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Tony Funnell

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English footballer

Tony Funnell
Personal information
Full name Anthony Funnell
Date of birth (1957-08-20) 20 August 1957 (age 67)
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

Anthony Funnell (born 20 August 1957) is an English retired professional footballer who played as a forward in the Football League.

Funnell played in the Football League for Bournemouth, Gillingham, Brentford and Southampton. After a back injury forced him to retire from League football, Funnell he had a notable spell with Poole Town in non-League football. He made over 300 appearances and was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2014. Funnell later became a manager.

Playing career

Southampton

After rising to prominence at Athenian League club Eastbourne United, Funnell joined Second Division club Southampton for a £250 fee in January 1977. Funnell played the 1977 English off-season in Canada with North American Soccer League club Vancouver Whitecaps. He scored two goals in 10 games for the club, which fell to the Seattle Sounders in the first round of the playoffs.

Funnell made an impression during the second half of the 1977–78 season, scoring 9 goals to help the Saints clinch promotion to First Division with a second-place finish. 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. Funnell made 20 appearances and scored 9 goals during his time with Southampton.

Gillingham

In March 1979, Funnell transferred to Third Division club Gillingham for a then-club record fee of £50,000. He made 38 appearances and scored 10 goals during just over a year at Priestfield.

Brentford

Funnell joined Third Division club Brentford for a then-club record fee of £56,000 in March 1980. Not rated by incoming manager Fred Callaghan, he made only 23 appearances and scored six goals during his only full season at Griffin Park. Funnell departed the Bees in the summer of 1981, having made 35 appearances and scored 10 goals.

Bournemouth

Funnell signed for Fourth Division club AFC Bournemouth in September 1981 for a £5,000 fee. 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. A back injury during the 1982–83 season ended Funnell's career in league football. He made 64 appearances and scored 22 goals during his time at Dean Court.

Poole Town

After two years in Sunday league football, Funnell moved into non-League football to join Southern League Premier Division club Poole Town in 1985. During a long spell with the club, Funnell scored 127 goals in 308 appearances for the Dolphins. He was recognised for his service with a testimonial versus former club Southampton in May 1991 and he was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2014.

Managerial career

Funnell had spells as manager of Dorset League club Hamworthy United and Wessex League club Wimborne Town.

Personal life

Funnell's son Gary is also a footballer, who represented non-League clubs Wimborne Town, Salisbury City and Poole Town, in addition to the England beach football team at international level.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Southampton 1977–78 Second Division 15 8 1 0 2 1 18 9
1978–79 First Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Total 17 8 2 0 2 1 20 9
Vancouver Whitecaps (loan) 1977 North American Soccer League 10 2 — — 10 2
Gillingham 1978–79 Third Division 12 7 — — 12 7
1979–80 21 3 2 0 3 0 26 3
Total 33 10 2 0 3 0 38 10
Brentford 1979–80 Third Division 9 2 — — 9 2
1980–81 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
  1. Includes FA Cup
  2. Includes Football League Cup

Honours

Southampton

Bournemouth

Individual

References

  1. ^ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 61. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  2. ^ Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 294. ISBN 978-1906796709.
  3. ^ "Tony Funnell". North American Soccer League Players. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  4. "The Year in American Soccer – 1977". Archived from the original on 13 July 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Tony Funnell". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  6. ^ Southampton F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  7. ^ "Southampton v Norwich City, 11 November 1978". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  8. ^ "Tony Funnell". Gillingham FC Scrapbook. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  9. ^ Wadley, Ian. "Funnell: Cherries have done 10 times better than Saints". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  10. "The Chairman Remembers Pt8 – Tony Funnell's 176 goals and Tom Killick's first!!". Poole Town FC. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Hall of Fame 2014". Poole Town FC. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  12. Wadley, Ian. "Wimborne Town: Funnell after more FA Cup exploits". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  13. ^ White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 393–398. ISBN 0951526200.
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