Quick Facts
Biography
Graham Wilfred Newton (born 22 December 1942) is an English former footballer and manager. A forward, he played for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackpool, Walsall, Coventry City, Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, the Atlanta Chiefs, Port Vale, Reading, Hednesford Town, Worcester City, and Stourbridge. He won the North American Soccer League with the Atlanta Chiefs in 1968. He briefly managed Worcester City in 1973.
Playing career
Newton began his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackpool, without making a league appearance for either club. He moved on to Bill Moore's Walsall, who were relegated out of the Second Division in 1962–63, before finishing 19th in the Third Division in 1963–64. He scored ten goals in 30 league games during his time at Fellows Park. He then scored three goals in eight league games for Jimmy Hill's Coventry City in a brief stay at Highfield Road. He transferred to Reg Flewin's Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, and helped the club to finish 11th in the Third Division in 1964–65. New boss Freddie Cox then took the "Cherries" to 18th in 1965–66 and 20th in 1966–67. Newton scored just three goals in 28 league appearances at Dean Court. He joined American side Atlanta Chiefs of the National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The Chiefs switched to the North American Soccer League in 1968, who were crowned champions after a 3–0 win over San Diego Toros. He returned to England to join Port Vale on a trial basis in November 1968. He played four Fourth Division games and one FA Cup game for the "Valiants", and scored one goal in a 1–0 win over Lincoln City at Sincil Bank on Boxing day. Manager Gordon Lee then allowed Newton to leave Vale Park in January 1969. Newton returned to the Chiefs for the 1969 and 1970 campaigns, and scored 18 goals in 36 games in his second spell at the Atlanta Stadium. He made his return to England again in 1970 to play for Reading, but did not play a league game for the "Royals". He later played non-league football for Hednesford Town, Worcester City and Stourbridge, before returning to Worcester as their player-manager for a brief spell in 1973.
Statistics
- Sourced from Graham Newton profile at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Other | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Blackpool | 1961–62 | First Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Walsall | 1962–63 | Second Division | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 6 |
| 1963–64 | Third Division | 18 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 6 | |
| Total | 30 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 12 | ||
| Coventry City | 1963–64 | Third Division | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 |
| 1964–65 | Second Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | ||
| Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 1964–65 | Third Division | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1965–66 | Third Division | 23 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 3 | |
| 1966–67 | Third Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 28 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 3 | ||
| Atlanta Chiefs | 1967 | NPSL | 11 | 8 | – | – | – | – | 11 | 8 |
| 1968 | NASL | 25 | 10 | – | – | – | – | 25 | 10 | |
| Total | 36 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 18 | ||
| Port Vale | 1968–69 | Fourth Division | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Atlanta Chiefs | 1969 | NASL | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | NASL | 15 | 5 | – | – | – | – | 15 | 5 | |
| Total | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 5 | ||
| Reading | 1970–71 | Third Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Honours
- with Atlanta Chiefs
- North American Soccer League champion: 1968