-League football in 1966, when he joined Lancashire Combination First Division club Skelmersdale United. He reached the final of the FA Amateur Cup with the team during the 1966–67 season and caught the attention of Football League Second Division club Blackpool, with whom he signed a contract in June 1967.[2] He departed Bloomfield Road in January 1968, after failing to make an appearance for the Tangerines.

Brentford

Mansley dropped down to the Fourth Division to sign for Brentford in January 1968. He quickly established himself in the team and made 19 appearances during what remained of the 1967–68 season.[3] Flourishing under the management of Jimmy Sirrel, he made what would be a career-high 46 appearances during the 1968–69 season, top-scoring with 17 goals. Mansley held a regular place in the team until the appointment of Frank Blunstone as manager in December 1969, under whom he made just seven appearances in what remained of the 1969–70 season. He began the 1970–71 season as a regular in the team, but fell out of favour in late September 1970 and joined Third Division club Fulham in November 1970 as the club's first-ever loan signing.[4] He made just one appearance for the Cottagers before the loan expired. Mansley was released at the end of the 1970–71 season and made 105 appearances and scored 30 goals during years at Griffin Park.

Notts County

Mansley joined Third Division club Notts County on loan in March 1971,[5] a move which reunited him with his former Brentford manager Jimmy Sirrel. He failed to make an appearance,[6] but impressed enough to join the club on a free transfer at the end of the season. Mansley failed to make an impression in his only full season at Meadow Lane, making just 14 appearances and scoring two goals.[7] In search of regular football, Mansley signed on loan with Fourth Division club Lincoln City in December 1971 and made three appearances before departing the following month.[8]

Personal life

Mansley died in February 2001 of a heart attack.

Career statistics

Club! rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Brentford1967–68Fourth Division194194
1968–69411420334617
1969–702662033319
1970–7190000090
Total9524406610530
Fulham (loan)1970–71[9] Third Division1010
Notts County1971–72Third Division1120030142
Lincoln City (loan)1971–72Fourth Division3030
Career total11026449612326

Notes and References

  1. Book: Haynes, Graham . Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 . Coumbe . Frank . Yore Publications . 2006 . 0955294916 . Harefield . 100.
  2. Web site: Alan Mansley . 15 December 2014 . 11v11.com.
  3. Book: 100 Years Of Brentford . Brentford FC . 1989 . 0951526200 . White . Eric . 389–391.
  4. Web site: FFC Facts and Figures . 10 February 2020 . www.fulhamfc.com . en.
  5. Book: Croxford, Mark . The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies . Lane . David . Waterman . Greville . Legends Publishing . 2011 . 978-1906796709 . Sunbury, Middlesex . 29–31.
  6. Web site: 1970–71 Notts County FC Match Line-Up's & Details . 4 February 2017 . upthemaggies.
  7. Web site: 1971–72 Notts County FC Match Line-Ups & Details . 20 December 2016 . upthemaggies.
  8. Web site: Vickers . John . Allan Mansley . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161220030356/http://www.redimps.com/archive3/index.mv?cat=players&drop=playerdetsdrop&play=mans02 . 20 December 2016 . 1 July 2022 . The Lincoln City FC Archive.
  9. Web site: Top 10: Loan Stars . 15 December 2014 . fulhamfc.com.