Brian Punter
Encyclopedia
Brian Punter is an English former footballer who scored 21 goals from 75 appearances in the Football League
playing as a centre forward for Lincoln City
.
, Staffordshire
. As a youngster he joined his local club, Wolverhampton Wanderers
, for whom he played in the first leg of the FA Youth Cup Final
in 1953, which Wolves lost 7–1 to a Manchester United
team containing many of the "Busby Babes
". An ankle injury sustained early on in that game prevented Punter taking part in the second leg, so he was not presented with his runners-up medal at the time. Feeling that "it would be nice to have one to show to our grandchildren", he eventually applied to the Football Association
, and received his medal some 56 years after the event. Punter was selected for the England youth team to play against their Scottish counterparts in February 1953, one of his three international appearances made in the 1952–53 season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers were pioneers of floodlit
football in the 1950s, playing friendly matches against top sides from Continental Europe. In the hope of offering better visibility under lights than their traditional old gold
kit, they developed a fluorescent shirt, which was tried out in a youth team game. Only a single prototype shirt was initially produced, and Punter, who as a winger
would be expected to play near the edge of the pitch and thus be noticeable, was chosen to wear it for the trial.
After leaving Wolves, Punter was on the books of Leicester City
, but he moved on to Lincoln City
without appearing for Leicester's first team. He made his debut on 12 December 1959 in a 1–0 home defeat to Rotherham United
in the Football League Second Division
. In the 1960–61 season, Lincoln finished bottom of their division. The following season, Punter, now playing as a centre forward, was the club's leading scorer, though with only eight goals as they suffered a second consecutive relegation
. He repeated the achievement the next season in the Fourth Division, this time with 17 goals in all competitions as Lincoln narrowly avoided having to apply for re-election. Punter played his last game for the club in April 1964. He had remained a semi-professional
player for the whole of his five years with Lincoln, while continuing his main career as a design draughtsman
.
He returned to the Midlands
to play for Hereford United
of the Southern League
, where he remained until at least the 1968–69 season. He also played for several other Midlands sides, including Kidderminster Harriers
, Bromsgrove Rovers
, Nuneaton Borough, Stourbridge
and Darlaston.
In later life, Punter scouted
for Wolverhampton Wanderers' Academy.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing as a centre forward for Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
.
Career
Punter was born in Waterloo Road, in WolverhamptonWolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. As a youngster he joined his local club, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, for whom he played in the first leg of the FA Youth Cup Final
FA Youth Cup Finals of the 1950s
-1958/59: Blackburn Rovers v. West Ham United :-1957/58: Wolverhampton Wanderers v. Chelsea :-1956/57: Manchester United v. West Ham United :...
in 1953, which Wolves lost 7–1 to a Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
team containing many of the "Busby Babes
Busby Babes
The Busby Babes were a group of Manchester United players, recruited and trained by the club's chief scout Joe Armstrong and assistant manager Jimmy Murphy, who progressed from the club's youth team into the first team under the management of the eponymous Matt Busby.The Busby Babes were notable...
". An ankle injury sustained early on in that game prevented Punter taking part in the second leg, so he was not presented with his runners-up medal at the time. Feeling that "it would be nice to have one to show to our grandchildren", he eventually applied to the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
, and received his medal some 56 years after the event. Punter was selected for the England youth team to play against their Scottish counterparts in February 1953, one of his three international appearances made in the 1952–53 season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers were pioneers of floodlit
Floodlights (sport)
Floodlights are broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial lights often used to illuminate outdoor playing fields while an outdoor sports event is being held during low-light conditions....
football in the 1950s, playing friendly matches against top sides from Continental Europe. In the hope of offering better visibility under lights than their traditional old gold
Old Gold
Old gold is a dark yellow, which varies from light olive or olive brown to deep or strong yellow. The widely-accepted color "Old gold" is on the darker rather than the lighter side of this range....
kit, they developed a fluorescent shirt, which was tried out in a youth team game. Only a single prototype shirt was initially produced, and Punter, who as a winger
Outside forward
Outside forward is a position in association football which refers to a footballer who plays as an advanced forward on the right or left wing - as an outside right or outside left. Typically as part of a 2-3-5 formation or one of its variants...
would be expected to play near the edge of the pitch and thus be noticeable, was chosen to wear it for the trial.
After leaving Wolves, Punter was on the books of Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, but he moved on to Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
without appearing for Leicester's first team. He made his debut on 12 December 1959 in a 1–0 home defeat to Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
in the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. In the 1960–61 season, Lincoln finished bottom of their division. The following season, Punter, now playing as a centre forward, was the club's leading scorer, though with only eight goals as they suffered a second consecutive relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
. He repeated the achievement the next season in the Fourth Division, this time with 17 goals in all competitions as Lincoln narrowly avoided having to apply for re-election. Punter played his last game for the club in April 1964. He had remained a semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
player for the whole of his five years with Lincoln, while continuing his main career as a design draughtsman
Technical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
.
He returned to the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
to play for Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
of the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
, where he remained until at least the 1968–69 season. He also played for several other Midlands sides, including Kidderminster Harriers
Kidderminster Harriers F.C.
Kidderminster Harriers F.C. are an English football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire formed in 1886 They currently play in the Conference National and have played at Aggborough Stadium since they were formed...
, Bromsgrove Rovers
Bromsgrove Rovers F.C.
Bromsgrove Rovers F.C. were a non-League football club from the town of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. The peak of the club's success was in 1993 when Rovers finished runner-up in the Football Conference...
, Nuneaton Borough, Stourbridge
Stourbridge F.C.
Stourbridge Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Stourbridge, West Midlands. The club currently plays in the Southern League Premier Division.-Early years:The club was founded in 1876 and was originally known as Stourbridge Standard...
and Darlaston.
In later life, Punter scouted
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
for Wolverhampton Wanderers' Academy.