Brian Lloyd
Encyclopedia
Brian William Lloyd is a Welsh
former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played 545 times in the Football League
for five clubs and was capped
three times by the Welsh national team
.
He began his professional career at Stockport County
in 1967, having signed from Rhyl
. He transferred to Southend United
two years later, before ending up at Wrexham in 1971. He spent six years as the Welsh club's first choice keeper, before he was sold to Chester City
. In 1981 he was loaned out to Port Vale
, before he signed for Stockport County
. He left the Football League in 1983, and later spent some years in Welsh football with Bangor City
, Colwyn Bay
, Rhyl, and Lex XI
.
, where he played a handful of games before joining Stockport County
for £1,000 in March 1967. After 32 league appearances he moved to Southend United
in September 1969 for £10,000.
He returned to North Wales
in August 1971, beginning a long stint with Wrexham. Lloyd played 35 games in his first season at the club and was then ever-present in league games in the next five years, as the club challenged for promotion
from Third Division
. Lloyd was the club’s first winner of the Jack Williams Player of the Season accolade in 1975–76.
In September 1977 Lloyd made a surprise £6,000 move to local rivals Chester
. He quickly replaced fellow Welshman Grenville Millington
as the regular Chester goalkeeper and helped them finish fifth in the Third Division
, with Lloyd being named as the club’s player of the season for his efforts. He was again first-choice the following season but an injury in September 1979 led to Millington replacing Lloyd in the Chester goal. With Millington now the regular in goal and youngster Phil Harrington
emerging from the youth ranks, Lloyd was allowed to join Port Vale
in February 1981 on loan. He played Vale's remaining sixteen matches of the season
. Vale supporters and players alike appealed to the club to sign him permanently, but to no avail, he returned to Chester and was subsequently released.
Ahead of the start of the following season Lloyd was back at Stockport County
. He missed just one game in two seasons with the club and even managed to get on the scoresheet against Bradford City
in 1982. Lloyd dropped into non-league football, having spells with North Wales sides Bangor City
, Colwyn Bay
, Rhyl
and Lex XI
.
three times by Wales
in matches against Austria
, England
and Scotland
, having twice previously played for the Welsh under 23s.
, a career he had initially begun after leaving school. He has won awards for his architectural
work.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played 545 times in the 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...
for five clubs and was capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
three times by the Welsh national team
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
.
He began his professional career at Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
in 1967, having signed from Rhyl
Rhyl F.C.
Rhyl Football Club is a Welsh football club, playing in the Cymru Alliance.The club was founded in 1882 and the team plays its home matches at Belle Vue, Rhyl, which can accommodate 3,000 spectators.- History :Few clubs in the Welsh Premier League have as distinguished a past as Rhyl's...
. He transferred to Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
two years later, before ending up at Wrexham in 1971. He spent six years as the Welsh club's first choice keeper, before he was sold to Chester City
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...
. In 1981 he was loaned out to 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...
, before he signed for Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
. He left the Football League in 1983, and later spent some years in Welsh football with Bangor City
Bangor City F.C.
Bangor City Football Club are a semi-professional Welsh football club from the City of Bangor. The club compete in the Welsh Premier League, being ever present since the league was founded in 1992....
, Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay F.C.
Colwyn Bay F.C. are a Welsh football club, as of the 2011–12 season are playing in the Conference North. Nicknamed the Seagulls, the club play at Llanelian Road in Old Colwyn.-History:...
, Rhyl, and Lex XI
Lex XI F.C.
Lex XI F.C. is a Welsh football team based in Wrexham. They play in the Welsh National League Division One, which is in the Fourth level of the Welsh football league system....
.
Club career
Lloyd began his career playing non-league football with RhylRhyl F.C.
Rhyl Football Club is a Welsh football club, playing in the Cymru Alliance.The club was founded in 1882 and the team plays its home matches at Belle Vue, Rhyl, which can accommodate 3,000 spectators.- History :Few clubs in the Welsh Premier League have as distinguished a past as Rhyl's...
, where he played a handful of games before joining Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
for £1,000 in March 1967. After 32 league appearances he moved to Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
in September 1969 for £10,000.
He returned to North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
in August 1971, beginning a long stint with Wrexham. Lloyd played 35 games in his first season at the club and was then ever-present in league games in the next five years, as the club challenged for promotion
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...
from Third Division
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...
. Lloyd was the club’s first winner of the Jack Williams Player of the Season accolade in 1975–76.
In September 1977 Lloyd made a surprise £6,000 move to local rivals 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...
. He quickly replaced fellow Welshman Grenville Millington
Grenville Millington
Grenville Rodney Millington was a professional footballer who played in The Football League as a goalkeeper. He enjoyed a long career with Chester City and was voted the club's BBC Cult Hero in 2005. Millington is now an established goalkeeping coach...
as the regular Chester goalkeeper and helped them finish fifth in the Third Division
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...
, with Lloyd being named as the club’s player of the season for his efforts. He was again first-choice the following season but an injury in September 1979 led to Millington replacing Lloyd in the Chester goal. With Millington now the regular in goal and youngster Phil Harrington
Phil Harrington
Philip "Phil" Harrington is a Welsh goalkeeper and current manager of Douglas Hall in the Munster Senior League....
emerging from the youth ranks, Lloyd was allowed to join 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...
in February 1981 on loan. He played Vale's remaining sixteen matches of the season
1980–81 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1980–81 season was Port Vale's sixty-ninth season of football in the Football League, and their third successive season in the Fourth Division. A difficult season, by February the club were bottom of the Football League, however they rallied to finish in nineteenth place, thus avoiding a...
. Vale supporters and players alike appealed to the club to sign him permanently, but to no avail, he returned to Chester and was subsequently released.
Ahead of the start of the following season Lloyd was back at Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
. He missed just one game in two seasons with the club and even managed to get on the scoresheet against Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
in 1982. Lloyd dropped into non-league football, having spells with North Wales sides Bangor City
Bangor City F.C.
Bangor City Football Club are a semi-professional Welsh football club from the City of Bangor. The club compete in the Welsh Premier League, being ever present since the league was founded in 1992....
, Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay F.C.
Colwyn Bay F.C. are a Welsh football club, as of the 2011–12 season are playing in the Conference North. Nicknamed the Seagulls, the club play at Llanelian Road in Old Colwyn.-History:...
, Rhyl
Rhyl F.C.
Rhyl Football Club is a Welsh football club, playing in the Cymru Alliance.The club was founded in 1882 and the team plays its home matches at Belle Vue, Rhyl, which can accommodate 3,000 spectators.- History :Few clubs in the Welsh Premier League have as distinguished a past as Rhyl's...
and Lex XI
Lex XI F.C.
Lex XI F.C. is a Welsh football team based in Wrexham. They play in the Welsh National League Division One, which is in the Fourth level of the Welsh football league system....
.
International career
Lloyd was cappedCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
three times by Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
in matches against Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
, England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
, having twice previously played for the Welsh under 23s.
Career after football
He also became a self-employed design consultant in WrexhamWrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, a career he had initially begun after leaving school. He has won awards for his architectural
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
work.
External links
- Brian Lloyd career details at Neil Brown stat site