Tony Funnell
Anthony Funnell (born 20 August 1957) is an English retired professional football forward who played in the Football League for Bournemouth, Gillingham, Brentford and Southampton.[1] After dropping into non-league football, he had a notable spell with Poole Town, making over 300 appearances and being inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2014.[1][2] He later became a manager.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Anthony Funnell[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 20 August 1957 | ||
| Place of birth | Eastbourne, England | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Newhaven | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1975–1977 | Eastbourne United | ||
| 1977–1979 | Southampton | 17 | (8) |
| 1977 | → Vancouver Whitecaps (loan) | 10 | (2) |
| 1979–1980 | Gillingham | 33 | (10) |
| 1980–1981 | Brentford | 32 | (8) |
| 1981–1983 | Bournemouth | 64 | (22) |
| Poole Town | |||
| Managerial career | |||
| Hamworthy United | |||
| Wimborne Town | |||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career Edit
Southampton Edit
After rising to prominence at Athenian League club Eastbourne United, Funnell joined Second Division club Southampton for a £250 fee in January 1977.[3] He made quite an impression during the second half of the 1977–78 season, by scoring 9 goals to help the Saints clinch promotion to First Division with a second-place finish.[4][5] The higher level of football during the 1978–79 season meant Funnell rarely figured in the first team picture and he departed The Dell in March 1979.[6] Funnell made 20 appearances and scored 9 goals during his time with Southampton.[4]
Vancouver Whitecaps (loan) Edit
Funnell spent the 1977 English off-season in Canada with North American Soccer League club Vancouver Whitecaps.[7] He scored two goals in 10 games for the club,[7] which fell to the Seattle Sounders in the first round of the 1977 playoffs.
Gillingham Edit
In March 1979, Funnell signed for Third Division club Gillingham for a then-club record fee of £50,000.[1][6] He made 38 appearances and scoring 10 goals during just over a year at Priestfield.[8]
Brentford Edit
Funnell joined Third Division club Brentford for a then-club record fee of £56,000 in March 1980.[3] Not rated by incoming manager Fred Callaghan, he made only 23 appearances and scored six goals during his only full season at Griffin Park.[1] Funnell departed the Bees in the summer of 1981, having made 35 appearances and scored 10 goals.[1]
Bournemouth Edit
Funnell signed for Fourth Division club Bournemouth in September 1981 for a £5,000 fee.[3] Under David Webb's management, he had the best season of his career in 1981–82, top-scoring 16 goals in 43 league games to help the Cherries to promotion to Division Three with a fourth-place finish.[9] A back injury during the 1982–83 season ended Funnell's career in league football.[3] He made 64 appearances and scored 22 goals during his time at Dean Court.[9]
Poole Town Edit
Funnell dropped into non-league football and signed for Southern League Premier Division club Poole Town in 1983.[1] In a long spell with the club, Funnell scored 127 goals in 308 games for the Dolphins.[1] He was recognised for his service with a testimonial versus former club Southampton in May 1991 and was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2014.[2]
Managerial career Edit
Funnell had spells as manager of Dorset League club Hamworthy United and Wessex League club Wimborne Town.[1]
Personal life Edit
Funnell's son Gary is also a footballer and represented non-league clubs Wimborne Town, Salisbury City and Poole Town, in addition to the England beach football team at international level.[10]
Honours Edit
As a player Edit
Southampton
- Football League Second Division second-place promotion: 1977–78[4][5]
Bournemouth
- Football League Fourth Division fourth-place promotion: 1981–82[9]
As an individual Edit
- Poole Town Hall of Fame[2]
Career statistics Edit
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Southampton | 1977–78[4] | Second Division | 15 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 9 |
| 1978–79[4] | First Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 17 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 9 | ||
| Vancouver Whitecaps (loan) | 1977[7] | North American Soccer League | 10 | 2 | — | — | 10 | 2 | ||
| Gillingham | 1978–79[8] | Third Division | 12 | 7 | — | — | 12 | 7 | ||
| 1979–80[8] | 21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 3 | ||
| Total | 33 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 10 | ||
| Brentford | 1979–80[11] | Third Division | 9 | 2 | — | — | 9 | 2 | ||
| 1980–81[11] | 23 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 8 | ||
| Total | 32 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 10 | ||
| Career total | 92 | 28 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 103 | 31 | ||
References Edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 61. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ^ a b c "Hall of Fame 2014". Poole Town FC. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 294. ISBN 978-1906796709.
- ^ a b c d e "Tony Funnell". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b "Football Club History Database – Southampton". fchd.info. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ^ a b "Southampton v Norwich City, 11 November 1978". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b c "North American Soccer League Players". Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b c "Gillingham FC Career Details". Retrieved 26 May 2017.
- ^ a b c Wadley, Ian. "Funnell: Cherries have done 10 times better than Saints". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ Wadley, Ian. "Wimborne Town: Funnell after more FA Cup exploits". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 393–398. ISBN 0951526200.