Joe Maloney Explained

Joe Maloney
Fullname:Joseph John Maloney
Birth Date:26 January 1934
Birth Place:Liverpool, England
Death Place:Crewe, England
Position:Central defender / half-back
Youthclubs1:Liverpool
Years1:1951–1954
Clubs1:Liverpool
Caps1:12
Goals1:0
Years2:1954–1960
Clubs2:Shrewsbury Town
Caps2:237
Goals2:1
Years3:1961
Clubs3:Port Vale
Caps3:1
Goals3:0
Years4:1961–1963
Clubs4:Crewe Alexandra
Caps4:26
Goals4:0
Years5:1963–1965
Clubs5:Winsford United
Totalcaps:276
Totalgoals:1

Joseph John Maloney (26 January 1934 – 17 October 2006) was an English footballer. A half-back, he had an 11-year career in the English Football League, making 289 league and cup appearances.

He graduated from a youth player at Liverpool to sign professional forms with the club in January 1951. He signed with Shrewsbury Town three years later and helped the "Shrews" to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1958–59. He transferred to Port Vale in June 1961 before moving on to Crewe Alexandra just two months later. He helped the "Railwaymen" to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1962–63 before he joined non-League club Winsford United.

Career

Liverpool

Maloney started his career at Liverpool, coming through the junior ranks at Anfield to sign professional forms in January 1951.[1] He took the place of Bob Paisley when making his first-team debut in a goalless draw at home to Bolton Wanderers in March 1953.[1] He made a further eleven first-team appearances as a central defender but could do little to prevent Don Welsh's "Reds" from losing their First Division status at the end of the 1953–54 season.[1]

Shrewsbury Town

Maloney signed with Shrewsbury Town in July 1954.[1] He stayed with the "Shrews" for a further seven years, making 237 league appearances in the process. The club finished 16th in the Third Division South in 1954–55, before manager Walter Rowley took them to 13th in 1955–56 and ninth in 1956–57. They could only finish 17th in 1957–58 under the management of Harry Potts and then Johnny Spuhler, and so became founder members of the Fourth Division. Arthur Rowley was then appointed as manager, and Shrewsbury won promotion to the Third Division in 1958–59 after securing the fourth and final automatic promotion place. They posted a third-place finish in 1959–60, missing out on a second successive promotion by just one place and seven points. They finished tenth in 1960–61.

Later career

Maloney joined Norman Low's Port Vale in June 1961 and played his only game for the club at Gay Meadow on 19 August 1961, in a 4–2 defeat to Shrewsbury.[2] He was sold on to nearby Crewe Alexandra for a small fee just two days later.[2] Under the stewardship of Jimmy McGuigan, the "Railwaymen" finished tenth in the Fourth Division in 1961–62, before winning promotion with a third-place finish in 1962–63. After 26 league games at Gresty Road, he left the English Football League to join Cheshire County League side Winsford United.

Career statistics

Source:[3]

ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueFA CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Liverpool1952–53First Division60000060
1953–54First Division60000060
Total1200000120
Shrewsbury Town1954–55Third Division South4511000461
1955–56Third Division South4604000500
1956–57Third Division South4301000440
1957–58Third Division South4301000440
1958–59Fourth Division4605000510
1959–60Third Division1400000140
Total2371120002491
Port Vale1961–62Third Division1400000140
Crewe Alexandra1961–62Fourth Division1900010200
1962–63Fourth Division70000070
Total2600010270
Career total2761120102891

Honours

Shrewsbury Town

Crewe Alexandra

Notes and References

  1. Web site: profile. lfchistory.net. 10 June 2012.
  2. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 183. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.
  3. Web site: JOE MALONEY. Neil Brown stat site. 17 June 2009.