Tony Naylor

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Tony Naylor

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Anthony Joseph Naylor{{Hugman|14400|accessdate=9 March 2017}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|03|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Manchester, England

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=7}}{{cite web |title=FootballSquads – Port Vale – 1999/00 |url=http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/1999-2000/d1/portv.htm |website=footballsquads.co.uk |access-date=24 June 2019}}

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 19??–1990| clubs1 = Droylsden| caps1 = |goals1=

| years2 = 1990–1994| clubs2 = Crewe Alexandra| caps2 = 122|goals2=45

| years3 = 1994–2001| clubs3 = Port Vale| caps3 = 253| goals3 = 71

| years4 = 2001–2003| clubs4 = Cheltenham Town| caps4 = 74| goals4=18

| years5 = 2003–2004| clubs5 = Telford United| caps5 = 19| goals5 = 10

| years6 = 2005| clubs6 = Port Vale| caps6 = 0| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2006| clubs7 = Ashton United| caps7 = 1| goals7 = 2

| totalcaps = 469| totalgoals = 146

}}

Anthony Joseph Naylor (born 29 March 1967) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is best known for his spells at Port Vale and Crewe Alexandra in the 1990s.

Naylor moved to Dario Gradi's Crewe from non-League Droylsden in 1990, turning professional at the age of 23. After two successive promotion-hunting campaigns ended at the play-off stage, he helped Alex to automatic promotion in 1993–94. His goals impressed John Rudge at nearby Port Vale, and a £150,000 deal was struck between the two rival clubs in 1994. He went on to spend the next seven years at Vale Park, playing in the Anglo-Italian Cup final in 1996, as well as the club's Football League Trophy success in 2001. Three times Vale's top-scorer, he left on a free transfer to Cheltenham Town in 2001. He helped Cheltenham to win promotion via the play-offs in 2002 before he entered the non-League scene with Telford United in 2003. He retired as a player in 2005, though he would make a brief cameo at Ashton United in 2006.

Career

=Crewe Alexandra=

Naylor began his career at non-League Droylsden. Having caught the eye of Crewe Alexandra boss Dario Gradi, the 23-year-old striker completed an £11,000 switch to the "Railwaymen" in March 1990.{{cite web|url=http://www.crewealex.net/page/FormerGreatsDetail/0,,10414~63847,00.html|title=Tony Naylor|date=14 June 2005|work=crewealex.net|access-date=25 August 2011}} His new club went on to be relegated at the end of the season, however, Naylor helped Crewe to the Fourth Division play-offs in 1991. Hopes of an immediate return to the third tier were then dashed after defeat to Scunthorpe United at the semi-final stage. He helped them into the play-off final the following year. At that point, they lost out to York City in a penalty shoot-out at Wembley. On the way to the final he set a club record for most goals in a match when he scored five in a game against Colchester United on 24 April 1993.{{cite web|url=http://www.crewealex.net/page/HistoryDetail/0,,10414~1054719,00.html|title=Crewe Alexandra Records |date=12 May 2009|work=crewealex.net|access-date=11 June 2009}} Promotion finally came in 1993–94, as Naylor's goals helped to assure Alex of the third automatic promotion place. However, he looked for a move away after only being offered a £50-per-week pay rise on his new contract.{{cite journal |title=The Tony Naylor Interview |journal=The Vale Park Beano |volume=78}}

=Port Vale=

On 14 July 1994, Naylor joined Port Vale on a three-year contract for a fee of £150,000 that was agreed to avoid Vale and Crewe undergoing a transfer tribunal.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Mike |title=A Vale return and weighing up options |url=https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/p/a-vale-return-and-weighing-up-options |access-date=22 July 2024 |work=Valiant's Substack |date=22 July 2024}} John Rudge's "Valiants" spent the money after sealing promotion from the Second Division on the last day of the 1993–94 season. Naylor would join the side for the new season in the First Division.{{cite book|last=Kent|first=Jeff|title=Port Vale Personalities|publisher=Witan Books|page=212|year=1996|isbn=0-9529152-0-0}} He soon formed a very effective strike partnership with Martin Foyle. On 14 March 1995, Naylor scored in a 1–1 draw with Stoke City in a Potteries derby game at Vale Park. He came off the bench in the 1996 Anglo-Italian Cup final, as Vale lost 5–2 to Genoa.{{cite book |last1=Fowler |first1=Adam |title=Port Vale matchday programme v Stevenage |date=19 April 2019 |publisher=Port Vale FC |pages=26–7}} He was with the "Valiants" through one of the club's most successful periods as they finished eighth in the 1996–97 First Division (the club's highest finish since the 1930s), with Naylor claiming 20 goals in 49 appearances, including a hat-trick past Charlton Athletic whilst playing as a lone striker in a 3–1 win at The Valley on 14 December.{{cite news|last1=Baggaley|first1=Mike|title=Port Vale archives: When Tony Naylor walloped Charlton|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/port-vale-archives-when-tony-naylor-walloped-charlton/story-29913006-detail/story.html|access-date=19 November 2016|work=Stoke Sentinel|date=18 November 2016}} After the match he said he hated playing as a lone striker but conceded that "it worked ok today".{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Mike |title=Injury and transfer window update as Port Vale prepare for Charlton |url=https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/p/injury-and-transfer-window-update |access-date=5 January 2024 |work=Valiant's Substack |date=4 January 2024}}

In total, he managed to notch 90 goals in his seven years at the club, finishing as the club's top goalscorer at the end of the 1995–96, 1996–97 and 2000–01 seasons with 12, 20 and 21 goals respectively. He scored a brace in a 3–1 win over Sunderland on 23 August 1997, showing his "sublime skill" as his "twinkling feet made them statuesque".{{cite news |last1=Fielding |first1=Rob |title=Five great Port Vale goals |url=https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2017/03/five-great-port-vale-goals/ |access-date=5 June 2020 |work=onevalefan.co.uk |date=4 March 2017}} He lost his first-team place in the 1999–2000 relegation season as new manager Brian Horton preferred Manchester United loanee David Healy.{{cite journal |title=The Tony Naylor Interview Part 2 |journal=The Vale Park Beano |volume=79}} He regained his place in the first XI in the 2000–01 campaign, when he formed a strike partnership with Steve Brooker and scored 20 goals. The club also managed to win the Football League Trophy in 2001, as they defeated Brentford 2–1 in the final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff; he won a penalty and also had a goal ruled out for offside.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1281326.stm|title=Port Vale's route to Cardiff|date=18 April 2001|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=11 June 2009}} Naylor's last goal for the club was also the last goal at Oxford United's Manor Ground in May 2001. Naylor left the club after rejecting a two-year contract that would see him take a 40% pay cut.

=Cheltenham Town=

On 12 July 2001, Naylor signed a two-year contract with Cheltenham Town.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cheltenham_town/1435991.stm|title=Cheltenham close in on Naylor|date=12 July 2001|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=11 June 2009}} His goals guided the Robins to promotion to League One, via the play-offs, in his first season. He started in the final, a 3–1 victory over Rushden & Diamonds.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1967943.stm |title=Cheltenham crack Diamonds |website=BBC Sport |date=6 May 2002 |access-date=24 June 2025}} It was the first time Cheltenham had been that high in the Football League pyramid. Manager Steve Cotterill was keen to praise Naylor,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cheltenham_town/1676555.stm|title=Cotterill hails strikers|date=26 November 2001|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=11 June 2009}} as was his successor Graham Allner.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cheltenham_town/2195517.stm|title=Naylor impresses Allner|date=15 August 2002|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=11 June 2009}} However, he was unable to prevent relegation the following season and was released at the end of the 2002–03 campaign after rejecting new manager Bobby Gould's new contract offer.

=Telford United=

Following a brief stay at Stone Dominoes,{{cite news|title=Dario praise for old boy|url=http://www.crewealex.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10414~468769,00.html|access-date=12 April 2012|newspaper=crewealex.net|date=17 November 2004}} Naylor joined Conference National club Telford United shortly into the 2003–04 campaign,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/telford/3144960.stm|title=Telford snap up Naylor|date=27 September 2003|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=11 June 2009}} linking up with one of his strike partners from his Port Vale days in Lee Mills. Naylor quickly endeared himself to the supporters at the New Bucks Head{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/telford/3255724.stm|title=Telford keen to keep Naylor|date=2 December 2003|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=11 June 2009}} with his trademark pacey and tenacious displays particularly when he scored the second goal in a 2–1 victory of local rivals Shrewsbury Town in the FA Trophy. Naylor eventually made 29 appearances during the season, scoring 11 goals. Despite helping Telford to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup and the semi-finals of the FA Trophy, United were beset by off the field problems during the final few months of the 2003–04 season and folded at the end of the campaign after their finances spiralled out of control. Naylor was again on the lookout for a new club and was linked with a move to Shrewsbury Town after his impressive displays against them for Telford,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/shrewsbury/3577302.stm|title=Shrews look at Naylor|date=18 August 2004|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=11 June 2009}} but this never materialised. After several fruitless trials, he eventually retired from the professional game.

=Later career=

Naylor joined his former club, Port Vale, in March 2005, now managed by his former strike partner Martin Foyle, but did not play a first-team game. During the 2005–06 season Naylor joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Ashton United as assistant to the manager Scott Green, a former teammate of his from their Telford days. When an injury crisis hit the club, he donned his boots once more and scored twice from the penalty spot in a 2–2 draw at Frickley Athletic.[http://www.freewebs.com/aufc/nop.htm Aston United stats] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021180736/http://www.freewebs.com/aufc/nop.htm |date=21 October 2012 }}

Style of play

Naylor was a forward who used his pace to make runs in behind defenders and also to chase the ball down and try and tackle defenders.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title=Tom Pope – Why Port Vale LDV winners were heroes to this 15-year-old |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/tom-pope-port-vale-column-4079759 |access-date=26 April 2020 |work=Stoke Sentinel |date=26 April 2020}} In May 2019, he was voted into the "Ultimate Port Vale XI" by members of the OneValeFan supporter website.{{cite news |last1=Fielding |first1=Rob |title=This is the OVF viewers all-time Port Vale XI |url=https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2019/05/this-is-the-ovf-viewers-all-time-port-vale-xi/ |access-date=4 June 2020 |work=onevalefan.co.uk |date=26 May 2019}}

Personal life

Naylor grew up supporting Manchester City.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Mike |title=Port Vale, huge game and responding to ticket concerns |url=https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/p/port-vale-huge-game-and-responding |access-date=12 November 2023 |work=Valiant's Substack |date=9 November 2023}} He organised charity matches between Port Vale Legends and Stoke City Legends in the 2010s, raising money for dementia and Alzheimer's causes after his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.{{cite news |title=Legends Game Returns To Vale Park For Charity Match |url=https://www.thepfa.com/news/2016/5/10/legends-game-return-to-vale-park-for-charity-match |access-date=2 January 2025 |work=www.thepfa.com |date=10 October 2016 |language=en}}

Career statistics

Source:{{ENFA}}{{Soccerbase}}

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="6"\|Crewe Alexandra \|1989–90 \|Third Division \|2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
1990–91 \|Third Division \|14	1	0	0	2	0	16	1
1991–92 \|Fourth Division \|34	15	4	3	9	7	47	25
1992–93 \|Third Division \|35	16	2	2	8	7	45	25
1993–94 \|Third Division \|37	13	3	1	4	2	44	16
colspan="2"\|Total !122	45	9	6	23	16	154	67
rowspan="8"\|Port Vale \|1994–95 \|First Division \|33	9	0	0	3	1	36	10
1995–96 \|First Division \|39	11	6	1	6	3	51	15
1996–97 \|First Division \|43	17	1	0	5	3	49	20
1997–98 \|First Division \|38	10	2	0	2	0	42	10
1998–99 \|First Division \|22	4	1	0	2	2	25	6
1999–2000 \|First Division \|36	6	1	0	2	2	39	8
2000–01 \|Second Division \|42	14	2	1	9	5	53	20
colspan="2"\|Total !253	71	13	2	29	16	295	89
rowspan="3"\|Cheltenham Town \|2001–02 \|Third Division \|44	12	5	5	5	1	54	18
2002–03 \|Second Division \|30	6	0	0	2	2	32	8
colspan="2"\|Total !74	18	5	5	7	3	86	26
Port Vale \|2004–05 \|League One \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !449	134	27	13	59	35	535	182

Honours

Crewe Alexandra

Football League Third Division third-place promotion: 1993–94

Port Vale

Football League Trophy: 2000–01{{cite news|title=Vale vault Brentford to lift Vans trophy|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1289338.stm|access-date=19 January 2016|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 April 2001}}
Anglo-Italian Cup runner-up: 1996{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/angloit96.html|title=Anglo-Italian Cup 1995/96|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|access-date=12 July 2010}}

Cheltenham Town