Ian Britton
From TheChels.info - The Chelsea Football Club Wiki
| Ian Britton | |
| |
| Full Name | Ian Britton |
| Date of Birth | May 19, 1954 |
| Place of Birth | Dundee, Scotland |
| Position | Midfielder |
| Chelsea career | 1971-1982 |
| Debut | 30 December 1972 |
| Games (goals) | 289 (34) |
| Other clubs | Dundee United Arbroath Blackpool Burnley Morecambe |
Ian Britton (born 19 May 1954 in Dundee) is a retired Scottish midfielder who played for Chelsea from 1971 to 1982, having signed as a junior.
Chelsea career
Britton signed for Chelsea from Scottish junior side Hillside Rangers, and made his debut during the 1972-73 season. With Chelsea's relegation from the First Division in 1975, which saw the departure of many of the club's established players, Britton became a regular in the side. He was a key part of manager Eddie McCreadie's young side, alongside the likes of Ray Wilkins, Steve Finnieston and Tommy Langley, which won promotion again in 1976-77, though the club were relegated again in 1979. In total, he played 289 games and scored 34 goals for Chelsea.
After Chelsea
He left to join Dundee United in 1982 and helped the club win the Scottish Championship for the only time in their history. He moved to Blackpool a year later. He initially moved on a month's loan, in November 1983, but Britton impressed enough that manager Sam Ellis signed him permanently for a small fee.
In his first season at Bloomfield Road, his goal tally was bettered only by Paul Stewart, and his best period came when he teamed up in midfield with Mike Conroy. Britton helped Blackpool to promotion in 1985 before joining Burnley in August 1986. His goal for the Clarets in the final game of the 1986-87 season to secure a 2-1 win over Leyton Orient helped preserve Burnley's Football League status. He later became player/manager at Nelson F.C. and managed at an athletics track in Burnley.
Chelsea statistics
