Andy Higgins (footballer, born 1960)

Andy Higgins

Personal information
Full name	Andrew Martin Higgins[1]
Date of birth	(1960-02-12)12 February 1960[1]
Place of birth	Bolsover, England[2]
Date of death	July 2021 (2021-08) (aged 61)
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[3]
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1976–1978	Chesterfield
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1978–1981	Chesterfield	1	(0)
1981–1982	Port Vale	14	(0)
1982–1983	Hartlepool United	4	(1)
1983	King's Lynn
1983–1984	Rochdale	33	(6)
1984–1985	Chester City	19	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Andrew Martin Higgins (12 February 1960 – July 2021) was an English footballer who played as a defender. He played 71 league games in the Football League, mostly for teams struggling near the bottom of the Fourth Division.

Career

Higgins turned professional with Chesterfield in February 1978.^[4] He played one Third Division game for the "Spireites" in 1978–79, under Arthur Cox.^[5] He signed with Port Vale in February 1981, with manager John McGrath looking to add some strength to a poor defence.^[1] Higgins played ten games in 1980–81, helping the "Valiants" to rise off the foot of the Football League.^[1] However, he failed to nail down a regular place and played just four Fourth Division games in 1981–82.^[1] He was given a free transfer away from Vale Park in May 1982, and moved on to Billy Horner's Hartlepool United.^[1] He played four league games in 1982–83, scoring one goal for a team struggling near the foot of the Fourth Division.^[6] He later played for King's Lynn, before joining his former teammate Jimmy Greenhoff at Rochdale, who were forced to apply for re-election to the Football League in 1983–84. He then played 19 league games for Chester City in 1984–85 before leaving for South Africa.^[7] He had been signed by John McGrath at Chester, before Mick Speight took over at Sealand Road.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition^[8]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Chesterfield	1978–79	Third Division	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Port Vale	1980–81	Fourth Division	10	0	0	0	0	0	10	0
	1981–82	Fourth Division	4	0	2	0	2	0	8	0
	Total		14	0	2	0	2	0	18	0
Hartlepool United	1982–83	Fourth Division	4	1	0	0	1	0	5	1
Rochdale	1982–83	Fourth Division	11	2	0	0	0	0	11	2
	1983–84	Fourth Division	22	4	2	0	2	0	26	4
	Total		33	6	2	0	2	0	37	6
Chester City	1984–85	Fourth Division	19	1	1	0	2	0	22	1

References

1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 136. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
2. "RIP, Andy Higgins (1960–2021)". Port Vale F.C. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
3. Rollin, Jack (1980). Rothmans football yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 134. ISBN 0362020175. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
4. "Apprentices 2020.xlsx". Google Docs. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
5. "stats". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
6. "stats". .neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
7. "stats". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
8. Andy Higgins at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)