Carl Saunders (footballer)

Carl Saunders (born 26 November 1964) is a former professional footballer who spent most of his career at Stoke City and Bristol Rovers.^[1][3]

Carl Saunders

Personal information
Full name	Carl Saunders[1]
Date of birth	(1964-11-26) 26 November 1964 (age 59)[1]
Place of birth	Birmingham, England[1]
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s)	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1982–1990	Stoke City	164	(24)
1990–1993	Bristol Rovers	142	(42)
1993–1994	Oxford United	5	(0)
1994–1995	Walsall	2	(0)
1995–1996	Sliema Wanderers
1996	Hibernians
Total		313	(84)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Saunders was born in Birmingham and began his career with Stoke City making his debut as a substitute in a 3–1 defeat in 1982–83.^[1] He played 27 times in 1984–85 scoring his first senior goal against Manchester United to earn Stoke a 2–1.^[1] However that was a rare highlight that season as Stoke were relegated with a record low points tally.^[1] He scored three goals in 44 matches in 1985–86 before finding good goalscoring form in 1986–87.^[1] Saunders formed a fine partnership with Nicky Morgan and he top-scored with 19 goals.^[1] However, he lost his form and in his next three seasons at the Victoria Ground he scored just six goals before being sold to Bristol Rovers by Alan Ball in February 1990.^[1]

He rediscovered he goalscoring form at Bristol Rovers scoring 50 goals in 163 matches helping the Pirates win the Football League Third Division in 1989–90. After leaving Bristol Rovers in December 1993, he had brief spells as a non-contract player with Oxford United and Walsall, before moving to Malta to join Sliema Wanderers and then Hibernians.

Career statistics

Source:^[4]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Stoke City	1982–83	First Division	1	0	0	0	0	0	—		1	0
	1983–84	First Division	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	1984–85	First Division	23	2	2	0	2	1	—		27	3
	1985–86	Second Division	37	2	1	0	3	0	3[a]	1	44	3
	1986–87	Second Division	31	14	5	5	0	0	0	0	36	19
	1987–88	Second Division	17	3	0	0	1	0	3[a]	0	21	3
	1988–89	Second Division	33	2	2	0	1	0	1[a]	0	37	2
	1989–90	Second Division	22	1	1	0	1	0	1[a]	0	25	1
	Total		164	24	11	5	8	1	8	1	191	31
Bristol Rovers	1989–90	Third Division	20	5	0	0	0	0	4[b]	1	24	6
	1990–91	Second Division	38	16	1	0	2	0	2[a]	1	43	17
	1991–92	Second Division	36	10	3	6	2	0	1[a]	0	42	16
	1992–93	First Division	41	11	2	0	1	0	1[c]	0	45	11
	1993–94	Second Division	7	0	1	0	0	0	1[b]	0	9	0
	Total		142	42	7	6	5	0	9	2	163	50
Oxford United	1993–94	First Division	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Walsall	1993–94	Third Division	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Career total			313	66	18	11	13	1	17	3	361	81

1. Appearances in Full Members' Cup
2. Appearances in Football League Trophy
3. Appearance in Anglo-Italian Cup

Honours

Bristol Rovers

• Football League Third Division champions: 1989–90
• Football League Trophy runner-up: 1990

References

1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
2. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 348. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
3. Lowe, Simon (2000). Stoke City The Modern Era – A Complete Record. Desert Island Books. ISBN 1-874287-39-2.
4. Carl Saunders at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

External links

• Carl Saunders at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database