*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Brian Adlam
Appearances: 8 Goals: 1
Date / Year of birth: 18th May 1940
Position: Winger
Season of first appearance: 1963/64
Season of last appearance: 1963/64
Also played for: Gloucester City, Leeds United (0), Birmingham City (0), Shrewsbury Town (0), Bristol Rovers (0), Yeovil Town, Cambridge United, Croatia (Australia), Port Melbourne Slavia (Australia), Box Hill (Australia), Monbulk (Australia) and Essendon Lions (Australia)
Small, stocky, hard-working wide player born in Gloucester who began his career with his hometown club as a youngster. At the start of his spell with Gloucester Brian sometimes played rugby for his school on a Saturday morning before playing football in the Southern League in the afternoon.
He represented the North Gloucester youth team for three years and had spells on the books of Leeds, Birmingham and then Shrewsbury before signing semi-professional forms for Gloucester ahead of the 1960/61 season.
Brian played regularly for Gloucester and came to the attention of Bristol Rovers who paid £650 for his services.
Towards the end of 1961 Brian left Bristol Rovers and was approached by Southern League clubs Cambridge City and Yeovil. Cambridge manager Frank Cruickshank was keen to sign Brian having played against him many times and City were full-time but a contract couldn't be agreed so Brian opted to sign for Yeovil. Although Yeovil were a part-time outfit they were also able to guarantee him a job at a local helicopter manufacturing business which made their offer more lucrative than the financial package offered by Cambridge.
Brian's next move took him to Cambridge United early in 1963 after their manager Alan Moore had been impressed by his performance for Yeovil in a game against United a week before.
In January 1964 Brian signed for Margate for what was described as "a moderate fee" and made his debut on 11.1.64 - a 5-1 defeat at Guildford. However he struggled to hold down a first team place during the remainder of the 1963/64 season and only made eight appearances in total, scoring once. Curiously Brian's only goal came in a Southern League game away to his old club Cambridge on 25.1.64. However it wasn't a happy return for him as United ran out 5-1 winners. During his time with Margate Brian worked for the club and was responsible for organizing the weekly lucky number draw.
In July 1964 he was released and rejoined Gloucester where he spent the 1964/65 season before emigrating to Australia in June 1965.
Brian joined Croatia of the Victorian State League after their coach Ollie Norris, a former Gloucester manager, had asked him to make the move a couple of times. Brian scored on his debut for Croatia in a 2-0 win over Melbourne on 26.6.65.
During the 1966 campaign he was sent off 35 minutes into a 1-1 draw at South Melbourne Hellas for allegedly kicking Hellas' player Ernie Ackerley (who was also dismissed) having opened the scoring 12 minutes earlier. The match took place on 4.6.66 and in 2012 Brian recalled "This created a big fuss. Croatia supporters went mad and the Hellas player had to get a police escort out of the ground after the game. I was totally exonerated at the tribunal." As Brian stated, he was cleared of any wrong-doing at a hearing but Ernie Ackerley was banned for one match.
On 31.7.66 Brian scored both goals in a 2-1 win over Lions and he stayed with Croatia until 1970 when he joined Port Melbourne Slavia.
He returned to Croatia for the 1972 season but the club were suspended from football towards the end of the campaign after a riot in a game against Hakoah. Brian then played a few games for his old club Port Melbourne Slavia before the end of the season.
Brian played for Box Hill during the 1973 campaign and then had a spell with Monbulk before joining Essendon Lions for the 1975 season.
The Lions were a follow-on club from the defunct Croatia (later becoming Melbourne Knights) and Brian was their player-coach. He continued in the role during 1976 before retiring.
In 2012 he was living in the Dandenongs, east of Melbourne in Victoria with Ann, his wife of 44 years, and had an active role in the Victorian Clubman Builders Group - a club for people who built their own custom cars. Looking back on his short time with Margate Brian said "Margate insisted on playing me out of position and I never regained my best form so it was not a happy time for me."
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
KFC | |
|
1963/64 (MFC) |
8 (60) |
N/A |
1 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (17TH OF 22) |
1R |
2R |
2R |
1R |
GR |