Paul Francis Bannister (born 11 October 1947) is an English former footballer who played as a forward. He made 12 appearances in the Football League for Port Vale between 1965 and 1968, before spells in non-League football with Eastwood, Milton United, Copestick & Farrell, Hanley Rangers, and Middleport W.M.C.
 Brian Wharburton, Bannister, John James, Stanley Matthews, John Bostock and Stan Turner (left to right) | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Francis Bannister[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 11 October 1947[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, England[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Port Vale | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1965–1968 | Port Vale | 12 | (2) |
| Eastwood | |||
| Milton United | |||
| Copestick & Farrell | |||
| Hanley Rangers | |||
| Middleport W.M.C. | |||
| Managerial career | |||
| Middleport W.M.C. | |||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career edit
Bannister graduated through the Port Vale youth side to sign as a professional in April 1965.[1] He played the last two games of the 1964–65 season and scored the club's last goal of the season in a 2–1 win over Walsall at Vale Park.[1] At the end of the season, Jackie Mudie's side was relegated from the Third Division to the Fourth Division.[1] He played the opening two games of the following season, but fell out of favour.[1] For the clash with bottom-placed Bradford City on 12 January, Vale assembled the youngest ever Football League forward line: Alex Donald (17), Roddy Georgeson (17), Mick Cullerton (17), Bannister (18), and Paul Ogden (19).[1] He broke his leg in a 2–0 home win over Halifax Town on 27 April 1966.[1] After a second leg fracture he finally recovered to play in the first-team again in April 1968, but after three consecutive appearances under Stanley Matthews in 1967–68, he was released by the "Valiants" in July of that year.[1] He moved into non-League football with Eastwood, Milton United, Copestick & Farrell and Hanley Rangers, before taking up a player-manager role with Middleport W.M.C.[1]
Career statistics edit
Source:[2]
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Port Vale | 1964–65 | Third Division | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 1965–66 | Fourth Division | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | |
| 1966–67 | Fourth Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1967–68 | Fourth Division | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | ||