Graham Wilkins
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Graham Wilkins
| image =
| caption =
| full_name = Graham George Wilkins{{Hugman|21090|accessdate=21 January 2018}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|6|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = Hillingdon, England
| height =
| position = Full-back
| youthyears1 = 1965–1972
| youthclubs1 = Chelsea
| years1 = 1972–1982
| clubs1 = Chelsea
| caps1 = 137
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 1982–1984
| clubs2 = Brentford
| caps2 = 38
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1984
| clubs3 = → Southend United (loan)
| caps3 = 3
| goals3 = 0
| years4 =
| clubs4 = Southall
| caps4 =
| goals4 =
}}
Graham George Wilkins (born 28 June 1955) is an English retired professional football full-back who made over 130 appearances in the Football League for Chelsea. He also played league football for Brentford and Southend United.
Career
Wilkins was born in Hillingdon. Able to play on either flank as a full-back, he began his career at Chelsea at the age of 10 and signed his first professional contract in 1972.{{Cite web |url=http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2017/01/foot-in-both-camps--graham-wilkins.html |title=Foot in both camps: Graham Wilkins |website=www.chelseafc.com |language=en |access-date=21 January 2018}}{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2011|p=340}} He remained a bit-part player until the 1976–77 season, when he made 29 appearances to help the Blues to promotion back to the First Division.{{Cite web |url=http://fchd.info/CHELSEA.HTM |title=Football Club History Database – Chelsea |website=fchd.info |access-date=21 January 2018}} Wilkins remained at Stamford Bridge until July 1982, by which time he had made 151 appearances and scored one goal. He dropped down to the Third Division to join West London neighbours Brentford on a free transfer,{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2011|p=340}} but with the Bees he experienced "the worst two years of my life. I dislocated my shoulder, had seven teeth kicked out, ruptured my cruciate ligaments and that was it". Wilkins' final appearances as a professional came late in the 1983–84 season, on loan at Third Division club Southend United.{{Sfn|Croxford|Lane|Waterman|2011|p=340}}
Personal life
Wilkins was the son of footballer George Wilkins and the eldest of four Hillingdon-born brothers who played professional football.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/6380031.stm |title=Were you there ... |last=Henderson |first=Charlie |date=23 February 2007 |access-date=10 December 2009 |publisher=BBC Sport |last2=Bevan |first2=Chris}} He later worked at Heathrow Airport.
Career statistics
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="3" |League ! colspan="2" |FA Cup ! colspan="2" |League Cup ! colspan="2" |Other ! colspan="2" |Total |
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |
|---|
| rowspan="11" |Chelsea
|1972–73{{Cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/graham-wilkins-30545/ |title=Graham Wilkins |website=11v11.com |access-date=21 January 2018}} | rowspan="3" |First Division |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |— |1 |0 |
| 1973–74
|4 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |— |5 |0 |
| 1974–75
|1 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 | colspan="2" |— |2 |0 |
| 1975–76
| rowspan="2" |Second Division |13 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |— |13 |0 |
| 1976–77
|26 |0 |0 |0 |3 |0 | colspan="2" |— |29 |0 |
| 1977–78
| rowspan="2" |First Division |21 |0 |3 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |— |24 |0 |
| 1978–79
|28 |1 |1 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |— |29 |1 |
| 1979–80
| rowspan="3" |Second Division |18 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 | colspan="2" |— |19 |0 |
| 1980–81
|14 |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 | colspan="2" |— |16 |0 |
| 1981–82
|11 |0 |1 |0 |1 |0 | colspan="2" |— |13 |0 |
| colspan="2" |Total
!137 !1 !6 !0 !8 !0 ! colspan="2" |— !151 !1 |
| rowspan="3" |Brentford
|1982–83{{Cite book |title=The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties |last=Croxford |first=Mark |last2=Lane |first2=David |last3=Waterman |first3=Greville |publisher=Legends Publishing |year=2011 |isbn=978-1906796716 |location=Sunbury, Middlesex |pages=424–425}} | rowspan="2" |Third Division |25 |0 |2 |0 |2 |0 |3{{efn|Appearances in Football League Group Cup}} |0 |29 |0 |
| 1983–84
|13 |0 |1 |0 |1 |0 | colspan="2" |— |15 |0 |
| colspan="2" |Total
!38 !0 !3 !0 !3 !0 !3 !0 !47 !0 |
| Southend United (loan)
|1983–84{{Cite web |url=http://www.sufcdb.co.uk/profile.php?p=581 |title=SUFCdb {{!}} Player Profile |website=www.sufcdb.co.uk |access-date=21 January 2018}} |Third Division |3 |0 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— |1{{efn|Appearance in Football League Trophy}} |0 |4 |0 |
| colspan="3" |Career total
!178 !1 !9 !0 !11 !0 !4 !0 !202 !1 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Chelsea
- Football League Second Division second-place promotion: 1976–77
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/chelsea-fc/graham-wilkins-6957/league-appearances_a19028/ Graham Wilkins] at Sporting Heroes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilkins, Graham}}
Category:People from Hillingdon
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Hillingdon
Category:Men's association football fullbacks
Category:English Football League players
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:Southend United F.C. players
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