Tony Funnell
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 |
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.[2] Funnell played the 1977 English off-season in Canada with North American Soccer League club Vancouver Whitecaps.[3] He scored two goals in 10 games for the club,[3] which fell to the Seattle Sounders in the first round of the playoffs.[4]
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.[5][6] 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.[7] Funnell made 20 appearances and scored 9 goals during his time with Southampton.[5]
Gillingham
In March 1979, Funnell transferred to Third Division club Gillingham for a then-club record fee of £50,000.[1][7] He made 38 appearances and scored 10 goals during just over a year at Priestfield.[8]
Brentford
Funnell joined Third Division club Brentford for a then-club record fee of £56,000 in March 1980.[2] 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
Funnell signed for Fourth Division club Bournemouth in September 1981 for a £5,000 fee.[2] 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.[2] He made 64 appearances and scored 22 goals during his time at Dean Court.[9]
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.[10] During a long spell with the club, Funnell scored 127 goals in 308 appearances for the Dolphins.[1] 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.[11]
Managerial career
Funnell had spells as manager of Dorset League club Hamworthy United and Wessex League club Wimborne Town.[1]
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.[12]
Career statistics
Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Southampton | 1977–78[5] | Second Division | 15 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 9 |
1978–79[5] | First Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 17 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 9 | ||
Vancouver Whitecaps (loan) | 1977[3] | 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[13] | Third Division | 9 | 2 | — | — | 9 | 2 | ||
1980–81[13] | 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 |
- ^ Includes FA Cup
- ^ Includes Football League Cup
Honours
Southampton
- Football League Second Division second-place promotion: 1977–78[5][6]
Bournemouth
- Football League Fourth Division fourth-place promotion: 1981–82[9]
Individual
- Poole Town Hall of Fame[11]
References
- ^ a b c d e f 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 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 "Tony Funnell". North American Soccer League Players. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ "The Year in American Soccer – 1977". Archived from the original on 13 July 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Tony Funnell". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b Southampton F.C. at the Football Club History Database
- ^ a b "Southampton v Norwich City, 11 November 1978". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b c "Tony Funnell". Gillingham FC Scrapbook. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
- ^ a b c Wadley, Ian. "Funnell: Cherries have done 10 times better than Saints". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ "The Chairman Remembers Pt8 – Tony Funnell's 176 goals and Tom Killick's first!!". Poole Town FC. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ a b "Hall of Fame 2014". Poole Town FC. 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.