Anthony Ford (born 14 May 1959) is an English former footballer. Through most of his career, Ford was a right-sided midfielder, but in later years, he was converted to right-back. In a career that spanned 27 years, across four decades, Ford played 931 league matches, which is the all-time record for matches played in the English league by an outfield player. He is also one of the few footballers to have made over 1,100 competitive appearances.

Career Playing career Ford began his career at his hometown club Grimsby Town when he made his first-team debut as a 16-year-old on 4th October 1975 in an away game against Walsall. Ford is of mixed heritage (his father was a Black Barbadian) and he was the first Black player to play for the club. He spent 11 years at Blundell Park, where he made his name as one of the most talented players outside the top division. In 1986, he left Grimsby. He first had a short loan spell at Sunderland, and later joined Stoke in a permanent deal.

Ford spent two and a half years at Stoke, before being transferred to West Bromwich Albion midway through the 1988–89 season. After three years at The Hawthorns, he rejoined Grimsby in late 1991. His second spell at Blundell Park lasted three seasons, and he left the club at the end of the 1993–94 season, having played 423 league games for the club, which at the time placed him second on the club's career appearance list behind Keith Jobling.

In 1994, Ford joined Grimsby's arch-rivals Scunthorpe, where he played two seasons. After a short spell at non-league side Barrow, he was asked by Steve Parkin, a former teammate at Stoke and West Bromwich Albion, who had recently been appointed manager at Mansfield, to become his assistant. This allowed Ford to continue his playing career, and in early 1999, he played his 825th career league game, breaking Terry Paine's record for career appearances by an outfield player.

Coaching career In the summer of 1999, Parkin resigned as Mansfield manager to take a similar job at Rochdale. He again appointed Ford as his assistant, and, aged 40, Ford continued to play regularly. The final goal of his career was the winner in a 1–0 win at Swansea City on 9 October 2001, and his final professional appearance came the following month against Torquay United.

He retired from playing in November 2001 when he and Parkin took up the same positions at Barnsley. Both were sacked by the club eleven months later, but in August 2003 he returned to his former role at Rochdale under new manager Alan Buckley. He kept his job when Buckley made way for Parkin on 31 December 2003, but was sacked along with the latter three years later.

He went on to work for his former club Grimsby Town as a scout, but was relieved of his duties in May 2011.

Career statistics Source:

ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGrimsby Town1975–76Third Division1501000001601976–77Third Division60002000801977–78Fourth Division3421010203821978–79Fourth Division451610300049161979–80Third Division3754094305391980–81Second Division2841020513651981–82Second Division3573010624591982–83Second Division3743130504851983–84Second Division4281040305081984–85Second Division4263161205381985–86Second Division343103030413Total3555519234529343765Sunderland (loan)1985–86Second Division9100000091Stoke City1986–87Second Division4165020114971987–88Second Division4472040405471988–89Second Division270202010320Total1121390806113514West Bromwich Albion1988–89Second Division1110000–1111989–90Second Division4282130104891990–91Second Division4651020105051991–92Third Division150102010190Total1141441703012815Grimsby Town1991–92Second Division2210000002211992–93First Division1721010102021993–94First Division290200020330Total683301030753Bradford City (loan)1993–94Second Division5000200070Scunthorpe United1994–95Third Division3824020104521995–96Third Division387312130469Total7697141409111Barrow1996–97Northern Premier League142000000142Mansfield Town1996–97Third Division2722100103031997–98Third Division3430021203841998–99Third Division422202020482Total10374141501169Rochdale1999–2000Third Division3423020404322000–01Third Division3821020004122001–02Third Division172002110203Total8964061501047Career total9451105056685541,116127

Honours Grimsby Town Football League Group Cup: 1982 Third Division: 1979–80 Fourth Division promotion: 1978–79 Supporters Player of the Year: 1984, 1985 Supporters Young Player of the Year: 1976

See also List of men's footballers with the most official appearances

References

External links