Gordon Bolland
Encyclopedia
Gordon Edward Bolland is a retired English
footballer
and manager.
A striker, Bolland joined Londoners Chelsea
as a teenager, and was a member of the sides which won the FA Youth Cup
in 1960 and 1961, alongside the likes of Peter Bonetti
, Ron Harris
, Terry Venables
and Bobby Tambling
. Despite this, he only made two appearances for the first team and was released in March 1962, after which he signed for Leyton Orient
.
Bolland played for Orient during their only season in the English top flight
, and scored 19 goals in 64 league games before joining Norwich City
in 1964 for £31,500, where he scored 29 goals in 105 league matches. After a brief spell with Charlton Athletic
, Bolland signed for Millwall
for £10,000 in October 1968. Bolland proved to be a fast, skillful striker who could also drop into midfield to great effect. It was from this position that Bolland scored a spectacular goal against Bristol City
on 16 October 1971 which won the Match Of The Day
"Goal of the Month" award. In the 1972-73 season, Bolland scored 9 goals in seven consecutive league games. He remained with Millwall for seven years, scoring 62 goals in 244 games, and is an inductee of the club's Hall of Fame. He finished his career as player-manager of Boston United
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and manager.
A striker, Bolland joined Londoners 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...
as a teenager, and was a member of the sides which won the FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
in 1960 and 1961, alongside the likes of Peter Bonetti
Peter Bonetti
Peter Phillip Bonetti is a former football goalkeeper for Chelsea, the St. Louis Stars, Dundee United and England. Bonetti was known for his safe handling, lightning reflexes and his graceful style, for which he was given the nickname, "The Cat"...
, Ron Harris
Ron Harris (footballer)
Ronald Edward Harris , better known as Ron "Chopper" Harris, is a former English footballer who played for Chelsea in the 1960s and 1970s. Harris is widely regarded as one of the toughest defenders of his era - along with players such as Tommy Smith MBE and Norman Hunter - hence the nickname...
, Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
and Bobby Tambling
Bobby Tambling
Robert Victor 'Bobby' Tambling is a retired English footballer, who played most notably for Chelsea and Crystal Palace in the 1960s and 1970s...
. Despite this, he only made two appearances for the first team and was released in March 1962, after which he signed for Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
.
Bolland played for Orient during their only season in the English top flight
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....
, and scored 19 goals in 64 league games before joining Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
in 1964 for £31,500, where he scored 29 goals in 105 league matches. After a brief spell with Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, Bolland signed for Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
for £10,000 in October 1968. Bolland proved to be a fast, skillful striker who could also drop into midfield to great effect. It was from this position that Bolland scored a spectacular goal against Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
on 16 October 1971 which won the Match Of The Day
Match of the Day
Match of the Day is the BBC's main football television programme. Typically, it is shown on BBC One on Saturday evenings during the English football season, showing highlights of the day's matches in English football's top division, the Premier League...
"Goal of the Month" award. In the 1972-73 season, Bolland scored 9 goals in seven consecutive league games. He remained with Millwall for seven years, scoring 62 goals in 244 games, and is an inductee of the club's Hall of Fame. He finished his career as player-manager of Boston United
Boston United F.C.
Boston United Football Club are an association football club based in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. They currently play in the Conference North. The club is known as 'the Pilgrims' in reference to the Pilgrim Fathers, who fled from Boston to the USA and founded Boston, Massachusetts. The club's...
.