Trevor Dance Explained

Trevor Dance
Fullname:Trevor Dance
Birth Date:31 July 1958
Birth Place:South Hetton, England
Height:[1]
Position:Goalkeeper
Youthyears1:1975–1976
Youthclubs1:Port Vale
Years1:1976–1980
Clubs1:Port Vale
Caps1:84
Goals1:0
Years2:1978
Clubs2:Stoke City (loan)
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:1978
Clubs3:Cleveland Cobras (loan)
Years4:1980
Clubs4:Stafford Rangers (loan)
Years5:1980–1983
Clubs5:Stafford Rangers
Years6:1983–198?
Clubs6:Altrincham
Clubs7:Telford United
Totalcaps:84+
Totalgoals:0+

Trevor Dance (born 31 July 1958) is an English former football goalkeeper who played 84 league games in the Football League for Port Vale between 1975 and 1980. He also played for non-League sides Stafford Rangers, Altrincham, and Telford United, and also played for American club Cleveland Cobras.

Career

Port Vale

Dance moved with his family to Staffordshire as a child as his father found work in the coal mines.[2] Dance joined Port Vale as an apprentice in August 1975, signing his first professional forms in July 1976, and making his debut in a 2–1 defeat at Mansfield Town on 28 December 1976.[3] An understudy to John Connaughton, he made a highly impressive Vale Park debut on 10 January 1977, his saves were a key part of a 3–1 victory over Second Division Hull City in the FA Cup third round replay game.[4] He finished the 1976–77 campaign with 12 appearances to his name as Connaughton recovered from injury, and featured eight times in 1977–78, as manager Roy Sproson was replaced by Bobby Smith, and the "Valiants" were relegated out of the Third Division.[3] He was sent on loan to local rivals Stoke City in May 1978 as the Potters required a goalkeeper under the age of 21 for a tournament in the Netherlands.[2] He was loaned out to American Soccer League club Cleveland Cobras the next month, returning in August 1978.[3]

He became the regular Vale keeper in January 1979 under new boss Dennis Butler. He made 27 Fourth Division appearances in 1978–79.[3] He played 40 games in 1979–80, and retained his first-team place under new manager John McGrath.[3] However, he lost his first-team place in August 1980 after refusing to sign a new contract without a pay increase. He was loaned out to non-League Stafford Rangers in September 1980 and signed a permanent deal the next month, Rangers paying Vale £10,000.[3] [2]

Later career

Dance stayed with Rangers for three years, making over 150 appearances, before he joined Altrincham in October 1983.[5] He was an ever-present for Altrincham during the 1984–85 season.[6] He later played for Telford United, before retiring to concentrate on his tiling business.[2]

Personal life

Dance's brother-in-law, Bob Young, was the administrator who took charge at Port Vale in the 2000s.[2]

Career statistics

Source:

ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueFA CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Port Vale1976–77Third Division802020120
1977–78Third Division80000080
1978–79Fourth Division2700000270
1979–80Fourth Division3901000400
1980–81Fourth Division20002040
Total8403040910

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rollin . Jack . Rothmans football yearbook . 1980 . Queen Anne Press . London . 0362020175 . 299 . 14 April 2020.
  2. The Trevor Dance Interview . The Vale Park Beano . 77.
  3. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 76. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.
  4. Web site: How a last-minute strike turned around cup clash. 5 September 2009. The Sentinel. 5 September 2009.
  5. Web site: Altrincham FC . www.lusaweb.co.uk . 22 March 2023.
  6. Web site: Altrincham FC Legends . www.lusaweb.co.uk . 22 March 2023.