Keith Sanderson

jerryatricjanner · Aug 5, 2015

I don't suppose too many would remember this player who I happened to read about recently. I saw him play in the second half of the 64/65 season which was when I started attending Home Park regularly. In his mid twenties we were his first professional football league club. I vaguely remember he was a strong runner and a bit ungainly and not particularly liked by the home crowd. It was a surprise to many he got snapped up at the end of that season by QPR and went on to win the 3rd division and the League cup at Wembley as a 3rd division player with Rodney Marsh etc. After 4 years at QPR he went back to non league. What I was surprised to read and didn't know at the time was that he was a rarity in those days even in as much as he was only a part time pro footballer and had a career outside of football in the very early days of computers.

Greenskin · Aug 5, 2015

jerryatricjanner":3kzyxdo9 said:
I don't suppose too many would remember this player who I happened to read about recently. I saw him play in the second half of the 64/65 season which was when I started attending Home Park regularly. In his mid twenties we were his first professional football league club. I vaguely remember he was a strong runner and a bit ungainly and not particularly liked by the home crowd. It was a surprise to many he got snapped up at the end of that season by QPR and went on to win the 3rd division and the League cup at Wembley as a 3rd division player with Rodney Marsh etc. After 4 years at QPR he went back to non league. What I was surprised to read and didn't know at the time was that he was a rarity in those days even in as much as he was only a part time pro footballer and had a career outside of football in the very early days of computers.

Can't really remember that much about him, he was playing in my very early stages as a supporter- was he signed from Bath by Malcolm Allison at the same time as Tony Book? I know that Allison rated him very highly as a midfield ball winner and what Sanderson achieved in his post Argyle career would suggest that he was a better judge of a player's worth than some of the more critical supporters, which is not an unknown scenario by any means.

demportdave · Aug 5, 2015

He was signed by Malcolm Allison.

Before the likes of Steve Heighway, Brian Hall and later, Steve Coppell were famous for going to University first and then turning Pro, Keith Sanderson did this a few years earlier.

But he didn't just attend a provincial University, he actually went to Cambridge, during which time he got his 'Blue' for football and also played semi-pro at the weekend.

jerryatricjanner · Aug 5, 2015

The one difference with Sanderson compared to Hall, Highway and Coppell was that during his 5 seasons in the football league with Argyle and QPR he remained a part time pro whereas the others of course were full time footballers. Quite an achievement I suppose to play at tier 3 and 2 level as a part timer.

Quintrell Green · Aug 5, 2015

demportdave":2bpqzi0u said:
He was signed by Malcolm Allison.

Before the likes of Steve Heighway, Brian Hall and later, Steve Coppell were famous for going to University first and then turning Pro, Keith Sanderson did this a few years earlier.

But he didn't just attend a provincial University, he actually went to Cambridge, during which time he got his 'Blue' for football and also played semi-pro at the weekend.

Yes, I recall him. He was part of the connection that Allison had with Bath City, from where he also signed up Tony Book as full back. Sanderson played midfield and I seem to recollect he was prematurely balding with a streak of fair hair across his pate, much in the matter of Ralph Coates, when he played for Spurs years ago. He had good ball control and vision, but lacked a yard of pace for the old Division 2.

George Willis · Aug 6, 2015

Sanderson was a very hard working midfielder who did the unheralded work of getting the ball back rather than the flashy stuff supporters like to see. Allison would rile at criticism of him and go to great lengths to explain to supporters in more than one pub in Plymouth as to why he rated him. Sanderson's career after leaving Argyle proved him right.

Barrie Davis · Aug 8, 2015

Allison stopped playing him in home games because the crowd was always on his back. I think he playe in every position except goalkeeper

Greenskin · Aug 8, 2015

George Willis":3ju7xxka said:
Sanderson was a very hard working midfielder who did the unheralded work of getting the ball back rather than the flashy stuff supporters like to see. Allison would rile at criticism of him and go to great lengths to explain to supporters in more than one pub in Plymouth as to why he rated him. Sanderson's career after leaving Argyle proved him right.

Looking at the details of his career, it sure did. Played in the QPR team which won the league cup and successive promotions in 1966-68-seems like a section of the crowd didn't know an effective player when they saw one.

kernow19 · Aug 9, 2015

Greenskin":r3bzznmi said:
Looking at the details of his career, it sure did. Played in the QPR team which won the league cup and successive promotions in 1966-68-seems like a section of the crowd didn't know an effective player when they saw one.

Nothing changes eh?

Greenskin · Aug 9, 2015

kernow19":3hoy67bg said:
Greenskin":3hoy67bg said:

Looking at the details of his career, it sure did. Played in the QPR team which won the league cup and successive promotions in 1966-68-seems like a section of the crowd didn't know an effective player when they saw one.

Click to expand...

Nothing changes eh?

I'm saying nothing. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

Keith Sanderson

jerryatricjanner

Greenskin

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demportdave

jerryatricjanner

Quintrell Green

George Willis

Barrie Davis

Greenskin

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kernow19

Greenskin

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