Neville Chamberlain (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Neville Patrick Chamberlain (born 22 January 1960) is a retired English footballer. His brother, Mark
was also a footballer, and his nephew Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
plays for Arsenal
.
international Mark Chamberlain
– became the first black
player to sign professional forms for Port Vale
when he put pen to paper in January 1978, having made his debut on New Year's Eve
. With 11 goals in the 1979–80 season
and 13 in the 1980–81 season
he was the club's top scorer two seasons running. However he suffered a decline in form and was sold to rivals Stoke City
in September 1982 for a £40,000 fee. He had played 158 games (141 in the league) for the Vale and scored 41 goals (32 in the league). As well as Stoke, he played for Newport County
(on loan), Plymouth Argyle
, Mansfield Town
, Doncaster Rovers
, Stafford Rangers
, Worksop Town
, Shepshed Charterhouse, Matlock Town
, Leek Town
and Rocester
.
for his brother Mark
, and also worked as assistant manager at Alsager Town
and manager of Hanley Town
. When the pair played together for Port Vale
they used to swap shirts at half-time so as to confuse opposition players attempting to mark his brother.
Mark Chamberlain
Mark Valentine Chamberlain is an English retired international footballer. He is the younger brother of Neville Chamberlain, and the father of Arsenal and England U21 player Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain....
was also a footballer, and his nephew Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alexander Mark David "Alex" Oxlade-Chamberlain is an English footballer who plays for Arsenal as a winger. After rising to prominence with Southampton during the 2010-11 season, he signed for Arsenal in August 2011...
plays for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
Playing career
Chamberlain – the older brother of 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...
international Mark Chamberlain
Mark Chamberlain
Mark Valentine Chamberlain is an English retired international footballer. He is the younger brother of Neville Chamberlain, and the father of Arsenal and England U21 player Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain....
– became the first black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
player to sign professional forms for 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...
when he put pen to paper in January 1978, having made his debut on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
. With 11 goals in the 1979–80 season
1979–80 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1979–80 season was Port Vale's sixty-eighth season of football in the Football League, and their second successive season in the Fourth Division. One of the club's worst ever seasons, Vale finished twentieth in the league, and exited both cup competitions at the first stage. They also lost a...
and 13 in the 1980–81 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...
he was the club's top scorer two seasons running. However he suffered a decline in form and was sold to rivals Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
in September 1982 for a £40,000 fee. He had played 158 games (141 in the league) for the Vale and scored 41 goals (32 in the league). As well as Stoke, he played for Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
(on loan), 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...
, Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
, Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
, Stafford Rangers
Stafford Rangers F.C.
Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...
, Worksop Town
Worksop Town F.C.
Worksop Town Football Club are a semi-professional English football club from Worksop, Nottinghamshire who play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division...
, Shepshed Charterhouse, Matlock Town
Matlock Town F.C.
Matlock Town F.C. is an English football club based at Causeway Lane in Matlock, Derbyshire.-History:The club was established in the late 1870s and have competed in the Central Alliance and the Midland Counties League before reaching the Northern Premier League.In the 1974–75 season the club won...
, Leek Town
Leek Town F.C.
Leek Town Football Club is an English football club based in Leek, Staffordshire, currently playing in the Northern Premier League Division One South...
and Rocester
Rocester F.C.
Rocester Football Club is a football club based in Rocester, near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England.-History:Rocester Football Club was formed in 1876 and for over a century played in various local leagues including the Stafford Amateur League and Uttoxeter and District League until they became...
.
Post retirement
He worked as an agentSports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
for his brother Mark
Mark Chamberlain
Mark Valentine Chamberlain is an English retired international footballer. He is the younger brother of Neville Chamberlain, and the father of Arsenal and England U21 player Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain....
, and also worked as assistant manager at Alsager Town
Alsager Town F.C.
Alsager Town F.C. is an English association football club, based in Alsager, Cheshire. They currently play in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division and are members of the Cheshire County Football Association. The club have gone through a number of name changes since they were...
and manager of Hanley Town
Hanley Town F.C.
Hanley Town Football Club play in the Staffordshire County Senior League which is part of step 7 of the non-league football pyramid. The club take their name from the largest of the six towns in Stoke-on-Trent, which is Hanley...
. When the pair played together for 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...
they used to swap shirts at half-time so as to confuse opposition players attempting to mark his brother.