Johnny Schofield

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Johnny Schofield

| image = File:Johnny_Schofield_(1931-2006).png

| caption = Johnny Schofield

| fullname = John Reginald Schofield

| birth_date = {{birth date|1931|2|8|df=y}}

| birth_place = Atherstone, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|2006|11|1|1931|2|8|df=y}}

| death_place = Coventry, England

| position = Goalkeeper

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =

| years1 = | clubs1 = Ansley Hall Colliery

| years2 = | clubs2 = Grendon

| years3 = 194?–1950 | clubs3 = Nuneaton Borough

| years4 = 1950–1966 | clubs4 = Birmingham City | caps4 = 212 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1966–1968 | clubs5 = Wrexham | caps5 = 52 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 1967 | clubs6 = → Cork Hibernians (loan)

| years7 = 1968–1969 | clubs7 = Atherstone Town

| years8 = 1969–1970 | clubs8 = Bromsgrove Rovers

| years9 = 1970–1972 | clubs9 = Tamworth

| manageryears1 = 1968–1969 | managerclubs1 = Atherstone Town (player-manager)

}}

John Reginald Schofield (8 February 1931 – 1 November 2006) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Birmingham City and Wrexham.

Life and career

Schofield was born in Atherstone, Warwickshire, in 1931. He played football for Ansley Hall Colliery, Grendon and Nuneaton Borough{{cite book |url=http://www.fromtowntotown.org.uk/assets/nuneaton-borough-1958-1970-pt1_approved.pdf |title=From Town to Town: Nuneaton Borough 1958–1970 – Part 1 |publisher=Nuneaton Town Supporters Co-operative |date=2015 |page=137 |access-date=24 April 2018 |archive-date=25 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425031813/http://www.fromtowntotown.org.uk/assets/nuneaton-borough-1958-1970-pt1_approved.pdf |url-status=dead }} before signing a professional contract with Birmingham City in February 1950, and spent the next decade as backup to Gil Merrick.{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/legendary-keeper-schofield-dies-27688 |title=Legendary keeper Schofield dies |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=3 November 2006 |accessdate=24 April 2018}} In November 1957, he was injured in an explosion at Baddesley Colliery in Warwickshire, where he worked as a miner, and three years later, he fractured his skull while playing in goal against Manchester United.{{cite news |title=Schofield injured in accident |newspaper=Birmingham Daily Post |date=8 November 1957 |page=23 |quote=The Birmingham City reserve goalkeeper, Schofield, received multiple lacerations and face and arm burns in an accident at work at Baddesley Colliery yesterday. He was taken to Manor Hospital, Nuneaton, and was stated to be fairly comfortable last night. Schofield lives at Atherstone and has been a miner for some years.}}{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-manchester-united-schofield-10432553 |title=The day Birmingham City great Johnny Schofield became the bravest Blue of them all |first=Brian |last=Dick |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=20 March 2018 |accessdate=24 April 2018}} It was in 1959 that Schofield took over as Birmingham's first choice.{{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |date=1995 |pages=194–195 |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9}} He played on the losing side in two Inter-Cities Fairs Cup finals, against Barcelona in 1960 and Roma in 1961,{{cite web |url=http://world.bcfc.com/page/BluesInEurope/0,,10412~2070358,00.html |title=Blues in Europe part two – 1958–1960 |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |accessdate=24 April 2018 |url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122021547/http://www.bcfc.com/page/BluesInEurope/0,,10412~2070358,00.html |archivedate=22 January 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://world.bcfc.com/page/BluesInEurope/0,,10412~2070538,00.html |title=Blues in Europe part three – 1960–1962 |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |accessdate=24 April 2018 |url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122021650/http://www.bcfc.com/page/BluesInEurope/0,,10412~2070538,00.html |archivedate=22 January 2011}} and for the winners of the 1963 Football League Cup Final against city rivals Aston Villa.{{cite web |url=https://www.bcfc.com/club-and-fans/club/history/the-1963-league-cup-triumph/ |title=The 1963 League Cup triumph |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |accessdate=24 April 2018}}

With advancing age and the arrival of Jim Herriot, Schofield lost his place in the Birmingham team, and was transferred to Wrexham in 1966.{{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |date=1995 |page=122 |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9}} He lost his place in late 1967, and spent a month on loan at Cork Hibernians of the League of Ireland.{{cite news |title=Goalkeeper on loan |newspaper=Coventry Evening Telegraph |date=13 October 1967 |page=48 |quote=Wrexham goalkeeper John Schofield, who was dropped from the first team a fortnight ago, has been loaned for a month to the Irish club, Cork Hibernian.}} In 1968, he became player-manager of Atherstone Town, and also played for Bromsgrove Rovers and Tamworth, before returning to Atherstone as manager. In later life, he ran an off-licence in his home town of Atherstone.

Schofield was married to Grace née Finney; by 1963 the couple had two children. He died in Coventry on 1 November 2006 at the age of 75.{{Hugman|17552|accessdate=24 April 2018}}