Roger Willis

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Roger Willis

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Roger Christopher Willis{{cite book |editor-first=Barry J. |editor-last=Hugman |title=The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2003/2004 |date=2003 |publisher=Queen Anne Press |isbn=1-85291-651-6 |page=456}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|6|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Sheffield, England

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}

| position = Midfielder / Forward

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 198?–1988 | clubs1 = Dunkirk

| years2 = 1988–1990 | clubs2 = Grimsby Town | caps2 = 9 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1990 | clubs3 = → Boston United (loan) | caps3 = 10 | goals3 = 5

| years4 = 1990–1992 | clubs4 = Barnet | caps4 = 81 | goals4 = 23

| years5 = 1992–1993 | clubs5 = Watford | caps5 = 36 | goals5 = 2

| years6 = 1993–1994 | clubs6 = Birmingham City | caps6 = 19 | goals6 = 5

| years7 = 1994–1996 | clubs7 = Southend United | caps7 = 31 | goals7 = 7

| years8 = 1996–1997 | clubs8 = Peterborough United | caps8 = 40 | goals8 = 6

| years9 = 1997–2002 | clubs9 = Chesterfield | caps9 = 135 | goals9 = 21

| years10 = 2002 | clubs10= Peterborough United | caps10= 4 | goals10= 0

| years11 = 2002 | clubs11= Kettering Town | caps11= 2 | goals11= 0

| years12 = 2002 | clubs12= Stevenage Borough | caps12= 1 | goals12= 0

| years13 = 2002–2003 | clubs13= Cambridge City | caps13= 2 | goals13= 0

| years14 = 2003 | clubs14= Hucknall Town | caps14= 1 | goals14= 0

| years15 = 2004 | clubs15= St Albans City | caps15= 5 | goals15= 2

}}

Roger Christopher Willis (born 17 June 1967) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder or forward. He made more than 300 appearances in the Football League between 1989 and 2002 playing for seven different clubs.

Career

Willis, a native of Sheffield generally known by his nickname of Harry, played for Nottingham-based non-league club Dunkirk before joining Grimsby Town in 1989.{{cite book |first=Tony |last=Matthews |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |year=1995 |publisher=Breedon Books |page=135 |location=Derby |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9}} He made ten first-team appearances for the Mariners in all competitions,{{cite web |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=8570 |title=Roger Willis |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |accessdate=23 May 2018}} and spent time on loan to Boston United in the Conference,{{cite web |url=http://www.bufc.drfox.org.uk/rollcall.html#Willis |title=Boston United Roll Call |website=Boston United FC – The Original Website |publisher=Ken Fox |accessdate=23 May 2018}} before being sold to Barnet for £10,000 at the end of the 1989–90 season.

In his first season with Barnet, Willis helped them win the Conference title and consequent promotion to the Football League. A flourishing second season, in which he was one of the key players as Barnet reached the playoff semifinal,{{cite web |url=http://www.bfcsa.co.uk/about/hist91.htm |title=The Barry Fry Years – Part Seven |website=History of Barnet F.C. |publisher=Barnet F.C. Supporters Association |accessdate=23 May 2018}} earned him a move to First Division (second-tier) club Watford in October 1992 for a fee of £175,000. After a relatively unsuccessful year with the Hornets,{{cite web |url=http://www.bsad.org/hall/willis.html |title=Roger 'Harry' Willis |website=Blind, Stupid and Desperate |first1=Simon |last1=Devon |first2=Ian |last2=Grant |accessdate=23 May 2018}} he rejoined former Barnet manager Barry Fry, now at fellow First Division club Birmingham City, for a fee of £150,000. Willis left for Southend United after ten months, and went on to feature for Peterborough United before settling down for a five-year spell with Third Division (fourth-tier) Chesterfield, whom he helped gain promotion in the 2000–01 season.{{cite web |url=http://world.theposh.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10427~239929,00.html |title=Roger Willis back in Posh colours for trial outing |publisher=Peterborough United F.C. |date=16 July 2002 |accessdate=23 May 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717023504/http://www.theposh.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10427~239929,00.html |archivedate=17 July 2011}}

Released by Chesterfield in 2002, he made a brief return to Peterborough, followed by occasional appearances for non-league clubs Kettering Town, Stevenage Borough, Cambridge City and Hucknall Town, before retiring from the game in February 2003.{{cite web |url=http://www.uptheposh.com/people/1853/career/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205175818/http://www.uptheposh.com/people/1853/career/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=5 February 2013 |title=Roger Willis: Career history |website=UpThePosh.com |publisher=Chris Wilkinson |accessdate=23 May 2018}}{{cite news |url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=8661 |title=Hucknall lose Willis |website=NonLeague Daily |date=11 February 2003 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815155224/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=8661 |archivedate=15 August 2012}} He came out of retirement to play for St Albans City in 2004.{{cite news |url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/teams/players.php?pid=16929 |title=Player Profile: Roger Willis |website=NonLeague Daily |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815155236/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/teams/players.php?pid=16929 |archivedate=15 August 2012}}

References

Infobox statistics

Football League clubs: {{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/rogerwillis.html |title=Roger Willis |website=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=23 May 2018}}
Boston United: {{cite book |editor-first=John |editor-last=Harman |title=Alliance to Conference 1979–2004: The first 25 years |publisher=Tony Williams |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-869833-52-7 |pages=125, 132}}
Barnet (Conference): {{cite book |editor-last=Harman |title=Alliance to Conference 1979–2004 |pages=71, 75}}
Kettering Town: {{cite book |editor-last=Harman |title=Alliance to Conference 1979–2004 |pages=372, 380}}
Stevenage Borough: {{cite book |editor-last=Harman |title=Alliance to Conference 1979–2004 |pages=649, 652}}
Cambridge City: {{cite web |url=http://www.cambridgecityfc.com/afolder/App_and_Goalscorers02_03.shtml |title=Goals and Games 02/03 |publisher=Cambridge City F.C. |accessdate=2 February 2012}}
Hucknall Town: {{cite web |url=http://www.soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2002/player_details.php?playerid=1411 |title=Player Details: Season 2002–2003 |website=SoccerFacts UK |accessdate=2 February 2012}}
St Albans City: {{cite web |url=http://www.sacfc.co.uk/tpl/player.php?id=79 |title=Roger Willis profile |publisher=St Albans City F.C |accessdate=2 February 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100224211717/http://www.sacfc.co.uk/tpl/player.php?id=79 |archivedate=24 February 2010}}

General

Category:1967 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Sheffield

Category:English men's footballers

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:Dunkirk F.C. players

Category:Grimsby Town F.C. players

Category:Boston United F.C. players

Category:Barnet F.C. players

Category:Watford F.C. players