Mick Channon

Channon was born in Orcheston, Wiltshire and made his debut for Southampton as a 17-year-old in 1966, scoring in a match against Bristol City.{{Cite book |last1=Chalk |first1=Gary |title=All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC |last2=Holley |first2=Duncan |last3=Bull |first3=David |publisher=Hagiology Publishing |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-9926864-0-6 |pages=270–271 |language=English}} Within three years he had established himself as the club's main goalscorer and was consistent in front of goal at a time when Southampton were one of the less fashionable teams in English football's First Division. However, despite a record season tally of 21 goals for Southampton in 1974, the club was relegated to the Second Division at the end of the season.{{Cite web |last=Brisland |first=Martin |date=30 March 2023 |title=Southampton FC - The highs and lows of 138 years |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/23418710.southampton-fc---highs-lows-138-years/ |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=Southern Daily Echo}}

Channon stayed loyal to Southampton despite obvious concerns for his international chances and was rewarded in 1976 which was a special year for Channon. Southampton were still in the Second Division but nevertheless enjoyed a dream run to the FA Cup final where they played Manchester United.{{Cite web |date=10 May 2001 |title=1976 - The Saints march in |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1321992.stm |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=BBC Sport}} Although Southampton were a lower division side, they were considerably more experienced than Manchester United's youthful team.{{Cite web |date=25 February 2017 |title=Southampton legend Mick Channon speaks out |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/15115768.southampton-legend-mick-channon-speaks-out/ |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=Southern Daily Echo}} Southampton won 1–0, with Channon playing a part in the winning goal scored late in the game by Bobby Stokes. It was his first domestic honour in the game.

In the 1977 close season, Channon left Southampton — still in the Second Division — to join Manchester City in a £300,000 deal.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Alan |date=16 November 2012 |title=Mick Channon jumps to it after helping out |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/mick-channon-jumps-to-it-after-helping-out-89db0h9xwjn |url-access=subscription |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=The Times}} His new club were making progress, having just finished second in the First Division behind champions Liverpool, but this was where they peaked and Channon struggled to settle. He made 72 appearances and scored 24 goals during his time at Manchester City.

Channon went back to Southampton (by now back in the First Division) in September 1979. Now in his thirties, he continued to play regularly though his goals ratio was not good in his second spell, with only ten coming in each of his first two seasons back at the club. He joined Newcastle United in 1982 after playing 510 games for Southampton over two spells, scoring a total of 185 goals placing him top of the club's list of all-time goalscorers.

Channon lasted barely a month at Newcastle before joining Bristol Rovers.{{Cite web |last=Marshall |first=Ray |date=1 January 2013 |title=Mick Channon axed by Newcastle United after one month |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/mick-channon-axed-newcastle-united-1352067 |access-date=12 June 2023 |website=Chronicle Live}} His impressive career seemingly on the decline, he failed to score in nine games for Bristol Rovers before a sudden departure again, this time to Norwich City where, at the age of 34, he found some of his old touch.{{Cite web |last=Byrom |first=David |date=18 June 2018 |title=Former Bristol Rovers player Mick Channon "kept card score" on Leeds United legend Don Revie's England documents |url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/former-bristol-rovers-player-mick-1688290 |access-date=12 June 2023 |website=Bristol Post}} He played 88 games over three seasons, scoring 16 goals, and suffered a mixed end to his Norwich career in 1985 when the club won the League Cup — Channon's second and final domestic honour — with a 1–0 win over Sunderland at Wembley, but were then relegated (with Sunderland) at the end of the same season.{{Cite web |date=15 April 2016 |title=Milk Cup legend Mick Channon backing Norwich City to beat Sunderland in Premier League relegation duel |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/20872411.milk-cup-legend-mick-channon-backing-norwich-city-beat-sunderland-premier-league-relegation-duel/ |access-date=12 June 2023 |website=Eastern Daily Press}}{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Nick |date=4 April 2020 |title=Never mind the danger: Why 1984/85 was the worst season to fall in love with football |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/20758998.never-mind-danger-1984-85-worst-season-fall-love-football/ |access-date=12 June 2023 |website=Eastern Daily Press}} Channon joined Portsmouth and Finn Harps (where he played in one League of Ireland Cup game),[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1986/1004/Pg013.html#Ar01301:31E89333F8A81583E925F4421555401935551B05B31EC5C81C08591FB86E] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010072526/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1986/1004/Pg013.html|date=10 October 2012}} before retiring from the game in 1986.{{Cite web |date=25 April 2017 |title=Channon: Ball got Pompey promoted on shoestring budget |url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/channon-ball-got-pompey-promoted-on-shoestring-budget-1128735 |access-date=12 June 2023 |website=The News (Portsmouth)}}{{Cite web |last=Pangratiou |first=Lewis |date=13 June 2021 |title=Beasant, Berkovic, Crouch - the 53 players who have represented Southampton and Portsmouth |url=https://www.hampshirelive.news/sport/football/football-news/beasant-berkovic-crouch-53-players-5523426 |access-date=12 June 2023 |website=Hampshire Live}}

Called up to make his debut for the England national team by Alf Ramsey in October 1972, Channon played well enough in a 1–1 draw with Yugoslavia at Wembley to be selected for the squads for two subsequent qualifying matches for the 1974 FIFA World Cup, although he was not eventually in the team for either. However, he won his second cap in a famous 5–0 hammering of Scotland at Hampden Park in February 1973, scoring his first goal in the process.{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Glenn |date=15 November 2014 |title=Scotland vs England: Five classic matches |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/scotland-vs-england-five-classic-matches-9863281.html |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=The Independent}}

As the year progressed, Channon scored again in a match against Wales and then added a brace in a 7–0 thumping of Austria before he was picked by Ramsey for his first competitive match – a crucial and ultimately infamous World Cup qualifier against Poland at Wembley.{{Cite web |title=England 3–0 Wales |url=https://www.englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=469 |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=englandstats.com}}{{Cite web |last=Penn |first=Brian |date=13 February 2020 |title=How a talented England failed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup |url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2020/02/13/how-a-talented-england-failed-to-qualify-for-the-1974-world-cup/ |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=These Football Times}} If England did not win, they would not qualify for the tournament. Channon, in his tenth England outing, was in an attacking line-up which spent pretty much the whole match in the Poland half, trying to break the deadlock. Channon saw his own chances saved by the eccentric but inspired goalkeeper Jan Tomaszewski and the game ended 1–1.

He played in a series of post-season friendlies for England, scoring in three of them and was kept in the side the following October as England began their campaign to qualify for the 1976 European Championships. Channon scored in the game against Czechoslovakia as England won 3–0.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Nick |date=1 September 2016 |title=England managers' debuts: Can Sam Allardyce maintain 53-year record? |url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/37455158/england-managers-debuts-sam-allardyce-maintain-53-year-record |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=ESPN}} Channon's next goal for England was a while coming — in September 1975 — as England beat Switzerland in a friendly. England had two qualifying games left at the end of the year for the 1976 European Championships and Channon scored in both, but England lost 2–1 to Czechoslovakia in Bratislava and then only drew 1–1 with Portugal in Lisbon.{{Cite web |date=12 October 2019 |title=Euro 2020: Czech Republic Beat England 2–1 |url=https://www.praguemorning.cz/euro-2020-czech-republic-beat-england-2-1/ |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=Prague Morning}}{{Cite web |title=Portugal 1–1 England |url=https://www.goal.com/en-om/match/portugal-v-england/bzx2f98eq4r2z6zc4zj8pflqt |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=Goal}} England failed to qualify and Czechoslovakia went on to win the tournament.{{Cite web |last=Scragg |first=Steven |date=15 May 2019 |title=Czechoslovakia, the birth of the Panenka and unlikely glory at Euro 1976 |url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2019/05/15/czechoslovakia-the-birth-of-the-panenka-and-unlikely-glory-at-euro-76/ |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=These Football Times}}

After winning an FA Cup medal in the 1976 Final, Channon was back at Wembley days later to score twice in England's 4–0 win over Northern Ireland; he then scored again four days later against Scotland but England lost 2–1 at Hampden Park. There followed a summer tournament in the U.S. for the bi-centennial celebrations, and Channon scored twice in a thrilling game against Italy as England came from two goals down to win 3–2, whilst also becoming the first Southampton player to captain England. A fortnight later, Channon scored again as England defeated Finland 4–1 in Helsinki to get their qualification campaign for the 1978 FIFA World Cup off to a perfect start, though this would be tempered later by a defeat against Italy in Rome.{{Cite web |title=Finland 1–4 England |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1970-80/1975-76/M0503Fin1976.html |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=England Football Online}}{{Cite web |last=Bruschi |first=Paolo |date=5 December 2019 |title=The Case of Italy v England [1976], Which Was Not Broadcast Live On Italian TV To Fight Workplace Absenteeism |url=https://www.playingpasts.co.uk/articles/football/the-case-of-italy-vs-england-which-was-not-broadcasted-live-on-tv-to-fight-workplace-absenteeism/ |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=Playing Pasts}}

In March 1977, Channon scored twice as England beat Luxembourg at Wembley to get their World Cup campaign back on track; Luxembourg were the 'whipping boys' of the group and England would later need to demolish Luxembourg by a similar or better scoreline in Luxembourg to give themselves a chance of overhauling Italy and qualifying for the World Cup.{{Cite web |title=England 5–0 Luxembourg |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1970-80/1976-77/M0508Lux1977.html |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=England Football Online}}

Channon hit his 20th England goal in a 2–1 win over Northern Ireland in May 1977.{{Cite web |title=Northern Ireland 1–2 England |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1970-80/1976-77/M0509NIr1977.html |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=England Football Online}} A week later came another Channon goal against Scotland – this time from the penalty spot – but this proved an infamous England defeat as the Scots won 2–1 and their fans invaded the Wembley pitch in celebration, ripping up clods of souvenir turf and pulling down one of the crossbars.{{Cite web |last=White |first=Jim |date=16 June 2021 |title=Remembering Wembley, 1977: The day when Scotland ruled the Auld Enemy in their own back yard |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/euro-2021/2021/06/16/remembering-wembley-1977-day-scotland-ruled-auld-enemy-back/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=The Telegraph}}

After an ill-fated move to Manchester City affected his form, Ron Greenwood chose to omit him from the starting line-up when England played the crucial World Cup qualifier in Luxembourg in October 1977.{{Cite web |title=Luxembourg 0–2 England |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1970-80/1977-78/M0516Lux1977.html |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=England Football Online}} England won 2–0 and, despite victory over Italy in the last game of the campaign, the goals record was insufficient to take them to the World Cup.{{Cite web |date=7 May 2015 |title=England's five big qualifying calamities |url=https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/englands-five-big-qualifying-calamities_sto4717032/story.shtml |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=Eurosport}} Channon was not selected for his country again; his international career ended with 46 appearances and a healthy 21 goals. England's failure to qualify for three major international tournaments during Channon's career leaves him as the most-capped player never to have been named to a World Cup or European Championships squad. As of 17 July 2018, he remains joint 18th in the all-time England scorers list, level with Kevin Keegan and Steven Gerrard.{{cite web |title=England's 56 Top Goalscorers |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamGoals/Goals_10-49.html |website=englandfootballonline |access-date=7 July 2018 |date=3 July 2018}}

Channon always had an interest in horse racing during his football career. After retiring from full-time professional football in 1986, he began working as an assistant trainer, before becoming a licensed trainer in his own right in 1990.{{Cite web |last=Stevens |first=James |date=29 October 2022 |title='I've got to move on' - charismatic trainer Mick Channon to call it a day |url=https://www.racingpost.com/news/legendary-trainer-mick-channon-set-to-retire-at-the-end-of-the-year-aIFFr2K23Ft4/ |access-date=12 June 2023 |website=Racing Post}} He initially had ten horses.{{Cite web |date=3 May 2004 |title=Mick Channon |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/3678079.stm |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=BBC Sport}}

He then moved to the West Ilsley stables near Newbury, formerly owned by the Queen, and began to increase his number of horses, eventually ending up with almost 200.

In 2002, he ended the season with 123 winners, topping the 100-mark for the first time in his career. In May 2012, he produced his first Classic winner when Samitar took the Irish 1,000 Guineas.{{Cite web |date=21 May 2021 |title=Football players and horse racing: From racegoers to big time owners |url=https://www.greatbritishracing.com/features/football-players-and-horse-racing/ |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=Great British Racing}}

Among owners who have had their horses with Channon are old colleagues and acquaintances from his footballing days, including Kevin Keegan, Alan Ball, Chris Cattlin and Sir Alex Ferguson.

In October 2022, Channon announced he will close his 33-year career at the end of the season, with his son Jack taking over the license.

On 27 August 2008, Channon was involved and injured in a motorway accident on the M1.{{Cite web |last=Cook |first=Chris |date=29 August 2008 |title=Channon yard in shock after fatal car crash |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/aug/29/horseracing1 |access-date=12 June 2023 |website=The Guardian}} He was travelling from the Doncaster Sales to his West Ilsley stables in Berkshire when the accident happened. Channon was reported to have suffered a punctured lung and broken arm and jaw.

During an interview with Clare Balding broadcast on BBC One on 3 January 2009, Channon spoke about how, as a result of the broken jaw, he was subsequently fitted with metal plates in his face. Bloodstock agent and friend Tim Corby died in the accident.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/7585930.stm|title=Channon injured in motorway crash|publisher=BBC|date=28 August 2008|access-date=20 August 2017}}

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 2001 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel while being interviewed at his West Ilsley racing stables near Newbury.{{Cite web |title=Mick Channon Profile |url=https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/mick-channon/ |access-date=13 June 2023 |website=SaintsPlayers.co.uk}}

:Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Channon goal.

Southampton

• FA Cup: 1975–76{{cite book |first1=Leslie |first2=Jack |last1=Vernon |last2=Rollin |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78 |year=1977 |publisher=Brickfield Publications Ltd |location=London |isbn=0354-09018-6 |page=491}}

Norwich City

• Football League Cup: 1984–85

Individual

• Rothmans Golden Boots Awards: 1973, 1974{{cite web|url=https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/1969-70-british-team-of-the-season.1794502/ |website=BigSoccer |date=31 July 2011 |title=1969-1970 British Team of the Season |access-date=17 April 2024 }}

Great Britain

• Cheveley Park Stakes: Seazun (1999), Queen's Logic (2001)
• Dewhurst Stakes: Tobougg (2000)
• Falmouth Stakes: Music Show (2010)
• King's Stand Stakes: Piccolo (1995)
• Nunthorpe Stakes: Piccolo (1994)
• St. James's Palace Stakes: Zafeen (2003)
• Sun Chariot Stakes: Majestic Roi (2007)

Canada

• E. P. Taylor Stakes: Lahaleeb (2009)

France

• Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud: Youmzain (2008)
• Prix Morny: Silca's Sister (2005)
• Prix Rothschild: Ascension (2001)
• Prix de la Salamandre: Tobougg (2000)

Germany

• Preis von Europa: Youmzain (2006)

Ireland

• Irish 1,000 Guineas: Samitar (2012)
• Moyglare Stud Stakes: Mail The Desert (2002)

Italy

• Gran Criterium: Nayarra (2011)
• Premio Lydia Tesio: Eva's Request (2009)
• Premio Roma : Imperial Dancer (2003)

{{Reflist}}

• Channon, Mick (1986). Man on the Run: An Autobiography. Arthur Barker. {{ISBN|0-213-16930-4}}
• {{cite book|last=Batt|first=Peter|title=Mick Channon: The Authorised Biography |year=2005 |publisher=Highdown |isbn=1-905156-05-7}}
• {{cite book |last1= Holley |first1= Duncan |last2= Chalk|first2=Gary| title=In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC |publisher=Hagiology Publishing |year=2003| isbn=0-9534474-3-X}}
• {{Cite book |last=Manns |first=Tim | title=Tie a Yellow Ribbon: How the Saints Won the Cup | publisher=Hagiology Publishing | year=2006 | isbn=0-9534474-6-4}}
• {{cite book |last= Wilson |first= Jeremy | title=Southampton's Cult Heroes| publisher=Know The Score Books| year=2006| isbn= 1-905449-01-1 }}

• {{Englandstats}}
• {{England Football Online}}
• [http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/channon.htm Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk]
• [http://www.mickchannon.tv Own website]

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{{1973–74 Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year}}

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Category:1948 births

Category:Living people

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Category:Footballers from Wiltshire