Kevin Bartlett (footballer, born 1962)

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Kevin Bartlett
Personal information
Full name Kevin Francis Bartlett[1]
Date of birth (1962-10-12) 12 October 1962 (age 61)[1]
Place of birth Portsmouth, England[1]
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Portsmouth
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1980–1982 Portsmouth 3 (0)
1982–1986 Fareham Town 197 (93)
1986–1989 Cardiff City 82 (25)
1989–1990 West Bromwich Albion 37 (10)
1990–1993 Notts County 99 (32)
1992Port Vale (loan) 5 (1)
1992–1993 Cambridge United 8 (1)
Total 431 (162)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kevin Francis Bartlett (born 12 October 1962) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward.

He began his career at hometown club Portsmouth in 1980, but dropped into non-League football with Fareham Town two years later. Signing with Cardiff City in September 1986, he helped the "Bluebirds" to the Welsh Cup and promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1987–88. He moved on to West Bromwich Albion in 1989, before joining Notts County a year later. He helped the "Magpies" to promotion out of the Second Division in 1991. Loaned out to Port Vale in 1992, he retired due to injury in 1993, not long after joining Cambridge United.

Career[edit]

Bartlett started his career with his hometown club Portsmouth but struggled to make an impact under Frank Burrows and played just Third Division games in 1980–81 and 1981–82, before he dropped into non-League football with Fareham Town.[3] He played 197 games in the Southern Football League for the "Creeksiders", scoring 98 goals.

After coming to the attention of former manager Frank Burrows, now in charge at Cardiff City, Bartlett signed for the club in September 1986. He made an impression straight away, scoring twice in 4–0 win in the Welsh Cup over Taff's Well, followed by another two goals against Cambridge United in a 3–0 victory three days later. Despite his goals, Cardiff struggled in the bottom half of the Fourth Division in 1986–87. Their form soon turned though, with Bartlett forming a strong forward partnership with Jimmy Gilligan,[4] and promotion was achieved with a second-place finish in 1987–88; they also won the Welsh Cup during the campaign. After helping City to settle in the Third Division in 1988–89, he left the "Bluebirds" to sign for West Bromwich Albion, having scored 28 goals in 105 league and cup appearances for Cardiff. Club chairman Tony Clemo would later reveal that the sale of Bartlett had saved the club from filing for bankruptcy.[5]

He only remained at The Hawthorns for one season, scoring 10 goals in 37 Second Division games under Brian Talbot, before moving on to Notts County. He helped Neil Warnock's "Magpies" to win promotion into the top-flight with a 3–1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in the play-off final at Wembley. However, County suffered relegation out of the First Division in 1991–92, in the last season before the creation of the Premier League. He joined John Rudge's Port Vale on loan at the start of the 1992–93 season, scoring one goal in five appearances at Vale Park, before returning to Meadow Lane.[1] He played a total of 99 league games for Notts County, scoring 32 goals. He moved on to Cambridge United, who suffered relegation out of the second tier in 1992–93 under Ian Atkins' stewardship. Bartlett retired a few months after joining the club due to injury.

Career statistics[edit]

Source:[6][7]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Portsmouth 1980–81 Third Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
1981–82 Third Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Cardiff City 1986–87 Fourth Division 23 4 4 0 1 0 28 4
1987–88 Fourth Division 37 12 1 1 5 0 43 13
1988–89 Third Division 22 9 3 1 9 0 34 10
Total 82 25 8 3 15 0 105 28
West Bromwich Albion 1988–89 Second Division 17 3 0 0 0 0 17 3
1989–90 Second Division 20 7 3 1 3 0 26 8
Total 37 10 3 1 3 0 43 11
Notts County 1989–90 Third Division 14 8 0 0 6 1 20 9
1990–91 Second Division 40 13 4 1 8 2 52 16
1991–92 First Division 29 7 2 0 3 3 34 10
1992–93 First Division 16 5 0 0 1 0 17 5
Total 99 33 6 1 18 6 123 40
Port Vale (loan) 1992–93 Second Division 5 1 0 0 0 0 5 1
Cambridge United 1992–93 First Division 8 1 0 0 0 0 8 1

Honours[edit]

Cardiff City

Notts County

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 19. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ^ Rollin, Jack (1995). Rothmans football yearbook, 1995-96. Headline. ISBN 978-0-7472-7823-8. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  3. ^ Mike Neasom, Mick Cooper & Doug Robinson (1984). Pompey: The History of Portsmouth Football Club. Milestone Publications. ISBN 0-903852-50-0.
  4. ^ "The 21 most devastating Cardiff City departures: The player sales that broke the fans' hearts". WalesOnline. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  5. ^ Rees, Paul (3 April 1999). "Burrows digs his heels in". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  6. ^ Kevin Bartlett at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  7. ^ Kevin Bartlett at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
  8. ^ a b Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 19. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.