John Farmer (footballer)

John Farmer (born 31 August 1947) is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Leicester City and Stoke City.[1]

John Farmer
Personal information
Full name John Farmer[1]
Date of birth (1947-08-31) 31 August 1947[1]
Place of birth Biddulph, England[1]
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1965–1974 Stoke City 163 (0)
1967 → Cleveland Stokers (loan) 3 (0)
1975 → Leicester City (loan) 2 (0)
– Northwich Victoria
Total 168 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Farmer was a product of Stoke City's youth system after being found playing amateur football in his local town of Biddulph.[1] He broke into the first team in 1966 at the age of eighteen and is therefore one of the youngest keepers ever to play for the club.[1] He initially began to play regularly for Stoke but when Farmer was 20 years old manager Tony Waddington signed England world cup winner Gordon Banks and Farmer lost his place as number one.[1] He however resisted the chances to switch clubs and remained loyal to Stoke providing useful back-up to Banks.[1] Farmer reclaimed his starting spot in 1972–73 as Banks was involved in a car crash which left him blind in one eye and as a result had to retire from playing top flight football.[1]

He played regularly for three seasons until another England 'keeper, Peter Shilton joined Stoke in November 1974 for a then world record fee for a goalkeeper of £325,000. Farmer then joined the club that Shilton had come from, Leicester City, and played twice for the "Foxes" before returning to Stoke.[1] He left Stoke at the end of the 1974–75 and went on to play for Northwich Victoria.

Career statistics

Source:[2]

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Stoke City 1965–66 First Division 1700000—170
1966–67 First Division 3401010—360
1967–68 First Division 200000—20
1968–69 First Division 1200020—140
1969–70 First Division 100000—10
1970–71 First Division 3000101[lower-alpha 1]050
1971–72 First Division 6010104[lower-alpha 2]0120
1972–73 First Division 33010001[lower-alpha 3]0350
1973–74 First Division 38010304[lower-alpha 4]0460
1974–75 First Division 17000502[lower-alpha 3]0240
Total 1630401301201920
Cleveland Stokers (loan) 1967 United Soccer Association 30———30
Leicester City (loan) 1974–75 First Division 200000—20
Career total 1650401301201940
  1. Appearances in Texaco Cup
  2. Appearances in Anglo-Italian Cup
  3. Appearances in UEFA Cup
  4. Three appearances in Watney Cup and one in Texaco Cup

Honours
Stoke City
  • Football League Cup winner: 1972
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References
  1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. John Farmer at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  • John Farmer at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
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