Andy Higgins (footballer, born 1960)
{{Short description|English footballer (1960–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Andy Higgins
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Andrew Martin Higgins
| birth_date = {{birth date|1960|2|12|df=y}}
| death_date = {{death-date and age|July 2021|February 1960}}
| birth_place = Bolsover, England{{cite news |title=RIP, Andy Higgins (1960–2021) |url=https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2021/july/andy-higgins-rip/ |access-date=23 July 2021 |work = Port Vale F.C. |date=23 July 2021 |language=en-gb}}
| position = Defender
| youthyears1 = 1976–1978| youthclubs1 = Chesterfield
| years1 = 1978–1981| clubs1 = Chesterfield | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1981–1982| clubs2 = Port Vale | caps2 = 14 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1982–1983| clubs3 = Hartlepool United| caps3 = 4|goals3 = 1
| years4 = 1983 | clubs4 = King's Lynn | caps4 = | goals4 =
| years5 = 1983–1984| clubs5 = Rochdale | caps5 = 33| goals5 = 6
| years6 = 1984–1985| clubs6 = Chester City | caps6 = 19| goals6 =1
}}
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.{{cite web |title=Apprentices 2020.xlsx |url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vn4lqNFebqfkZ28RkkA9s1A8tDpZEHBD/edit#gid=567073808 |website=Google Docs |access-date=16 February 2023}} He played one Third Division game for the "Spireites" in 1978–79, under Arthur Cox.{{cite web|title=stats|url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/chesterfield/chesterfield.html|work=neilbrown.newcastlefans.com|access-date=2 May 2012}} He signed with Port Vale in February 1981, with manager John McGrath looking to add some strength to a poor defence.{{cite book|last=Kent|first=Jeff|title=Port Vale Personalities|publisher=Witan Books|page=136|year=1996|isbn=0-9529152-0-0}} Higgins played ten games in 1980–81, helping the "Valiants" to rise off the foot of the Football League. However, he failed to nail down a regular place and played just four Fourth Division games in 1981–82. He was given a free transfer away from Vale Park in May 1982, and moved on to Billy Horner's Hartlepool United. He played four league games in 1982–83, scoring one goal for a team struggling near the foot of the Fourth Division.{{cite web|title=stats|url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/hartlepool/hartlepool.html|work=.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com|access-date=2 May 2012}} 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.{{cite web|title=stats|url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/chester/chester.html|work=neilbrown.newcastlefans.com|access-date=2 May 2012}} He had been signed by John McGrath at Chester, before Mick Speight took over at Sealand Road.
Career statistics
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{ENFA}} | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Chesterfield
|1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| rowspan="3"|Port Vale
|10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1981–82
|Fourth Division |4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| Hartlepool United
|Fourth Division |4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| rowspan="3"|Rochdale
|Fourth Division |11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | |
| 1983–84
|Fourth Division |22 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 4 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!33 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 6 | |
| Chester City
|Fourth Division |19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Higgins, Andy}}
Category:Footballers from Derbyshire
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Chesterfield F.C. players
Category:Port Vale F.C. players
Category:Hartlepool United F.C. players
Category:King's Lynn F.C. players
Category:Rochdale A.F.C. players