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Carl Saunders (footballer)

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Carl Saunders
Personal information
Full name Carl Saunders[1]
Date of birth (1964-11-26) 26 November 1964 (age 59)[1]
Place of birth Birmingham, England[1]
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1982–1990 Stoke City 164 (24)
1990–1993 Bristol Rovers 142 (42)
1993–1994 Oxford United 5 (0)
1994–1995 Walsall 2 (0)
1995–1996 Sliema Wanderers
1996 Hibernians
Total 313 (84)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Carl Saunders (born 26 November 1964) is a former professional footballer who spent most of his career at Stoke City and Bristol Rovers.[1][3]

Career

Saunders was born in Birmingham and began his career with Stoke City making his debut as a substitute in a 3–1 defeat in 1982–83.[1] He played 27 times in 1984–85 scoring his first senior goal against Manchester United to earn Stoke a 2–1.[1] However that was a rare highlight that season as Stoke were relegated with a record low points tally.[1] He scored three goals in 44 matches in 1985–86 before finding good goalscoring form in 1986–87.[1] Saunders formed a fine partnership with Nicky Morgan and he top-scored with 19 goals.[1] However, he lost his form and in his next three seasons at the Victoria Ground he scored just six goals before being sold to Bristol Rovers by Alan Ball in February 1990.[1]

He rediscovered he goalscoring form at Bristol Rovers scoring 50 goals in 163 matches helping the Pirates win the Football League Third Division in 1989–90. After leaving Bristol Rovers in December 1993, he had brief spells as a non-contract player with Oxford United and Walsall, before moving to Malta to join Sliema Wanderers and then Hibernians.

Career statistics

Source:[4]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Stoke City 1982–83 First Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 0
1983–84 First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
1984–85 First Division 23 2 2 0 2 1 — 27 3
1985–86 Second Division 37 2 1 0 3 0 3[a] 1 44 3
1986–87 Second Division 31 14 5 5 0 0 0 0 36 19
1987–88 Second Division 17 3 0 0 1 0 3[a] 0 21 3
1988–89 Second Division 33 2 2 0 1 0 1[a] 0 37 2
1989–90 Second Division 22 1 1 0 1 0 1[a] 0 25 1
Total 164 24 11 5 8 1 8 1 191 31
Bristol Rovers 1989–90 Third Division 20 5 0 0 0 0 4[b] 1 24 6
1990–91 Second Division 38 16 1 0 2 0 2[a] 1 43 17
1991–92 Second Division 36 10 3 6 2 0 1[a] 0 42 16
1992–93 First Division 41 11 2 0 1 0 1[c] 0 45 11
1993–94 Second Division 7 0 1 0 0 0 1[b] 0 9 0
Total 142 42 7 6 5 0 9 2 163 50
Oxford United 1993–94 First Division 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Walsall 1993–94 Third Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Career total 313 66 18 11 13 1 17 3 361 81
  1. ^ a b c d e f Appearances in Full Members' Cup
  2. ^ a b Appearances in Football League Trophy
  3. ^ Appearance in Anglo-Italian Cup

Honours

Bristol Rovers

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 348. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. ^ Lowe, Simon (2000). Stoke City The Modern Era – A Complete Record. Desert Island Books. ISBN 1-874287-39-2.
  4. ^ Carl Saunders at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  • Carl Saunders at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
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