Bill Roffey Explained

Bill Roffey
Fullname:William Robert Roffey
Birth Date:6 February 1954
Birth Place:Stepney, England
Height:5ft 11in[1]
Position:Defender
Youthyears1:?–1971
Youthclubs1:Crystal Palace
Years1:1971–1973
Clubs1:Crystal Palace
Caps1:24
Goals1:0
Years2:1973–1984
Clubs2:Leyton Orient
Caps2:328
Goals2:8
Years3:1983–1984
Clubs3:Brentford (loan)
Caps3:13
Goals3:1
Years4:1984–1986
Clubs4:Millwall
Caps4:37
Goals4:2
Years5:1988
Clubs5:Barnet
Caps5:1
Goals5:0
Years6:1988–1991
Clubs6:Leixões
Years7:1991–1992
Clubs7:Margate
Caps7:38
Goals7:3
Years8:1992–1994
Clubs8:Canterbury City
Years9:1994–1995
Clubs9:Margate
Caps9:35
Goals9:0
Years10:1995–1996
Clubs10:Tonbridge Angels
Manageryears1:1994
Managerclubs1:Canterbury City (Player-manager)
Manageryears2:1994–1995
Managerclubs2:Margate (Player-manager)
Manageryears3:1995–1997
Managerclubs3:Tonbridge Angels (Player-manager)

William Robert Roffey (6 February 1954)[2] is an English former footballer, who played as a defender.

League career

Roffey was born Stepney, Greater London. He began his youth career at Crystal Palace signing professionally in May 1971. In October 1973, he moved on to Leyton Orient, for whom he made 328 appearances in eleven years. Whilst at Orient, Roffey was part of the side that reached the FA Cup semi final in 1978, where the team lost 3–0 to Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. After a loan period at Brentford in 1984, (13 games, one goal), he finished his Football League career at Millwall, for whom he made 37 appearances over the next two seasons scoring twice. Roffey made a total of 401 league appearances between 1972 and 1986.[3]

Later career

Roffey then had a spell away from football before moving into non-league football with Barnet in 1988, (two appearances).[4] [5] He then spent three seasons with Leixões of Portugal before retiring at the end of the 1990–91 season. However, in 1991, Roffey joined former Leyton Orient playing colleague, Tommy Taylor, then manager at Margate, and went on to make 38 appearances in season 1991–92, scoring three times. For 1992–93, Roffey joined Canterbury City where he stayed until 1994 including a brief stint as player-manager. He then returned to Margate as manager but despite having retired after leaving Canterbury City, continued as a player, making 35 appearances in season 1994–95, without scoring. In 1995 Roffey moved to Tonbridge Angels where he initially worked as assistant-manager alongside Phil Emblem. However, during the season, Roffey replaced Emblem as manager and also made playing appearances, mainly as a substitute. Roffey continued to serve Tonbridge as manager until October 1997 when he resigned and ended his involvement with football.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rothmans Football Yearbook. 1976–77 . Queen Anne Press . 1976 . 978-0-362-00259-1 . Vernon . Leslie . London . 290 . Rollin . Jack.
  2. Book: Mike. Purkiss . Nigel. Sands . Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989 . 1989 . 0907969542 . 338.
  3. Book: Hugman, Barry J. . Canon League Football Players' Records 1946–1984 . Newnes Books . 1984 . 0-600-37318-5 . 409.
  4. Web site: 1 November 2014 . Bill Roffey . 4 October 2016 . www.margatefchistory .
  5. Web site: Bill Roffey . 25 December 2020 . Downhill Second Half – A Barnet FC Archive.