| Norman Corner | |
| Fullname: | James Norman Corner |
| Birth Date: | 16 February 1943 |
| Birth Place: | Horden, England |
| Death Place: | Horden, England |
| Position: | Centre half / Forward |
| Youthyears1: | 1960–1961 |
| Youthclubs1: | Horden Colliery Welfare |
| Youthyears2: | 1961–1962 |
| Youthclubs2: | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| Years1: | 1962 |
| Clubs1: | Horden Colliery Welfare |
| Years2: | 1962–1967 |
| Clubs2: | Hull City |
| Caps2: | 5 |
| Goals2: | 4 |
| Years3: | 1967–1969 |
| Clubs3: | Lincoln City |
| Caps3: | 45 |
| Goals3: | 12 |
| Years4: | 1969–1972 |
| Clubs4: | Bradford City |
| Caps4: | 110 |
| Goals4: | 16 |
| Years5: | 1972–1973 |
| Years6: | 1973–1974 |
| Clubs6: | South Shields |
| Clubs7: | Wingate |
| Totalcaps: | 160 |
| Totalgoals: | 32 |
| Managerclubs1: | Wingate |
James Norman Corner, known as Norman Corner, (16 February 1943 – 19 February 2011) was an English professional footballer who could play as either a centre half or a forward. Active in the Football League between 1964 and 1971, Corner made 160 appearances, scoring 32 goals.[1]
Corner was born in the mining village of Horden, in County Durham, England, on 16 February 1943.[2] He attended Horden Roman Catholic School where he played centre half and wing half for the football team, and was selected for East Durham Boys.[2]
Corner played youth football with Horden Colliery Welfare before he signed amateur forms at Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1961.[2] He spent 18 months with Wolves but was restricted to appearances in the Northern Intermediate League teams and returned to Horden Colliery Welfare.[2] In August 1962, he again attracted a league club and he signed for Hull City on professional forms. Corner's debut for Hull came against Brentford in April 1964 when he scored twice in a 3–1 win at Griffin Park.[2] However, he played only five first team games, scoring four goals, in five years, during which time Hull turned down an approach from Brian Clough at Hartlepools United,[3] before Lincoln City signed Corner for a fee just short of £4,000.
He made his Lincoln debut on 7 October 1967 against Newport County to help his new side win 2–1.[2] In April 1968, he scored a hat-trick against Bradford (Park Avenue) with all three goals coming from corners.[2] His final game with Lincoln came on 18 January 1969 in a 2–2 draw with Brentford.[2]
The same month, Bradford City paid a fee also close to £4,000 for Corner. At, he was the tallest player to have played for the club at the time. He made his debut in a Bradford derby against Park Avenue on 25 January 1969,[4] and scored his first goal in the following game which finished in a 5–1 victory against Grimsby Town.[5] He helped City to 21 games undefeated to earn them promotion in his first season at the club during which period he scored eight goals.[5] In his second season, he tallied another five goals and also scored in a League Cup match against Sunderland.[5] In his third season, he moved into defence, but still scored in all four of the club's FA Cup games.[5] However, along with Bruce Bannister he was unable to agree personal terms with the club. He appealed to an independent tribunal which proved to be unsuccessful but left the club on a free transfer to join Park Avenue in March 1972. His last game for City was in December 1971, against Aston Villa.[5]
Corner had passed his coaching exams while with City, and started coaching at Park Avenue.[2]
In July 1973, he moved to South Shields. He played one season with South Shields, before he took over as player-manager at Wingate in the Wearside League.[2] They came runners-up in the league and won a number of cup competitions under his guidance.[2]
He returned to Horden Colliery and scored their first goal in the Northern League following promotion from the Wearside League.[2] He remained at the club on the committee.[2]
He went onto begin his own business and coached in schools.
After returning to the North-East, Corner lived in Horden, where he served on the committee at his former club Colliery Welfare, and later Peterlee.[3] He was married to Jean, with whom he had two children Susan and Steven.[3] Corner died in his native Horden on 19 February 2011, three days after his 68th birthday.[5] His funeral was held at Horden Catholic Church,[3] next to the Colliery Welfare's home ground.