Gordon West
Encyclopedia
Gordon West is an English
former professional football
goalkeeper.
at the age of 17. After 33 League games for the Tangerines, he signed for Everton
in March 1962 for £27,000, then a British record for a goalkeeper, replacing Albert Dunlop
.
in 1962-63 and in 1969-70 and the FA Cup
in 1966. He made 399 appearances for Everton and retired in 1973.
rivals Tranmere Rovers
. He played for Tranmere Rovers 17 times in the League.
, though turned down a place in the 1970 FIFA World Cup
squad because he wanted to stay at home with his family.
Woodvale
and is now an after dinner speaker. Former Everton and Wales goalkeeper Neville Southall
is campaigning for West to be rewarded with a testimonial game by Everton for his eleven years of service.
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...
former professional football
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...
goalkeeper.
Blackpool
He made his debut for BlackpoolBlackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
at the age of 17. After 33 League games for the Tangerines, he signed for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in March 1962 for £27,000, then a British record for a goalkeeper, replacing Albert Dunlop
Albert Dunlop
Albert Dunlop is an English football goalkeeper.Signed by Everton as a junior in 1950 Albert Dunlop had to wait until October 1956 to make his debut when he replaced Jimmy O'Neill at Old Trafford...
.
Everton
West was a regular in the Everton teams that won championshipFootball 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....
in 1962-63 and in 1969-70 and 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...
in 1966. He made 399 appearances for Everton and retired in 1973.
Tranmere Rovers
He came out of retirement after three years to play briefly for cross-MerseyRiver Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
rivals Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
. He played for Tranmere Rovers 17 times in the League.
International career
West won three caps for EnglandEngland 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...
, though turned down a place in the 1970 FIFA World Cup
1970 FIFA World Cup
The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. The 1970 tournament was the first World Cup hosted in North America, and the first held outside South America and Europe. In a match-up of two-time World Cup champions, the final was won by...
squad because he wanted to stay at home with his family.
Matches
| Date | Home side | Score | Away side |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Dec 1968 | 1-1 | ||
| 7 May 1969 | 2-1 | ||
| 01 Jun 1969 | 0-0 |
Life after football
After giving up football, West worked in security at RAFRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Woodvale
RAF Woodvale
RAF Woodvale is a Royal Air Force Station located south of Southport, Merseyside in a small town called Formby. Although constructed as an all-weather night fighter airfield for the defence of Liverpool, it did not open until 7 December 1941...
and is now an after dinner speaker. Former Everton and Wales goalkeeper Neville Southall
Neville Southall
Neville Southall MBE is a former Wales international footballer, best known for his time with Everton. He has been described as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985...
is campaigning for West to be rewarded with a testimonial game by Everton for his eleven years of service.