A reference book I've come across states that Spavin made 424 league appearances for PNE. Great record for one of our best players.
I watched Spav during the mid-late 60s as I moved into my early teens, weaned on a diet of games carefully chosen by my father to ensure enduring North End respect and support. Those games included beating Spurs in '66, drawing with a '66 Man U side sporting Best, Law, Charlton Stiles, narrowly losing to Spurs (we drew them in the cup several times in the 60s) - often producing a very high quality of football on par with esteemed opponents.
He wasnt flash, but he was effective....... although your Dad is right - he split opinion.Just been chatting with my dad and he was saying when he first moved to Preston he used to go on and was talking about Alan Spavin.
Says he used to here loads of grumbling from our lot because he wasnt a flash harry but that he used to completely dictate the way we played and was prepared to slow the game down when needed.
My question is this: does anyone know when he made his debut and how accurate is my old fella's memory ?
30 yards out of course.....He wasnt flash, but he was effective....... although your Dad is right - he split opinion.
He scored two of our three goals when we beat Rotherham in May 1971 to clinch the Division 3 title..... I was there on that wonderful night
i remember many years after he retired, i was playing for BAE against Preston supporters club at Willow Farm - he was 40 and i was 20
he picked up the ball on the half way line went past me like i didnt exist and hit one into the top corner from 30 years out !!!
I think he was.... number 11 on his backWas chippy Clark playing in that Rotherham match to clinch the title (1971), does anyone know? My memory says that I saw him charging down the left wing from the Kop and crossing it in (several times) but is that right ?
Cheers ! I'm not senile then...yetI think he was.... number 11 on his back
Was chippy Clark playing in that Rotherham match to clinch the title (1971), does anyone know? My memory says that I saw him charging down the left wing from the Kop and crossing it in (several times) but is that right ?
You are correct. Direct from a corner. Spavin usually averaged two goals a season. That season he scored four.He did - I think he scored our third goal.
You're right that they played together for PNE, but it must have been 1973-1974.Wasn`t Spavin still around then?
All a bit vague in my mind now but I think Burns was ex-Man U, and one criticism I distinctly remember was the feeling that Nobby Stiles was too loyal to some of the old guard from his old club.
Stand to be corrected, but pretty sure both played in 77/78.
Yep... a kind of Trevor Brooking style if my memory serves me rightI was behind the goals on the old Town End when Spavin scored from that free kick when they put some of our own players in front of Rotherhams wall. And the crowd went wild... 28,000 on and getting crushed.. Great memories of Alan who was indeed one of the best midfielders in that division. Great vision for passing..
You're right that they played together for PNE, but it must have been 1973-1974.
Franny Burns played for PNE 1973-1981 (born October 1948)
Alan Spavin played for PNE until 1974 (born Feb 1942)
I certainly remember them playing together. Spavin was class but his legs were going by then.
Spav was one of my favourite players in the team which included Lawton, Kelly, Dawson, Wilson etc. etc.
RIP Mr Spavin and thanks for the memories.
Sorry just read this (working a lot recently).Son not so nice, I'm afraid. Drunk driver who killed a young mother and badly injured her daughter, sadly only got 5 years inside, probably served 2 or 3
Sorry don't want to dwell on this but Spav had 2 sons, it wasn't David in Drink Driving tragedy.I lived next door to his son David in the early 2000's and he was generally ok, although funnily enough, he used to complain about my son playing football in the back garden! I didn't know about his drink driving crash. Really shocked by that.