Tony Daws

Football player infobox
playername = Tony Daws


fullname = Anthony Daws
height = height|ft=5|in=8
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1966|9|10
cityofbirth = Sheffield
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Scunthorpe United (Academy manager)
position = Striker
youthyears = 1980–1981
1981–1983
1983–1985
youthclubs = Manchester United
Notts County
Notts County (Apprentice)
years = 1984–1986
1986–1987
1987–1993
1993–1994
1994–1996
1995-1996
1996-1997
1996-1997
1996-1997
clubs = Notts County
Sheffield United
Scunthorpe United
Grimsby Town
Lincoln City
Halifax Town
Scarborough
Altrincham
Bradford Park Avenue
caps(goals) = 008 0(1)
011 0(3)
183 (63)
016 0(1)
051 (13)
005 0(1)
006 0(0)
006
nationalyears = 1981–1982
1984–1985
nationalteam = England U15s
England U18s
nationalcaps(goals) = 001 0(0)
001 0(0)
manageryears =
managerclubs =

Anthony "Tony" Daws (born September 10 1966 in Sheffield) is an English former professional footballer. He played as a striker.

He has been the academy manager at Scunthorpe United since 2005. [cite web|url=http://www.scunthorpe-united.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Announcements/0,,10442~669022,00.html|title=New Youth Coach=Scunthorpe United F.C.|accessdate=05-26-2008]

His previous coaching positions were as under-nine to under-18 Youth Development Officer at Sheffield Wednesday (2004-05); Assistant Academy and U19 Coach at Sheffield United (2001-2004) and part-time Youth Development Officer also at Sheffield United (1996-2000).

In his playing career, he played for Notts County, Sheffield United, Scunthorpe United, Grimsby Town, Lincoln City, Halifax Town, Scarborough and Altrincham.

A recurring back injury that first occurred during his spell at Scunthorpe United forced him to retire from playing at a relatively early age.

chool years

Daws attended Gleadless Junior and Ashleigh Comprehensive School in Sheffield. He represented his country at U15 and U18 level at football. His first appearance at Wembley was on June 5 1982 in the Dentyne Trophy, which was contested against Scotland's U15s. Alongside him in that England U15 squad was his fellow Ashleigh school pupil John Beresford. A third pupil from Sheffield was also in that England squad: Fraser Digby of Jordanthorpe School. The trio were key members of the Sheffield Boys U15s team that won the ESFA Inter Association Trophy in that year, the boys also played for the Sheffield Sunday League team Throstles.

The England starting line up that day was: 1. Darren Heyes; 2. Alan Spiers; 3. Michael Thomas; 4. Mark Seagraves; 5. Simon Ratcliffe (captain); 6. Ian Sankey; 7. Dale Gordon; 8. Ian Fairbrother; 9. Darren Beckford; 10. Kevin Keen; 11. Tony Daws.

Daws also represented Yorkshire Boys in cricket, rugby and athletics and if he hadn't made it as a professional footballer he was tipped to have a promising future in athletics.

In those days, a boy could not sign a contract with a club until his 14th birthday, and the big clubs would "court" the best boys in the country in the years leading up to this landmark age. Daws' pace, strength and predatory scoring had alerted the big clubs and there were a number of clubs eager to sign him.

choolboy contracts

Daws was spotted by a Manchester United scout and subsequently signed for the club, and his registration was filed on his 14th birthday. One year later, it occurred to him and his father, James, that he would have to be a truly exceptional player to make the Manchester United first team. In front of him in the pecking order were established first-team players Joe Jordan, Steve Coppell, Andy Ritchie, Mickey Thomas and Gary Birtles. Then there were the Youth Team players Norman Whiteside and Mark Hughes and the "unknowns" in the U16 and U15 age groups. Daws and his father decided to ask for his release from the club.

In 1981 following persuasion from Jimmy Sirrel (General Manager) and Howard Wilkinson (Head Coach) of Notts County, Daws signed schoolboy forms for the Nottingham club. Sirrell had known of Daws from when he was the manager of Sheffield United in 1977, having watched him play for the Sheffield Boys team at Sheffield United's training ground. Daws then played for Notts County's Youth (U18) team as a 15- and 16-year-old.

Apprenticeship and Notts County

Daws signed a two-year apprenticeship with Notts County upon leaving school in 1983. He made his reserve-team debut for County whilst still at school and went on to make his first-team debut whilst still an apprentice, aged 18. That first League appearance was on the 9 March, 1985, in a 1–2 loss at Birmingham City in the old Second Division. The following week, Daws opened his goalscoring account in the second minute of a 4–1 away success against Cardiff City. He made seven appearances (6 + 1sub) that season, scoring one goal. The following season Daws made just the one substitute appearance. He was released at the end of the 1985-86 season following Notts County's relegation to the old Third Division.

heffield United

Daws moved to Second Division club, Sheffield United, on a free transfer for the 1986-87 season. He made his debut for his hometown club on 8 November, 1986, scoring both goals in a 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers for Billy McEwan's "Blades" team. Daws made eleven appearances for the club that season, scoring three goals. His contract was only for one year, and it was not renewed at the end of the season. Once again, Daws was on the free-transfer list.

cunthorpe United

The 1987-88 season saw Daws playing for Scunthorpe United in the Fourth Division. Daws made the short journey to North Lincolnshire to sign for new manager Mick Buxton [cite web|url=http://www.scunthorpeunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadtmrs.asp?ssnno=117&teamno=460|title=The Men In Charge|work=Scunthorpe United F.C.|accessdate=05-25-2008] in the summer of 1987. He made his debut for "the Iron" in the opening game of the season, a 3-0 home league win over Tranmere Rovers on 15 August 2007.

Scunthorpe finished fourth in the League [cite web|url=http://www.scunthorpeunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadtmrs.asp?ssnno=117&teamno=460.html|title=Scunthorpe United League Results 1987-88|work=Iron-Bru.net] that season, just one point behind Bolton Wanderers. That season, the top three teams were automatically promoted. The teams who finished fourth, fifth and sixth went forward to the divisional play-offs. [cite web|url=http://www.rsssf.com/engpaul/FLA/1987-88.html|title=Play Off Results 1987-88]
The play off format that year was: one play-off semi-final was contested by the club that finished sixth in Division Four against the team who finished 21st in Division Three. The other play-off semi-final was contested by the fourth- and fifth-placed teams.

Scunthorpe played Torquay in their semi-final, losing 2-1 at Plainmoor, and drawing the return leg at Glanford Park 1-1: Scunthorpe losing the tie 3-2 on aggregate.

Scunthorpe reached the third round of the FA Cup that season, losing a replay by a single goal to Third Division Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. [cite web|url=http://www.scunthorpeunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadcupt.asp?ssnno=117&teamno=460.html|title=Scunthorpe United Cup Results 1987-88|work=Iron-Bru.net]

Scunthorpe went out of the League Cup in the second round, losing 4-2 on aggregate to Second Division Leicester, losing both ties 2-1.

The 1988-89 season again saw Scunthorpe finish in fourth place in the league, [cite web|url=http://www.scunthorpeunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadlgt.asp?divno=33&ssnno=118.html|title=Scunthorpe United League Results 1988-89|work=Iron-Bru.net] just one point behind Crewe Alexandra F.C..

On the last day of the season, 13 May 1989, Scunthorpe travelled to Leyton Orient in third place in the league. They knew that to hold on to that third place and guarantee promotion they either had to win or match fourth-placed Crewe's result.

Scunthorpe had accrued the most wins and scored the most goals of any team on their travels in that league that season. Leyton won the game 4-1 and Crewe drew away at Tranmere Rovers 1-1. The combination of results once again condemned Scunthorpe to the play-offs.

The play-off format for that season had changed: the top three clubs gained automatic promotion, the fourth- to seventh-placed clubs contested the play-offs for the fourth promotion place.

Scunthorpe played Wrexham in the semi-final, losing 3-1 at the Racecourse Ground and 2-0 at Glanford Park; 5-1 on aggregate.

A notable result that season was a 6-3 aggregate win for Scunthorpe against Chelsea in the League Cup second round. [cite web|url=http://www.scunthorpeunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadcupt.asp?ssnno=118&teamno=460.html|title=Scunthorpe United Cup Results 1988-89|work=Iron-Bru.net] United won 4-1 at Glanford Park (Daws scoring two goals) and drew 2-2 at Stamford Bridge (Daws scoring again). Scunthorpe exited the competition in the third round, losing a replay 1-0 against Second Division Bradford City at Valley Parade.

Chelsea were the runaway champions of the Division Two in 1988-89. [cite web|url=http://www.scunthorpeunited-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadlgt.asp?divno=13&ssnno=118.html|title=Division Two 1988-89|work=Iron-Bru.net] , winning the title by seventeen points from second-placed Manchester City, accruing 99 points and scoring 96 goals.

Scunthorpe were knocked out of the FA Cup in a first-round away tie at Third Division Blackpool, "the Seasiders" winning 2-1.

References

External links

*
* [http://www.redimps.com/archive3/index.mv?cat=players&drop=playerdetsdrop&play=daws01 Lincoln City F.C. Official Archive Profile]
* [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/ncfc8485.html Notts County season 1984-85]
* [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel/ncfc8586.html Notts County season 1985-86]