Ron Futcher

Ronald Futcher (born 25 September 1956) is an English former footballer who played as a centre-forward. He was the fourth-highest career scorer of the North American Soccer League and made over 400 appearances in total for nine different English Football League clubs. He was noted for his aerial ability and solid ball control.^[3]

Ron Futcher

Personal information
Full name	Ronald Futcher[1]
Date of birth	(1956-09-25) 25 September 1956 (age 68)[1]
Place of birth	Chester, England[1]
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s)	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1973–1974	Chester	4	(0)
1974–1978	Luton Town	120	(40)
1978–1979	Manchester City	17	(7)
1976–1981	Minnesota Kicks	129	(73)
1982	Portland Timbers	23	(13)
1983	Southampton	0	(0)
1983–1984	Tulsa Roughnecks	75	(58)
1984	NAC Breda
1984–1985	Barnsley	19	(5)
1985–1987	Oldham Athletic	65	(30)
1987–1988	Bradford City	42	(18)
1988–1990	Port Vale	52	(20)
1990–1991	Burnley	57	(25)
1991–1992	Crewe Alexandra	21	(4)
1992	Boston United	2	(0)
Total		624	(253)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He began his career at Chester before moving on to Luton Town the following year. He signed with Manchester City in August 1978 but left Maine Road the following year to concentrate on his career in the United States with the Minnesota Kicks. After the club disbanded, he moved on to Portland Timbers and then the Tulsa Roughnecks, winning the Soccer Bowl in 1983. The next year, he returned to England with Barnsley, following a brief spell with Dutch side NAC Breda. He signed with Oldham Athletic in 1985, and then transferred to Bradford City in 1987. He was bought by Port Vale in August 1988 for £35,000. He helped the "Valiants" to win promotion out of the Third Division via the play-offs in 1989. He was sold on to Burnley for £60,000 in November 1989 before moving on to Crewe Alexandra. He announced his retirement the next year after a brief spell in the Conference with Boston United.

Playing career

Futcher started his professional career with hometown club Chester in the Fourth Division, appearing in four first-team games under Ken Roberts in 1973–74. He moved with twin brother Paul on to Harry Haslam's Luton Town for a joint £125,000 fee in June 1974. He scored seven goals in 17 games in the First Division relegation campaign in 1974–75, including a hat-trick against Wolverhampton Wanderers.^[4] The "Hatters" remained in the Second Division in 1975–76. He bagged 13 goals in 1976–77 to become the club's joint-top scorer (with Jimmy Husband). He hit 10 goals in 1977–78, as did Phil Boersma, to again become the club's joint-highest scorer. He left Kenilworth Road after David Pleat was appointed manager. In August 1978, Futcher transferred back to the top-flight with Manchester City and played at Maine Road for the 1978–79 campaign, scoring seven goals in 17 league games for Tony Book. This included a hat-trick in a 4–1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 17 September.^[5]

Futcher began playing summers in the North American Soccer League in 1976 with the Minnesota Kicks, spending the next five seasons with the team. The Kicks reached the Soccer Bowl in 1976 under manager Freddie Goodwin, where they were beaten by Toronto Metros-Croatia. They reached the Conference semi-finals in 1977, losing to the Seattle Sounders. They again reached the semi-finals in 1978, losing to the New York Cosmos. In 1979, they lost in the First Round of the play-offs to the Tulsa Roughnecks, costing coach Roy McCrohan his job. They again lost out at the First Round in 1980 under returning manager Freddie Goodwin, losing to Dallas Tornado. The 1981 season was his last at the Metropolitan Stadium, as Kicks lost in the quarter-finals to Fort Lauderdale Strikers under Geoff Barnett. Having been with the Minnesota Kicks since the club's founding in 1976, he remained with it until it closed in 1981.

He played with the Portland Timbers in the summer of 1982, becoming the club's top scorer with 13 goals, including a hat-trick against the Vancouver Whitecaps. He also spent a brief period in early 1983 back in England with Southampton without making first-team appearances.^[6] He moved on to the Tulsa Roughnecks, scoring the second goal in a 1983 2–0 win over Toronto in the Soccer Bowl at BC Place despite having initially being suspended following a red card in the previous game.^[7] However, 1984 proved a disappointing campaign, and he then left the United States for good. He finished with 296 points in 201 career games in the league, including 119 goals.

Returning to Europe, Futcher had a spell with NAC Breda in the Netherlands, scoring three goals in seven Eerste Divisie games in 1983–84. Futcher then headed back to the English Second Division, signing a two-year contract with Barnsley in 1984–85 on a £12,000 transfer, joining his twin brother.^[8] He joined league rivals Oldham Athletic after being signed by Joe Royle for a £5,000 fee, and became the club's top scorer in 1985–86 with 17 goals. The "Latics" reached the play-offs in 1986–87, but were beaten on away goals by Leeds United in the semi-finals. However, he was transfer-listed after being sent off twice in two days, once for the first team and then for the reserve team.^[8] He left Boundary Park and was signed by Terry Dolan at Bradford City for £40,000, and scored 19 goals in 38 games in 1987–88 to become the "Bantams" top scorer. Bradford lost to Middlesbrough in the Second Division play-off semi-finals despite a 2–1 victory in the first leg at Valley Parade. He had a fight with Stan Ternent in training and was ordered to leave the club.^[8]

In August 1988, Port Vale manager John Rudge paid £35,000 for his services, having tried unsuccessfully to sign a total of five other strikers.^[9] Futcher had verbally agreed to move to Mansfield Town and was also scheduled to meet with Bolton Wanderers manager Phil Neal, but instead signed a contract with Rudge and chairman Bill Bell.^[8] He scored 19 goals in 54 appearances in the 1988–89 season, including a strike from over 30 yards (27 m) out in a 6–1 victory over Cardiff City.^[1][10] He was less impressive in the game at Swansea City, however, as he was sent off for verbally abusing a linesman.^[8] He played in both legs of the Third Division play-off final victory over Bristol Rovers, setting up Robbie Earle for the first goal of a 2–1 aggregate victory.^[1] However, he was dropped in October 1989, after losing his spot to new signing Nicky Cross in 1989–90, and he 'forced the issue' and was sold on to Fourth Division Burnley for £60,000 the following month.^[1] He hit 10 goals in 30 games for Frank Casper's "Clarets" in 1989–90 to become the club's top scorer. With a full season at Turf Moor in 1990–91, he was the club's top scorer with 20 goals in 43 games, as Burnley reached the play-offs, where they were beaten by Torquay United.^[11]

He left Burnley in July 1991 and moved on to Crewe Alexandra, scoring four goals in 21 league games in 1991–92.^[12] Dario Gradi's "Railwaymen" reached the Fourth Division play-offs, where they were beaten by Scunthorpe United. He later played two Conference games for Boston United in 1992–93 before he retired.

Style of play

Futcher was a striker with cool finishing skills and footballing intelligence but a distinct lack of pace.^[13][14]

Coaching career

As a coach, he has been involved in college soccer in America, including at Oakland University.^[15] He has previously worked as Bradford City's Community Officer and Youth Development Officer.^[15]

Personal life

Futcher's twin brother Paul played over 20 years in the Football League,^[16] and Paul's son Ben also has extensive Football League experience.^[17] Ron's other brother Graham also played professionally. Paul and Graham also started their careers with Chester City. He is also the uncle of former Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy.^[18]

Career statistics

Source:^[19][20]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Chester	1973–74	Fourth Division	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Luton Town	1974–75	First Division	17	7	1	0	0	0	18	7
	1975–76	Second Division	31	10	2	1	1	1	34	12
	1976–77	Second Division	33	13	2	0	0	0	35	13
	1977–78	Second Division	39	10	3	0	4	1	46	11
	Total		120	40	8	1	5	2	133	43
Manchester City	1978–79	First Division	17	7	1	0	2	0	20	7
Minnesota Kicks	1976	NASL	20	14	–	–	–	–	20	14
	1977	NASL	20	11	–	–	–	–	20	11
	1978	NASL	16	7	–	–	–	–	16	7
	1979	NASL	24	14	–	–	–	–	24	14
	1980	NASL	21	13	–	–	–	–	21	13
	1981	NASL	28	14	–	–	–	–	28	14
	Total		129	73	–	–	–	–	129	73
Portland Timbers	1982	NASL	23	13	–	–	–	–	23	13
Southampton	1982–83	First Division	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tulsa Roughnecks	1983	NASL	26	15	–	–	–	–	26	15
	1983	NASL Indoor	26	23	–	–	–	–	26	23
	1984	NASL	23	18	–	–	–	–	23	18
	Total		75	58	–	–	–	–	75	56
Barnsley	1984–85	Second Division	19	5	4	2	0	0	23	7
Oldham Athletic	1985–86	Second Division	40	17	1	0	1	0	42	17
	1986–87	Second Division	25	13	2	0	4	2	31	15
	Total		65	30	3	0	5	2	73	32
Bradford City	1986–87	Second Division	10	4	0	0	0	0	10	4
	1987–88	Second Division	32	14	1	0	10	5	43	19
	Total		42	18	1	0	10	5	53	23
Port Vale	1988–89	Third Division	41	17	3	1	10	1	54	19
	1989–90	Second Division	11	3	0	0	4	1	15	4
	Total		52	20	3	1	14	2	69	23
Burnley	1989–90	Fourth Division	23	7	6	3	1	0	30	10
	1990–91	Fourth Division	34	18	3	0	7	2	44	20
	Total		57	25	9	3	8	2	74	30
Crewe Alexandra	1991–92	Fourth Division	21	4	3	0	7	2	31	6
Career total			624	253	32	7	52	15	710	275

Honours

Minnesota Kicks

• Soccer Bowl runner-up: 1976

Tulsa Roughnecks

• Soccer Bowl: 1983

Port Vale

• Football League Third Division play-offs: 1989^[21]

References

1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 108. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0. ASIN 0952915200.
2. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
3. Kent, Jeff (December 1991). Port Vale Tales: A Collection of Stories, Anecdotes And Memories. Witan Books. p. 298. ISBN 0-9508981-6-3.
4. "Luton Town FC 1974–1978". sporting-heroes.net. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
5. "On This Day: Aguero bags a treble and Silva shines in Salzburg!". mancity.com. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
6. Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (2003). In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. Hagiology Publishing. p. 612. ISBN 0-9534474-3-X.
7. Clive Gammon, "Blowing Out The Blizzard: Tulsa won Soccer Bowl '83 with a little assist from the NASL boss" Archived 2 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Sports Illustrated, 10 October 1983.
8. "The Ron Rutcher Interview". The Vale Park beano. 48.
9. "Nearly men 7-12: the rocky transfer route to Ron Futcher..." onevalefan.co.uk. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
10. Fielding, Rob (4 March 2017). "Five great Port Vale goals". onevalefan.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
11. Scholes, Tony (2 July 2007). "Ron Futcher". claretsmad.co.uk. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
12. Rothmans Football Yearbook 1992–93 Biblio ISBN
13. Earle, Robbie (17 November 2016). "Robbie Earle: Alex Jones follows some great Port Vale finishers". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 17 November 2016.^{[permanent dead link]}
14. "Cult Hero 01: Ron Futcher". onevalefan.co.uk. 29 January 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
15. "Bio". soccer.acidmouse.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
16. "Where Are They Now? (A-J)". webservicesbc.com. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
17. "Futch to link up with his Dad". oldhamathletic.co.uk. 17 November 2004. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
18. "Former Barnsley footballer dies at age of 60". The Yorkshire Post. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
19. Ron Futcher at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
20. "Profile". nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
21. Kent, Jeff (1989). Port Vale Promotion Chronicle 1988–1989: Back to Where We Once Belonged!. Witan Books. ISBN 0-9508981-3-9.