- Vic Mobley
Vic Mobley (born
1943 October 11 ) is a former professional footballer who played for Sheffield Wednesday and Queens Park Rangers. Mobley was a Centre Half who made 212 League appearances in a career which lasted from 1964 to 1971, scoring eight goals. [http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player1/vicmobley.htm Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database.] Gives career statistics.] He was forced to retire at the young age of 28 through injury.Playing career
Early days
Mobley was born in
Oxford , as a youth he played for Oxford Boys, he had a trial for England Schoolboys in February 1959 before signing forIsthmian League sideOxford City F.C. . Mobley quickly impressed as a strong centre half and rapidly progressed from City’s Colts side to the first team. He was spotted by Sheffield Wednesday managerVic Buckingham and signed for The Owls in September 1961.heffield Wednesday
Mobley signed for Wednesday as an 18 year old, primarily as an understudy to Peter Swan who was then first choice Centre Half for England national side. Mobley’s chance to play in the first team probably came quicker than expected as Swan was banned in 1964 for his part in a match fixing scandal. He made his debut on 4th April 1964 in a 1-1 away draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was an ever present in the following 1964-65 season, playing 44 games in all as Wednesday finished eighth in the league.
Mobley was called up to the England squad in late 1965 but injury problems meant he had to drop out and he never got another chance. That injury was the first of two that season, the other came in the
FA Cup semi final against Chelsea, a match Wednesday won 2-0 atVilla Park to reach the final. Mobley was injured after just 30 minutes, at that time substitutes were not allowed and Mobley courageously played the entire match in his injured state, having a hand inGraham Pugh ‘s clinching goal. The injury meant that he missed the final against Everton being replaced by a youngSam Ellis . An injury hit 1966-67 season was followed by two season where Mobley was ever present and injury free. He was transferred to Queens Park Rangers in October 1969 for a fee of £55,000 after playing 187 league games for Wednesday (210 including cup games) and scoring eight goals. [http://www.adrianbullock.com/swfc/stats/play0418.htm Sheffield Wednesday Archive.] Gives details of Sheffield Wednesday career.] "Sheffield Wednesday, Illustrating the Greats", Michael Liversidge & Gary Mackender ISBN 0 9547264 5 6 Gives biographical details.]Queens Park Rangers
Mobley’s time with Q.P.R. was injury plagued, he played only 25 games in two years before giving up the game on medical advice. Q.P.R. maintained that Mobley had been injured before they signed him and they took Sheffield Wednesday to court in February 1973 to claim compensation. [http://ds.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/thirty33.htm Yahoo Groups sixties and seventies soccer.] States Q.P.R. sued Wednesday.]
References
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