Joe Crozier (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joseph Crozier[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 2 December 1914 | ||
| Place of birth | Coatbridge, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 27 July 1985 (aged 70)[1] | ||
| Place of death | Greenwich, England[1] | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Strathclyde | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1934–1937 | East Fife | ||
| 1937–1949 | Brentford | 200 | (0) |
| 1940–1941 | → Airdrieonians (guest) | ||
| 1941–1942 | → Hibernian (guest) | ||
| 1949–1951 | Chelmsford City | ||
| Kidderminster Harriers | |||
| Ashford Town (Kent) | |||
| National team | |||
| 1943–1944 | Scotland (wartime) | 3 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. | |||
Joe Crozier was a Scottish football goalkeeper who made 200 appearances in the Football League for Brentford. Having made the majority of his Brentford appearances in the club's only spell in the English top-flight, Crozier has been described as the club's best ever goalkeeper.[2] He represented Scotland at international level.
Playing career
Crozier began his career at junior team Strathclyde and moved to Scottish Division Two side East Fife in 1934.[3] He earned a £1000 move to English top-flight side Brentford in 1937, replacing fellow Scottish goalkeeper Jim Mathieson. Crozier made 225 appearances for the Bees, either side of the Second World War.[2][4] As a testament to his longevity, Crozier made 114 of his 200 league appearances consecutively.[2] During the war, Crozier played on loan at Hibernian and Airdrieonians.[5] He departed Brentford in 1949 and saw out his career with spells at non-league sides Chelmsford City, Kidderminster Harriers and Ashford Town (Kent).[6]
International career
Crozier won three unofficial caps for Scotland in three wartime internationals versus England in 1943 and 1944.[7] He conceded 16 goals in three defeats. The final match at Hampden Park in April 1944 was witnessed by a wartime record 133000 crowd.[8]
Personal life
After his retirement from football. Crozier became managing director of Cory Lighterage and a Freeman of the City of London.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 "Barry Hugman's Footballers - Joe Crozier". hugmansfootballers.com. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
- ↑ "player8/joecrozier". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2014-08-06.
- ↑ "Brentford Football Club History". Brentfordfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-08-06.
- ↑ Gordon Smith - Tony Smith - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-08-06.
- ↑ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920-2006. Yore Publications. pp. 43, 44. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ↑ "England - War-Time/Victory Internationals - Details". Rsssf.com. Retrieved 2014-08-06.
- ↑ TW8 Matchday: The Home Of Real Football - Official Brentford FC Matchday Programme versus Chesterfield 03/04/04. Charlton, London: The Yellow Printing Company. 2004. p. 32.