Alan Oakes
Encyclopedia
Alan Arthur Oakes is an English
footballer who holds Manchester City
's all-time record for appearances. Thanks to a further six year stint at Chester
(spent mainly as player-manager), Oakes played 776 Football League
matches – the seventh most in history.
on amateur terms in 1958 at the age of fifteen, signing as a professional a year later. His first-team debut came on 14 November 1959 in a 1–1 draw with Chelsea
. During the early 1960s Oakes proved to be one of the few consistent performers in a struggling City side. However, it was under the tutelage of management team Joe Mercer
and Malcolm Allison
that Oakes blossomed. He played in all but one of the matches in Manchester City's First Division
winning season in 1967–68, and by the time he had added a League Cup
medal in 1976
, he had become part of more trophy winning sides than any other Manchester City player in history.
His last appearance for Manchester City came on 4 May 1976, coming on as substitute for Mike Doyle against rivals
Manchester United
.
Amongst footballing figures of his era Oakes was renowned for his professionalism; the great Liverpool
manager Bill Shankly
described him as "exactly the kind of player youngsters should use as a model".
in the summer of 1976. Although he initially signed just as a player, he was soon in charge of team affairs after manager Ken Roberts
moved upstairs. Oakes was to be player-manager throughout the remainder of his six years with the club, where he continued to break playing appearance records.
In his first season at the club, Oakes led Chester to the last-16 of the FA Cup
for the first time since 1891. He would repeat the feat three years later and lead the club to the Debenhams Cup
title in 1977. In 1978, he came within a whisker of taking Chester into the top two divisions for the first time, as they finished just two points and places outside the three promotion spots in Division Three
. Oakes was also the man to give the legendary Ian Rush
his big break in the professional game, handing him his Chester debut in April 1979.
Oakes was widely regarded as having done a good job at Chester but the 1981–82 season saw the Blues relegated. Oakes left the club in March 1982 and perhaps surprisingly would never manage in the Football League again. After making an FA Cup
appearance for Northwich Victoria
against Scunthorpe United
in December 1982.
Oakes became part of the coaching staff with Port Vale
, serving as reserve team manager from January 1983. While at Vale Park
, Oakes was forced to make one final Football League appearance during an injury crisis – his 776th match in the league. At 41 years and 60 days old Oakes was unable to prevent the injury ravaged team from losing to Plymouth Argyle
1–0. Sacked in order to save money in December 1983, he was brought back to the club as a coach in August 1984. After being demoted to the position of youth coach in December 1987 he resigned in protest.
In 1992, Oakes return to Chester on the coaching staff and in 1993–94 he assisted Graham Barrow
and Joe Hinnigan
as Chester were promoted to Division Two
.
Glyn Pardoe
was also a member of the Manchester City side in the 1960s and 70s, and his son Michael
is a professional footballer who has played for Aston Villa
, Wolverhampton Wanderers
and Cardiff FC amongst others as a goalkeeper. His nephew, Chris Blackburn
, plays for Wrexham.
Manchester City
Chester City
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
footballer who holds Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
's all-time record for appearances. Thanks to a further six year stint at Chester
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
(spent mainly as player-manager), Oakes played 776 Football League
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...
matches – the seventh most in history.
Permanent Fixture with Man City
Oakes signed for Manchester CityManchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on amateur terms in 1958 at the age of fifteen, signing as a professional a year later. His first-team debut came on 14 November 1959 in a 1–1 draw with Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
. During the early 1960s Oakes proved to be one of the few consistent performers in a struggling City side. However, it was under the tutelage of management team Joe Mercer
Joe Mercer
Joseph 'Joe' Mercer, OBE was an English football player and manager.-Playing career:Mercer was born in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, the son of a former Nottingham Forest and Tranmere Rovers footballer, also named Joe. Joe Mercer senior died, following health problems resulting from a gas attack...
and Malcolm Allison
Malcolm Allison
Malcolm Alexander Allison was an English football player and manager. Nicknamed "Big Mal", he was one of English football's most flamboyant and intriguing characters because of his panache, fedora and cigar, controversies off the pitch and outspoken nature.Allison's managerial potential become...
that Oakes blossomed. He played in all but one of the matches in Manchester City's First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
winning season in 1967–68, and by the time he had added a League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
medal in 1976
1976 Football League Cup Final
The 1976 Football League Cup Final took place between Manchester City and Newcastle United on 28 February 1976 at Wembley Stadium. It was the sixteenth final and the tenth Football League Cup final to be played at Wembley. Manchester City won the match 2–1 to win the competition for the second time...
, he had become part of more trophy winning sides than any other Manchester City player in history.
His last appearance for Manchester City came on 4 May 1976, coming on as substitute for Mike Doyle against rivals
Manchester derby
The Manchester derby is the name given to football matches between Manchester City and Manchester United. The local derby centres on the City of Manchester and Greater Manchester with approximately four miles separating the clubs with City based in east Manchester at the City of Manchester Stadium...
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...
.
Amongst footballing figures of his era Oakes was renowned for his professionalism; the great Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
manager Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
described him as "exactly the kind of player youngsters should use as a model".
Moving Into Management
After 17 years, and a record 669 first-team appearances for Man City, Oakes moved to ChesterChester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
in the summer of 1976. Although he initially signed just as a player, he was soon in charge of team affairs after manager Ken Roberts
Ken Roberts (footballer)
Kenneth Owen Roberts was a professional footballer with Wrexham and Aston Villa who later achieved managerial success with Chester.-Playing career:...
moved upstairs. Oakes was to be player-manager throughout the remainder of his six years with the club, where he continued to break playing appearance records.
In his first season at the club, Oakes led Chester to the last-16 of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
for the first time since 1891. He would repeat the feat three years later and lead the club to the Debenhams Cup
Debenhams Cup
The Debenhams Cup was one of several short-lived football competitions introduced in the 1970s and 1980s, along with the Watney Cup, Texaco Cup, Anglo-Scottish Cup, the Screen Sport Super Cup and Simod Cup...
title in 1977. In 1978, he came within a whisker of taking Chester into the top two divisions for the first time, as they finished just two points and places outside the three promotion spots in Division Three
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
. Oakes was also the man to give the legendary Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
his big break in the professional game, handing him his Chester debut in April 1979.
Oakes was widely regarded as having done a good job at Chester but the 1981–82 season saw the Blues relegated. Oakes left the club in March 1982 and perhaps surprisingly would never manage in the Football League again. After making an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
appearance for Northwich Victoria
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
against Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
in December 1982.
Oakes became part of the coaching staff with Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, serving as reserve team manager from January 1983. While at Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
, Oakes was forced to make one final Football League appearance during an injury crisis – his 776th match in the league. At 41 years and 60 days old Oakes was unable to prevent the injury ravaged team from losing to Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
1–0. Sacked in order to save money in December 1983, he was brought back to the club as a coach in August 1984. After being demoted to the position of youth coach in December 1987 he resigned in protest.
In 1992, Oakes return to Chester on the coaching staff and in 1993–94 he assisted Graham Barrow
Graham Barrow
Graham Barrow is an English former footballer who has since become a lower division manager. He is currently part of the coaching staff at Premier League side Wigan Athletic, where he has previously been both a player and manager.-Barrow the Player:Barrow first entered the Football League at the...
and Joe Hinnigan
Joe Hinnigan
Joseph Peter "Joe" Hinnigan is an English former professional football player. His clubs included Wigan Athletic, Sunderland, Preston North End, Gillingham, for whom he made over 100 Football League appearances, Wrexham and Chester City.-Playing career:Hinnigan joined Wigan Athletic from South...
as Chester were promoted to Division Two
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...
.
Family
Alan Oakes is the best known member of a prominent football family. His cousinCousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
Glyn Pardoe
Glyn Pardoe
Glyn Pardoe is an English former footballer who played for Manchester City between 1962 and 1974. He made his first team debut against Birmingham City in April 1962...
was also a member of the Manchester City side in the 1960s and 70s, and his son Michael
Michael Oakes
Michael Christian Oakes is an English former professional football goalkeeper who is currently working with Wrexham as a goalkeeping coach and Assistant Manager Under Andy Morrell. He is the son of former Manchester City footballer Alan Oakes.- Aston Villa :Oakes began his career in Aston Villa's...
is a professional footballer who has played for Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, 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...
and Cardiff FC amongst others as a goalkeeper. His nephew, Chris Blackburn
Chris Blackburn
Christopher Raymond "Chris" Blackburn is an English footballer who plays for Stockport County as a defender.-Chester City:...
, plays for Wrexham.
as a player
with Manchester CityManchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
- European Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
winner: 1970 - Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
champion: 1967–681967–68 Football League First Division-Overview:Manchester City won the First Division title for the second time in the club's history that season. They won the title on May 11, with a 4-3 win at Newcastle United whilst the defending champions and their nearest rivals Manchester United lost 2-1 at home to Sunderland... - Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 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...
champion: 1965–661965–66 Football League First Division-Overview:Liverpool won the First Division title for the seventh time in the club's history that season. They made sure of that with a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Anfield on April 30, and ended the season 6 points clear of Leeds United... - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winner: 19691969 FA Cup FinalThe 1969 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 1968–69 staging of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, better known as the FA Cup. The match was contested between Leicester City and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday 26 April 1969... - Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
winner: 19701970 Football League Cup FinalThe 1970 Football League Cup Final took place on 7 March 1970 at Wembley Stadium with an attendance of 97,963. It was the tenth Football League Cup final and the fourth to be played at Wembley...
, 19761976 Football League Cup FinalThe 1976 Football League Cup Final took place between Manchester City and Newcastle United on 28 February 1976 at Wembley Stadium. It was the sixteenth final and the tenth Football League Cup final to be played at Wembley. Manchester City won the match 2–1 to win the competition for the second time... - FA Charity ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
winner: 19681968 FA Charity ShieldThe 1968 FA Charity Shield was a football match played on 3 August 1968 between Football League champions Manchester City and FA Cup winners West Bromwich Albion. It was the 46th Charity Shield match and was played at City's home ground, Maine Road...
, 19721972 FA Charity ShieldThe 1972 FA Charity Shield was contested between Manchester City and Aston Villa.Normally, the Charity Shield would have been contested by the First Division champions and FA Cup holders, who were Derby County and Leeds United, but both declined the chance to play in the Charity Shield...
as a player-manager
with Chester CityChester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
- Debenhams CupDebenhams CupThe Debenhams Cup was one of several short-lived football competitions introduced in the 1970s and 1980s, along with the Watney Cup, Texaco Cup, Anglo-Scottish Cup, the Screen Sport Super Cup and Simod Cup...
winner: 1977