TOTTENHAMHOTSPUR.COM(^81)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR V APOEL FC
round victory at Middlesbrough. Four goals in
19 games that season were followed by a loan
spell at the Western Suburbs club of Sydney
during the summer of 1977.
He returned to net four goals in 11 games
during our push for promotion from Division
Two and his most memorable match in our
colours came on October 22, 1977. Bristol
Rovers were the visitors to N17 that day and Ian
weighed in with a hat-trick as we demolished
the Pirates 9-0. Unfortunately though, he never
managed to get his hands on the match ball as
fellow striker Colin Lee scored four!
Ian transferred to Orient during September,
1978, and it was during his time there that he
had spells playing in the centre of defence. In
nearly four years at Brisbane Road he featured
in 132 senior games for the O’s, netting 31
goals. His final Football League campaign was
in season 1982-83, spent chiefly with Bolton
Wanderers, notching five goals in 30 games,
plus a three match loan stint at Barnsley. In all,
his combined tally was 59 goals in 254 league
and cup matches for his five clubs.
In 1983, Ian moved to the Mediterranean to
join APOEL. At that time, regulations in Cypriot
football stipulated that clubs could only sign
two foreign players, but his importance to
APOEL meant he stayed there for five years,
becoming the first overseas player to stay
with a club that long.
He gained a Cypriot cup winners medal in
his first season there and helped them to the
league title in 1986, while he was APOEL’s top
scorer in 1983-84 and 1985-86.
On returning to the UK in 1988, Ian had a
spell on trial with Port Vale, and at Newcastle
Town, before joining Southern League club
Tamworth. Ian played for them in the 1989
FA Vase final here at Wembley and opened
the scoring in their 3-0 replay victory over
Sudbury Town at Peterborough four days later.
On retiring from football, he worked in the
personal finance sector while assisting with
youth coaching at a local non league club.
Sadly, Ian was diagnosed with cancer and
passed away in January, 1998, aged 43, but his
memory lives on here at Spurs as well as with
our Cypriot guests this evening.
Completing his hat-trick at the
Lane against Bristol Rovers
Ian enjoys more success with
the APOEL supporters
Celebrating with Chris Jones after scoring
at Old Trafford in September, 1976
Training with APOEL in 1985