Cliff Balsom

{{short description|English footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Cliff Balsom

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Clifford Gene Balsom

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|3|25|df=y}}

| birth_place = Torquay, England

| height =

| position = Full back

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Torquay United

| years1 = 1964

| clubs1 = Torquay United

| caps1 = 4

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1964–1965

| clubs2 = Swindon Town

| caps2 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1965–196x

| clubs3 = Torquay United

| caps3 = 0

| goals3 = 0

| clubs4 = Poole Town

| years5 = 1970–

| clubs5 = Salisbury

}}

Clifford Gene "Cliff" Balsom (born 25 March 1946) is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Torquay United.{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/torquay/torquay.html |title=Torquay United : 1946/47–2006/07 |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=19 November 2009}} He was born in Torquay, Devon.{{cite web |url=http://www.playerhistory.com/player/174880/ |title=Clifford Gene Balsom(Cliff Balsom) |publisher=Playerhistory |accessdate=19 November 2009}}

A full back, he began his career as an apprentice with Torquay United, making his debut at the age of 17 on 25 January 1964 against York City at Bootham Crescent. In June 1964, he was transferred to Swindon Town{{cite web |url=http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/Transfers.asp?Season=1963-1964 |title=Transfers Season 1963-1964 |publisher=Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk |accessdate=19 November 2009}} after only four league games for the Gulls. He failed, however, to make the first team at Swindon, returned to Torquay United,{{cite web |url=http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/Transfers.asp?Season=1964-1965 |title=Transfers Season 1964-1965 |publisher=Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk |accessdate=19 November 2009}} but not to their first team, and left league football. He later played for Poole Town and Salisbury. {{Cite book |last=Thear |first=David |title=The Whites - Salisbury City F.C. the first 60 years 1947-2007 |last2=Walker |first2=Richard |last3=Waterhouse |first3=Peter |last4=Wood |first4=Peter |publisher=Citywhite Publishing |year=2007 |isbn=9780955417009 |pages=126}}