Les Green facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leslie Green | ||
| Date of birth | 17 October 1941 | ||
| Place of birth | Atherstone, England | ||
| Date of death | 30 July 2012 (aged 70) | ||
| Place of death | Leicester, England | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Atherstone Boys Club | |||
| Mancetter | |||
| Baddesley Colliery | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1958–1960 | Atherstone Town | (0) | |
| 1960–1962 | Hull City | 4 | (0) |
| 1962–1965 | Nuneaton Borough | (0) | |
| 1965 | Burton Albion | (0) | |
| 1965–1967 | Hartlepool United | 34 | (0) |
| 1967–1968 | Rochdale | 44 | (0) |
| 1968–1971 | Derby County | 107 | (0) |
| 1971–1974 | Durban City | (0) | |
| Total | 189 | (0) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| Durban City (assistant) | |||
| 1990–1992 | Nuneaton Borough | ||
| Hinckley Town | |||
| 1994–1995 | Tamworth | ||
| Bedford | |||
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Leslie Green (born October 17, 1941 – died July 30, 2012) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. After his playing career, he also became a football manager. He is best known for his time playing for Derby County in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Contents
Les Green's Football Journey
Starting Out: Atherstone Town
Les Green began his football career playing for youth teams. He grew up in his hometown of Atherstone, England. He played for local clubs like Atherstone Boys Club and Mancetter. Later, he joined Baddesley Colliery.
Soon, the local team Atherstone Town signed him. Les wanted to become a professional player. He even tried out for Arsenal, a big team. But the manager thought he was too short at 5 feet 8 inches.
Playing for Hull City
In 1960, Hull City offered Les Green a contract. He played four games for "The Tigers." After a short time, he decided to return to non-league football. He joined Nuneaton Borough.
Time at Burton Albion
Les played for Nuneaton Borough for three years. Then, he moved to Burton Albion. He played under manager Peter Taylor.
Joining Hartlepool United
After only three months at Burton Albion, Les followed Peter Taylor. He joined Hartlepool United in the 1965–66 season. He played 34 games for them until the 1966–67 season.
Moving to Rochdale
In 1967, Les Green moved teams again. This time, he went to Rochdale. He played for Rochdale under manager Bob Stokoe.
Success at Derby County
Les played for Rochdale for just over one season. He made 44 appearances. Then, for the third time in his career, he joined up with manager Peter Taylor. This time, it was at Derby County in 1968.
When Les joined, Derby County was becoming a much stronger team. This was thanks to the management of Peter Taylor and Brian Clough. Les was part of the team that won the Football League Second Division in 1968-69. This was a big achievement for the club.
Adventure in South Africa: Durban City
In 1971, Les Green decided to leave English football. He moved to South Africa to play for Durban City. While playing for them, he shared the field with famous players. These included Alan Skirton and Johnny Byrne.
He even had the chance to play alongside the legendary Stanley Matthews. Matthews was in his fifties at the time! Unfortunately, a serious leg injury during a game ended Les Green's playing career. This happened in a match against Durban United.
Les Green's very last game was a special match. It was a testimonial for another goalkeeper, Martin Taylor. Les played in this game for Derby County against Everton on May 14, 1997. Derby County won the game 4–1.
After Playing: Becoming a Manager
After retiring from playing, Les Green stayed in South Africa. He became an assistant manager for Durban City. Later, he returned to England. He took on a role as Commercial Manager at his old club, Nuneaton Borough.
Les Green then became the manager of Nuneaton Borough. He also managed several other non-league clubs. These included Hinckley Town, Tamworth, and Bedford.
Les Green's Life Off the Field
Les Green was married to Heidi. He met her while living in South Africa. Heidi was the daughter of a farmer from the Natal region. Les and Heidi had a son named Simon.
Remembering Les Green
Les Green passed away on July 30, 2012, at the age of 70. He died from cancer at Loros Hospice near Leicester. After the sad news, many of his former teammates shared their memories of him.
John McGovern, who played with Les at both Hartlepool and Derby County, spoke about him. He said, "He was an incredible character." McGovern was glad he got to visit Les a few days before he passed away.
Awards and Achievements
Honours as Player
Derby County
- Football League Second Division: 1968-69
Durban City
- Champion of Champions: 1971
- National Football League: 1972
- Coca-Cola Shield: 1972
