Hat-Trick Hero on Debut: Alan Withers 1930 - 2017
Alan Withers was born in Nottingham on 20 October 1930. He played his junior football for Aspley Boys’ Club as an inside forward. He came to the attention of the Blackpool scouts and he was signed by Blackpool Football Club on 4 July 1949.
He made his first appearance for the Blackpool ‘B’ team at outside left in the opening Lancashire Combination game of the 1949/50 season against Horwich RMI on 20 August 1949. He scored Blackpool’s second goal in the ‘B’ side’s 4-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers ‘B’ on 22 October 1949 and he played in the side throughout that season.
He made his Central League debut at inside left against Barnsley reserves on 28 August 1950 when he scored one of the goals in Blackpool’s 3-2 success. He was then tried at centre forward against Burnley reserves on 5 September 1950 when he scored Blackpool’s goal in a 1-1 draw and he also made appearances at inside right and outside left. Ironically after his appearance in the latter position, many critics expressed the view that outside left was perhaps his best position. As it turned out, that was the position he was to occupy for the majority of his later Blackpool career.
He made his League debut at inside left on 18 November 1950 against Huddersfield Town and he became the first Blackpool player to score a hat-trick on his First Division debut, scoring all three goals in a 3 1 victory. He went on to score seven other hat-tricks in League football but they were when he was playing in the Second and Third Divisions. And when he scored one of Blackpool’s goals in a dramatic 4 4 draw with Arsenal at Highbury on 9 December 1950, he was described as ‘that gay young poacher of goals’.
The signing of Allan Brown from East Fife cost him his first team place and by the close of the 1950/51 season he had played eight League games, scoring five goals, and 26 Central League games, scoring 10 goals.
He started the 1951/52 season at inside left in the Central League side and he showed his versatility as within nine games he had also appeared at outside left, centre forward and inside right. He made occasional first team appearances but mainly played in the Central League side so that at the end of the 1951/52 season he had played in six League games, scoring one goal, and 29 Central League games, scoring 13 goals. However, at the close of the 1951/52 season a report in the Lancashire Evening Post stated, ‘A brighter side to the club’s [injury] troubles has been the keenness and improvement of several young reserves. Withers, Stephenson, W Wright and Robinson are among those who created good impressions, while the selection of Garrett, another graduate from a junior team, for England against Scotland, emphasises once more that Blackpool’s policy of finding future men from among the youngsters is wise and profitable.’
At the start of the 1952/53 season he was established as the Central League side outside left and he politely, but firmly, declared his intention not to play in any other position. And over the season he played only one League game and perhaps because of his lack of first team opportunities, he asked Blackpool for a transfer on 9 January 1954. He said, ‘I have written to the chairman giving him the reasons. I seem to be getting nowhere. I’ve been nearly five years at Blackpool, and I’m still only playing in the first team infrequently. I’ve had only one game this season, the Chelsea match. And in that game I was switched over to the right halfway through.’ Nothing came of his request, although he did have a word with Derby County but nothing was arranged regarding a transfer.
With Bill Perry occupying the outside left position in the League side, he played in just the one League game in the 1953/54 season but he did play 32 Central League games, scoring 14 goals, a club record for a wing forward in the Central League side. However, injury to Bill Perry presented him with an opportunity in the League side and he played twice within the space of four days, against Manchester United on 28 August 1954 and against Bolton Wanderers on 1 September 1954. Blackpool lost both games, 4-2 and 3-0 respectively and then, with Perry fit again, he returned to Central League action.
At the end of 1954, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest made approaches for his signature but negotiations broke down when neither club would guarantee to provide a house for him. He remained at Blackpool, living at 22 Henry Street. Apparently he was a big friend of Stan Matthews who had had a word with the Leeds manager and told him that Withers was better than anything they had on their books. As a consequence Matthews told him that he would be playing in their first team the following week. However, nothing came of that move either.
There was then a strong rumour that he would join Lincoln City on 26 February 1955 as Blackpool manager Joe Smith and Lincoln representative were reported to have had a 12-minute telephone conversation over terms. Lincoln City eventually agreed to provide him with a house and the deal was sealed; he was duly transferred to Lincoln City for a fee of £350 on 28 February 1955 after having played two League games and 15 Central League games, scoring three goals, for Blackpool before his transfer. His senior Blackpool career encompassed 17 League games, in which he scored six goals, and 130 Central League games, in which he scored 46 goals. He also scored two goals in four friendly games.
He was on Lincoln City’s transfer list at his own request in November 1957 but he remained with the club for more than 12 months when he was transferred to Notts County for a fee of £3,500 in January 1959. He had played 97 League games, scoring 18 goals, for Lincoln City.
Although Coventry City showed interest in signing him in February 1960, no move took place and he went on to play 121 League games, scoring 22 goals for Notts County. Whilst at the club he began working for the Co-operative Wholesale Society for whom he worked once he retired from football.
Once he left Notts County he played non-league football with Wisbech Town, Boston United, Lockheed Leamington and Loughborough.
He died on 29 November 2017, leaving his wife Mary, two children and six grandchildren.
He made his first appearance for the Blackpool ‘B’ team at outside left in the opening Lancashire Combination game of the 1949/50 season against Horwich RMI on 20 August 1949. He scored Blackpool’s second goal in the ‘B’ side’s 4-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers ‘B’ on 22 October 1949 and he played in the side throughout that season.
He made his Central League debut at inside left against Barnsley reserves on 28 August 1950 when he scored one of the goals in Blackpool’s 3-2 success. He was then tried at centre forward against Burnley reserves on 5 September 1950 when he scored Blackpool’s goal in a 1-1 draw and he also made appearances at inside right and outside left. Ironically after his appearance in the latter position, many critics expressed the view that outside left was perhaps his best position. As it turned out, that was the position he was to occupy for the majority of his later Blackpool career.
He made his League debut at inside left on 18 November 1950 against Huddersfield Town and he became the first Blackpool player to score a hat-trick on his First Division debut, scoring all three goals in a 3 1 victory. He went on to score seven other hat-tricks in League football but they were when he was playing in the Second and Third Divisions. And when he scored one of Blackpool’s goals in a dramatic 4 4 draw with Arsenal at Highbury on 9 December 1950, he was described as ‘that gay young poacher of goals’.
The signing of Allan Brown from East Fife cost him his first team place and by the close of the 1950/51 season he had played eight League games, scoring five goals, and 26 Central League games, scoring 10 goals.
He started the 1951/52 season at inside left in the Central League side and he showed his versatility as within nine games he had also appeared at outside left, centre forward and inside right. He made occasional first team appearances but mainly played in the Central League side so that at the end of the 1951/52 season he had played in six League games, scoring one goal, and 29 Central League games, scoring 13 goals. However, at the close of the 1951/52 season a report in the Lancashire Evening Post stated, ‘A brighter side to the club’s [injury] troubles has been the keenness and improvement of several young reserves. Withers, Stephenson, W Wright and Robinson are among those who created good impressions, while the selection of Garrett, another graduate from a junior team, for England against Scotland, emphasises once more that Blackpool’s policy of finding future men from among the youngsters is wise and profitable.’
At the start of the 1952/53 season he was established as the Central League side outside left and he politely, but firmly, declared his intention not to play in any other position. And over the season he played only one League game and perhaps because of his lack of first team opportunities, he asked Blackpool for a transfer on 9 January 1954. He said, ‘I have written to the chairman giving him the reasons. I seem to be getting nowhere. I’ve been nearly five years at Blackpool, and I’m still only playing in the first team infrequently. I’ve had only one game this season, the Chelsea match. And in that game I was switched over to the right halfway through.’ Nothing came of his request, although he did have a word with Derby County but nothing was arranged regarding a transfer.
With Bill Perry occupying the outside left position in the League side, he played in just the one League game in the 1953/54 season but he did play 32 Central League games, scoring 14 goals, a club record for a wing forward in the Central League side. However, injury to Bill Perry presented him with an opportunity in the League side and he played twice within the space of four days, against Manchester United on 28 August 1954 and against Bolton Wanderers on 1 September 1954. Blackpool lost both games, 4-2 and 3-0 respectively and then, with Perry fit again, he returned to Central League action.
At the end of 1954, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest made approaches for his signature but negotiations broke down when neither club would guarantee to provide a house for him. He remained at Blackpool, living at 22 Henry Street. Apparently he was a big friend of Stan Matthews who had had a word with the Leeds manager and told him that Withers was better than anything they had on their books. As a consequence Matthews told him that he would be playing in their first team the following week. However, nothing came of that move either.
There was then a strong rumour that he would join Lincoln City on 26 February 1955 as Blackpool manager Joe Smith and Lincoln representative were reported to have had a 12-minute telephone conversation over terms. Lincoln City eventually agreed to provide him with a house and the deal was sealed; he was duly transferred to Lincoln City for a fee of £350 on 28 February 1955 after having played two League games and 15 Central League games, scoring three goals, for Blackpool before his transfer. His senior Blackpool career encompassed 17 League games, in which he scored six goals, and 130 Central League games, in which he scored 46 goals. He also scored two goals in four friendly games.
He was on Lincoln City’s transfer list at his own request in November 1957 but he remained with the club for more than 12 months when he was transferred to Notts County for a fee of £3,500 in January 1959. He had played 97 League games, scoring 18 goals, for Lincoln City.
Although Coventry City showed interest in signing him in February 1960, no move took place and he went on to play 121 League games, scoring 22 goals for Notts County. Whilst at the club he began working for the Co-operative Wholesale Society for whom he worked once he retired from football.
Once he left Notts County he played non-league football with Wisbech Town, Boston United, Lockheed Leamington and Loughborough.
He died on 29 November 2017, leaving his wife Mary, two children and six grandchildren.
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