Barry Wellings Explained

Barry Wellings
Fullname:Barry Wellings[1]
Birth Date:10 June 1958
Birth Place:Liverpool, England
Height:[2]
Position:Striker
Youthyears1:?–1976
Youthclubs1:Everton
Years1:1976–1978
Clubs1:Everton
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:1978–1980
Clubs2:York City
Caps2:47
Goals2:9
Years3:1980–1983
Clubs3:Rochdale
Caps3:116
Goals3:30
Years4:1983
Clubs4:Tranmere Rovers
Caps4:16
Goals4:3
Years5:1983
Clubs5:Northwich Victoria
Caps5:17
Goals5:1
Years6:1983–1984
Clubs6:Tranmere Rovers
Caps6:9
Goals6:0
Years7:1984
Clubs7:Oswestry Town
Years8:1984
Clubs8:Swansea City
Caps8:5
Goals8:3
Years9:1984–1989
Clubs9:Académica
Caps9:104
Goals9:12
Years10:1990–1991
Clubs10:Southport
Caps10:12
Goals10:0
Years11:1991–1992
Clubs11:Runcorn
Caps11:16
Goals11:1
Clubs12:Droylsden
Totalcaps:342
Totalgoals:59

Barry Wellings (born 10 June 1958) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. He played for several teams in England, appearing in the Football League for York City, Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers and Swansea City. He also played in the Portuguese Primeira Divisão and Segunda Divisão for Académica de Coimbra.

Career

Born in Liverpool, Lancashire, Wellings started his career with Everton as an apprentice in their youth system, before signing a professional contract in June 1976.[1] After spending two seasons playing in the reserve team as cover for Bob Latchford and Duncan McKenzie, he joined Fourth Division team York City in June 1978.[2] Making his debut in a 3–0 away defeat at Barnsley on 2 September 1978, Wellings scored his first goal for York with the winner in a 2–1 victory away to Doncaster Rovers on 18 November. He finished his first season at the club with four goals from 20 appearances, before scoring seven goals in 35 matches in the 1979–80 season.

Wellings failed to score enough goals for York to warrant a regular place in the team, meaning he moved to fellow Fourth Division club Rochdale in July 1980.[2] He made his debut in a 2–2 away draw with Stockport County on 16 August 1980, before scoring his first goal in a 2–2 draw away to Peterborough United on 13 September. He finished his first season with Rochdale as top scorer with 14 goals, and was ever-present in the team, appearing in all 49 of the team's fixtures. Wellings was ever-present with Rochdale for a second successive season, making 51 appearances, in which he scored 12 goals.

Having scored eight goals in 29 appearances for Rochdale during the 1982–83 season, Wellings signed for Fourth Division rivals Tranmere Rovers in February 1983.[1] His debut came in a home match against Northampton Town on 19 February 1983, in which he scored the winning goal of a 2–1 win. He scored three goals in 16 appearances for Tranmere before the end of the season. Wellings dropped into non-League football with Northwich Victoria of the Alliance Premier League, scoring one goal in 17 appearances in the 1983–84 season, before returning to Tranmere on non-contract terms in December 1983.[2] He made his second debut for the club in a 1–1 away draw with York on 27 December 1983, making nine appearances before the end of the season.

He was playing for Northern Premier League side Oswestry Town in the 1984–85 season before joining Swansea City of the Third Division on non-contract terms in September 1984.[2] [3] His debut came in a 3–0 defeat away to Brentford on 22 September 1984, before scoring his first goal in a 2–1 away victory over Bournemouth on 2 October. He scored three goals in five games for Swansea before signing for Portuguese Primeira Divisão team Académica de Coimbra in late 1984, where he scored two goals in nine league appearances in the 1984–85 season. In his first full season with Académica, Wellings scored six goals from 26 league matches, before scoring three in 27 league appearances in the 1986–87 season. He scored once in 27 league matches as Académica were relegated in the 1987–88 season, before failing to score in 15 appearances in the Segunda Divisão in his final season with the club.

Wellings returned to playing in England with Southport of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, where he made 12 league appearances in the 1990–91 season. A spell in the Football Conference with Runcorn followed, making 15 league appearances and scoring one goal in the 1991–92 season, before playing in one league match in the 1992–93 season. He finished his career with Droylsden.[2]

Career statistics

Club statistics
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
York City1978–79[4] Fourth Division1524210204
1979–80[5] Fourth Division3273000357
Total47972105511
Rochdale1980–81[6] Fourth Division461410204914
1981–82[7] Fourth Division461130215112
1982–83[8] Fourth Division2451142298
Total11630518312934
Tranmere Rovers1982–83[9] Fourth Division1630000163
Northwich Victoria1983–84[10] Alliance Premier League171171
Tranmere Rovers1983–84[11] Fourth Division9000000090
Swansea City1984–85[12] Third Division5300000053
Académica1984–85[13] Primeira Divisão9292
1985–86Primeira Divisão266266
1986–87Primeira Divisão273273
1987–88Primeira Divisão271271
1988–89Segunda Divisão150150
Total1041210412
Southport1990–91[14] NPL Premier Division120120
Runcorn1991–92[15] Football Conference151151
1992–93Football Conference1010
Total161161
Career total34259123930036365

Notes and References

  1. Book: Barry J. . Hugman . The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005 . 2005 . Queen Anne Press . 978-1-85291-665-7 . 647 .
  2. Book: Martin . Jarred . Dave . Windross . Citizens and Minstermen, A Who's Who of York City FC 1922–1997 . 1997 . Citizen Publications . 978-0-9531005-0-7 . 110 .
  3. Web site: Neil. Brown. Barry Wellings. Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's database. 2 November 2012.
  4. Book: Batters , Dave . York City: The Complete Record . 2008 . Breedon Books . 978-1-85983-633-0 . 350–351.
  5. Book: Batters . York City: The Complete Record . 352–353.
  6. Book: Jack . Rollin . Rothmans Football Yearbook 1981–82 . 1980 . Queen Anne Press . 0-362-02046-9 . 298–299, 430–432, 466.
  7. Book: Jack . Rollin . Rothmans Football Yearbook 1982–83 . 1982 . Queen Anne Press . 978-0-356-07888-5 . 314–315, 445–448, 468–470.
  8. Book: Tony . Williams . Rothmans Football Yearbook 1983–84 . 1983 . Queen Anne Press . 978-0-356-09727-5 . 308–309, 502–510, 536.
  9. Book: Williams . Rothmans Football Yearbook 1983–84 . 368–369.
  10. Book: Harman , John . Alliance to Conference 1979–2004: The First 25 Years . 2005 . Tony Williams Publications . 978-1-869833-52-7 . 499, 509.
  11. Book: Peter . Dunk . Rothmans Football Yearbook 1984–85 . 1984 . Queen Anne Press . 978-0-356-10446-1 . 366–367.
  12. Book: Peter . Dunk . Rothmans Football Yearbook 1985–86 . 1985 . Queen Anne Press . 978-0-356-10872-8 . 350–351.
  13. Web site: Barry Wellings. ForaDeJogo. 22 October 2013.
  14. Web site: Season by season NL player lists. Southport Football Club stats. 13. 22 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131023060833/http://www.southportfcstats.co.uk/SEASON%20BY%20SEASON%20NL%20PLAYER%20LISTS.pdf#. 23 October 2013. dead. dmy-all.
  15. Book: Harman . Alliance to Conference 1979–2004: The First 25 Years . 542, 548.