Tony Millington facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Anthony Horace Millington | ||
| Date of birth | 5 June 1943 | ||
| Place of birth | Hawarden, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 5 August 2015 (aged 72) | ||
| Place of death | North Wales | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Connah's Quay Nomads | |||
| Queensferry | |||
| Sutton Town | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1959–1964 | West Bromwich Albion | 40 | (0) |
| 1964–1966 | Crystal Palace | 16 | (0) |
| 1966–1969 | Peterborough United | 118 | (0) |
| 1969–1974 | Swansea City | 178 | (0) |
| 1974–1975 | Newry Town F.C. | 4 | (1) |
| 1974–1975 | Glenavon | ||
| International career | |||
| Wales Under-23 | 4 | (0) | |
| 1962–1971 | Wales | 21 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Anthony Horace Millington (born June 5, 1943 – died August 5, 2015) was a fantastic Welsh footballer. He was a talented goalkeeper who played for several famous teams. These included West Bromwich Albion, Crystal Palace, Peterborough United, and Swansea City. He also proudly represented his country, Wales, in 21 international matches during the 1960s and 1970s.
His football career ended in 1975 after a car accident. Later, he became an important person at Wrexham A.F.C., working as their disability officer. Tony's younger brother, Grenville Millington, was also a goalkeeper for teams like Rhyl and Chester.
Contents
Tony's Football Journey
Playing for Clubs
Tony Millington was born in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales. He loved football from a young age, playing for his school team and representing his county. After playing for a few local clubs, he joined West Bromwich Albion as a young player in July 1959.
Tony made his first big team debut for Albion on September 30, 1961. He played against Manchester City in a 2–2 draw. He became the main goalkeeper for the rest of the 1961–62 season. The next year, he shared the goalkeeper spot with another player. His last game for West Bromwich Albion was on March 16, 1963.
After his time at Albion, Tony moved to Crystal Palace in October 1964. He played there for two seasons.
In March 1966, Tony was sold to Peterborough United. He quickly became their first-choice goalkeeper. He played 118 league games over three years for Peterborough. In July 1969, he moved back to Wales to join Swansea City.
Tony was a very important player for Swansea when they won promotion from the Fourth Division in 1970. In January 1971, Swansea (then called "City") played against Rhyl in the FA Cup. What made this match special was that Tony's younger brother, Grenville, was the goalkeeper for Rhyl! Swansea won that game 6–1.
By 1973, Tony wasn't playing as much for Swansea. The manager, Harry Gregg, brought in other goalkeepers on loan. In 1974, Tony moved to Northern Ireland to help with his father's pub business. He played a few games for Newry Town F.C. and even scored a penalty goal in one match! He then joined another Irish team, Glenavon.
Playing for Wales
Tony Millington played his first international game for Wales on October 20, 1962. It was a British Home Championship match against Scotland. Even though he played well, Wales lost 3–2. He continued to play for Wales in the next two matches, but they also ended in defeats.
During his time playing for Wales, Tony was often the second-choice goalkeeper. He usually played when the main goalkeeper, first David Hollins and then Gary Sprake, couldn't. On May 30, 1965, Tony played in a World Cup qualifying match against the Soviet Union. Wales lost 2–1, which meant they couldn't qualify for the World Cup.
Tony played a total of 21 official international matches for Wales. He was part of the team that shared the win in the 1969–70 British Home Championship.
Tony's Amazing Personality
Tony Millington was known as a "brave goalkeeper." He was very agile, had safe hands, and could kick the ball well. But he was also a "showman" and loved to entertain the crowd! He believed that if something could be done with a spectacular style, it was worth doing. Sometimes, he would make a simple save look much more exciting with a dramatic dive.
Fans loved "Milly," as he was called, because he was like a "one-man entertainment." During quiet parts of a game, he would sometimes walk over to the crowd and ask children for sweets! He was also a bit superstitious. He couldn't watch penalty kicks taken at the other end of the field. Instead, he would kneel in his goalmouth with his back to the action. When his team scored a goal, he would often celebrate by doing a handstand in his penalty area!
There's a famous story about Tony from his time at Swansea. Before a game, he saw an elderly fan on crutches in the crowd. He ran off the field, came back with a chair, and helped the supporter sit down in the disabled supporters' area to watch the game.
An old Swansea fan also remembered that one of Tony's tricks to entertain kids behind the goal was to swing on the crossbar like a monkey! He stopped doing this when he missed a back pass because he was distracted, and his team conceded an own goal.
Later Life and Legacy
Tony Millington left professional football in the summer of 1974. He moved to Northern Ireland to work in his father-in-law's business. His football career sadly ended in 1975 after a car accident. The injuries from the accident meant he needed to use a wheelchair and required constant care.
He settled in Wrexham, Wales, where he continued to be involved in football. He helped start a club for Wrexham Football Club's disabled supporters. He then became the football club's disability officer, helping other fans with disabilities enjoy the game. Tony Millington passed away on August 5, 2015, at the age of 72. He is remembered as a talented goalkeeper and a wonderful, entertaining person.
Honours
- British Home Championship joint winners: 1969–70
