Mick Bodley Explained

Mick Bodley
Fullname:Michael John Bodley
Position:Central defender
Birth Date:14 September 1967
Birth Place:Hayes, England
Youthyears1:1983–1985
Youthclubs1:Chelsea
Years1:1985–1989
Clubs1:Chelsea
Caps1:6
Goals1:1
Years2:1989
Caps2:20
Goals2:0
Years3:1989–1993
Clubs3:Barnet
Caps3:108
Goals3:9
Years4:1993–1996
Clubs4:Southend United
Caps4:67
Goals4:2
Years5:1994–1995
Clubs5:→ Gillingham (loan)
Caps5:7
Goals5:0
Years6:1995
Clubs6:→ Birmingham City (loan)
Caps6:3
Goals6:0
Years7:1996–1999
Caps7:86
Goals7:1
Years8:1999
Clubs8:St Albans City
Caps8:6
Goals8:0
Years9:1999–2000
Years10:2000–2002
Clubs10:Canvey Island

Michael John Bodley (born 14 September 1967) is an English former professional footballer who made 258 appearances in the Football League playing for Chelsea, Northampton Town, Barnet, Southend United, Gillingham, Birmingham City and Peterborough United.[1] [2] He played as a central defender.

Playing career

Early career

Bodley was born in Hayes, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. He began his football career as an apprentice with Chelsea, and turned professional in 1985.[3] He played eight times for the first team in all competitions[4] before leaving for Northampton Town for a fee of £50,000 in January 1989.[3] He played 20 league games for the club[2] before moving into non-league football with Barnet, who paid £15,000 for his services in October 1989.

Barnet, Southend United and loans

Bodley contributed to Barnet's Conference title in 1991,[5] and to their run to the third round proper of that year's FA Cup, scoring twice in their 3–1 defeat of Heybridge Swifts in the fourth qualifying round.[6] In the 1992–93 season, Bodley was one of 11 Barnet players awarded free transfers by the Football League because the club had not paid their wages.[7] He joined Southend United in July 1993, linking up with former Barnet manager Barry Fry who had joined the club not long before. In three seasons with Southend he played 79 games in all competitions,[8] and spent two months on loan at Gillingham, whose supporters made a £2,500 donation to the club in an attempt to fund the player's stay for a third month:[9] a fruitless gesture, as the player joined Birmingham City five days later, also on loan, as cover for injuries and suspensions among the defence.[10]

Peterborough United, St Albans City and Dagenham & Redbridge

In July 1996, Peterborough United manager Barry Fry, who had worked with Bodley at Barnet, Southend and Birmingham, paid his former club £75,000 for his services.[1] Bodley took part in the club's record league win, against his former club Barnet in Division Three in September 1998:[11] Peterborough won 9–1, and Bodley's own goal meant they actually scored all ten.[12] Bodley played more than 100 games in all competitions,[13] and was appointed club captain,[14] before he and teammate Derek Payne were allowed to leave Peterborough on a free transfer for Isthmian League Premier Division club St Albans City, strengthening their squad prior to the FA Trophy semi-final.[15] Bodley played six league games for the club and took part in both legs of the Trophy semi-final, which St Albans lost 4–3 on aggregate.[16] In the 1999 close season he became manager Garry Hill's first signing for Dagenham & Redbridge, soon to be followed by Payne.[17] Awarded the captaincy,[18] Bodley led his players to the Isthmian League title, and with it promotion to the Conference National; they lost only five games all season, and finished the campaign with ten successive victories.[19]

Canvey Island

At the end of the season he signed for Canvey Island, and contributed to their reaching the second round of the FA Cup in his first season. Doubtful for the first-round match at home to Port Vale because of a groin injury,[18] Bodley declared himself fit, played 90 minutes in the tie which ended 4–4 draw,[20] and played 120 minutes in the replay as Canvey won 2–1 after extra time to set themselves up a local derby with Southend United.[21] Bodley, one of eight former Southend players on Canvey's books, would miss it through suspension, though the club enquired whether the game might be moved to the Friday to allow him to take part; as the venue was already booked that night for a carol concert, the match was played as scheduled,[22] and Canvey lost 2–1.[23] That same season, Bodley played as Canvey won the FA Trophy, defeating Forest Green Rovers 1–0 at Villa Park to become the first side from below the Conference to win the Trophy for 20 years.[24] [25] Postponements because of cup success and bad weather caused fixture congestion at the end of the 2001–02 season, leaving Bodley facing a schedule of seven games in nine days combined with having to get up at 4:30am for work as a postman. Bodley underwent a knee operation in November 2001 which kept him out for several weeks, then in March 2002 he damaged a tendon which put an end to his season and effectively meant his retirement.[14] [26]

Personal life

When Bodley left professional football he worked as a postman. He is married with daughters.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mick Bodley . Soccerbase . Centurycomm . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220519203147/https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=773 . 19 May 2022.
  2. Web site: Mick Bodley . UK A–Z Transfers . Neil Brown . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304043226/http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player1/mickbodley.html . 4 March 2016.
  3. Book: Matthews, Tony . Birmingham City: A Complete Record . 1995 . Breedon Books . Derby . 73 . 978-1-85983-010-9.
  4. Web site: Mickey Bodley . Chelsea F.C. . 13 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235043/http://chelsea2.chelseafc.com/cgi-bin/playersearch.pl?Mickey%20BODLEY . 3 March 2016.
  5. Book: John . Harman . Alliance to Conference 1979–2004: The first 25 years . Tony Williams . 2005 . 978-1-869833-52-7 . 61, 72.
  6. Web site: Barnet in the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup . Barnet F.C. . 17 November 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110707213836/http://www.barnetfc.com/page/LatestNews/0%2C%2C10431~122562%2C00.html . 7 July 2011.
  7. News: Watford turn to Roeder to replace Perryman: Former player takes over at Vicarage Road to dismay of Gillingham . registration . The Independent . London . Rupert . Metcalf . Cole . Robert . 10 July 1993 . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171201131851/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-watford-turn-to-roeder-to-replace-perryman-former-player-takes-over-at-vicarage-road-to-1484065.html . 1 December 2017.
  8. Web site: Mick Bodley . Southend United Player Database . 7 July 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150708035819/http://sufcdb.co.uk/profile.php?p=664 . 8 July 2015.
  9. News: McStay leads Celtic buyers . registration . The Independent . London . 19 January 1995 . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174032/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/mcstay-leads-celtic-buyers-1568771.html . 3 March 2016.
  10. News: Leeds land Yeboah at last . registration . Guy . Hodgson . The Independent . London . 24 January 1995 . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303212345/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-leeds-land-yeboah-at-last-1569455.html . 3 March 2016.
  11. Web site: Peterborough United FC History: Club records . Peterborough United F.C. . 7 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170426222304/https://www.theposh.com/club/history/ . 26 April 2017.
  12. News: N is for Neal: a legend and his son . Alan . Swann . Peterborough Evening Telegraph . 22 November 2008 . 13 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150711224714/http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/latest-sport/n-is-for-neal-a-legend-and-his-son-1-120268 . 11 July 2015.
  13. Web site: Mick Bodley Career History . Up The Posh! The Peterborough United Database . Chris Wilkinson . 13 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204840/http://www.uptheposh.com/people/2762/career/ . 3 March 2016.
  14. Web site: Current squad 2002/03 Season . Canvey Island F.C. . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191115163111/http://www.canveyfc.com/2002/squad.htm . 15 November 2019.
  15. News: Rovers look poised for Wembley return . registration . Rupert . Metcalf . The Independent . London . 9 April 1999 . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070901/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-rovers-look-poised-for-wembley-return-1086106.html . 4 March 2016.
  16. Web site: Mick Bodley (No Longer With Club) . St Albans City F.C. . https://web.archive.org/web/20070127171238/http://www.sacfc.co.uk/tpl/player2.php?id=240&season=11 . 27 January 2007.
  17. Web site: Player Profiles . Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. Unofficial Website . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172135/http://www.daggersfc.freeuk.com/archive00/historypenpics/penpics.htm . 3 March 2016.
  18. News: King's ruling has Gulls soaring high... . Southend Echo . 18 November 2000 . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220519205913/https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/5500713.soccer-kings-ruling-has-gulls-soaring-high/ . 19 May 2022.
  19. News: Dagenham in return to Conference . 28 June 2000 . BBC Sport . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210601133537/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/d/dagenham_and_redbridge/791057.stm . 1 June 2021.
  20. News: Vaughan gives Canvey drama an epic climax . The Independent . London . NewsBank . Mike . Rowbottom . 20 November 2000 . 19 May 2022.
  21. News: Port Vale humbled by inspired Islanders . The Independent . London . NewsBank . Phil . Shaw . 29 November 2000 . 19 May 2022.
  22. News: Culture shock for islanders as Canvey caught in the headlights . The Guardian . London . Adam . Sills . 9 December 2000 . 13 May 2009 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160307102812/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2000/dec/09/newsstory.sport3 . 7 March 2016.
  23. News: Abbey goal seals 'jellied-eel derby' . The Independent . London . NewsBank . Mike . Rowbottom . 11 December 2000 . 19 May 2022.
  24. News: Spink's stint at old home . The Independent . London . NewsBank . Rupert . Metcalf . 11 May 2001 . 19 May 2022.
  25. News: FA Trophy: Chenery brings relief to Canvey . The Daily Telegraph . London . Nicholas . Harling . 13 May 2001 . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160228091305/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/3005305/FA-Trophy-Chenery-brings-relief-to-Canvey.html . 28 February 2016.
  26. News: Bodley injury blow rocks Gulls . Southend Echo . 15 March 2002 . 19 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304043907/http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/5472916.Soccer__Bodley_injury_blow_rocks_Gulls/ . 4 March 2016.

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