Vernon Charles Sidney Avis (24 October 1935 – June 1996) was an English footballer who played as a left back in the Football League for Brentford.

Vernon Avis
Personal information
Full name Vernon Charles Sidney Avis[1]
Date of birth (1935-10-24)24 October 1935
Place of birth Marylebone, England
Date of death June 1996 (1996-07) (aged 60)[1]
Place of death Northampton, England
Position(s) Left back, centre forward
Youth career
1952–1953 Brentford
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1953–1961 Brentford 19 (0)
1961–1966 Bedford Town 179 (2)
Rushden Town
Managerial career
1967 Bedford Town (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Brentford

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Avis began his career in the youth team at Second Division club Brentford.[2] He made his debut at age 18 in a 0–0 draw with Stoke City at Griffin Park on 12 December 1953.[3] Due to national service and with Ken Coote ahead of him in the pecking order,[4][5] Avis spent much of his subsequent Griffin Park career in the reserve team.[2] His best first team appearance tally was 11, in the 1959–60 Third Division season.[3] He departed the club in 1961, after making just 19 appearances.[2]

Bedford Town

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Avis dropped into non-League football and signed for Southern League Premier Division club Bedford Town in 1961.[6] A left back by trade, Avis spent an early part of his Bedford career at centre forward.[7] He made nearly 200 appearances over the course of five seasons, before hanging up his boots at the end of the 1965–66 campaign.[8] Avis played two matches during the 1966–67 season as an emergency replacement.[8] He left the club in 1967 and joined United Counties League First Division club Rushden Town.[8]

Managerial and coaching career

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Avis became the trainer at Bedford Town in 1966, and stepped in as caretaker manager in April 1967.[8] He departed the club when Ron Heckman was appointed first team manager later that month.[8]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 1953–54[3] Second Division 1 0 0 0 1 0
1956–57[3] Third Division South 1 0 0 0 1 0
1959–60[3] Third Division 11 0 0 0 11 0
1960–61[3] Third Division 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Career total 19 0 0 0 0 0 19 0

References

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  1. ^ a b "Vernon Avis". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. p. 14. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  3. ^ a b c d e f White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 382–386. ISBN 0951526200.
  4. ^ "Sands of Time: Ground number 80". Get West London. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  5. ^ Official Progamme – Brentford Football Club vs Swindon Town – Season 1956–57 (PDF). 21 August 1956. p. 5.
  6. ^ "Best Years Players A-B". bedfordoldeagles. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  7. ^ "1961/2 in photos". bedfordoldeagles. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  8. ^ a b c d e "1966/7 Summary". bedfordoldeagles. Retrieved 25 July 2014.