Milton Graham (born 2 November 1962) is an English former professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

with

AFC Bournemouth AFC Bournemouth ( ) is a professional association football club based in Kings Park, Boscombe, a suburb of Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The club compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. ...

, Chester City and

Peterborough United Peterborough United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England. The team compete in League One, the third level of the English football league system. Peterborough United formed in ...

in the 1980s. He is best remembered for scoring for Bournemouth in their 2–0 giantkilling win over

Manchester United Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...

in the

FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...

in January 1984.

Career

A former schoolboy with Chelsea and

Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Tottenham (, , , ) or Spurs, is a professional Association football, football club based in Tottenham, North London, England. The club itself has stated that it should always ...

, Graham signed a professional contract with

in May 1981. His

Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in Association football around the world, the w ...

debut followed against Bury in October 1981 and the skilful midfielder remained involved in the first-team squad (but could not always command a regular place) over the next four years, with his overhead kick against

opening the scoring in one of the biggest

shocks of modern times. In 1985, he dropped down a division by joining

Division Four The Football League Fourth Division was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season. Following the creation of the Premier L ...

side Chester City, where he was to enjoy tremendous popularity over the next four years. He quickly struck up an effective midfield partnership with fellow new signing John Kelly that helped seal promotion in their first season at the club and Graham was named the club's player of the season award in 1986-87. He remained at the club for two more years before opting to join

in the summer of 1989 for £70,000.Sumner (1997), p.106 Unfortunately, the injury problems that had blighted his final years at Chester continued and he managed just 15 more league appearances before dropping into non–league football. He has since been involved at several southern-based non-league clubs, including Poole Town, Spalding United, Bourne Town, Jeremy Biggs Hereward Sports UCL Review 1993 p43 Grantham Town,

King's Lynn King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is north-east of Peterborough, north-north-east of Cambridg ...

, AFC Stamford and Holbeach United F.C., where he has also been part of the coaching staff. Graham's goal for Peterborough United against Exeter City in 1989 was recently voted second best ever goal at London Road with none other than George Best claiming first place. Graham now works at Perkins Engines in Peterborough where he has lived since joining the club. His son, Jamie (born 1981), has played as a striker for clubs including Holbeach United, Boston Town, Deeping Rangers, Peterborough Sports, Peterborough Northern Star, Huntingdon Town and Bretton North End.

Honours

AFC Bournemouth *

Associate Members' Cup The English Football League Trophy, officially known as the Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL League Two and U-21 teams from the Premier League ...

: 1983–84 Individual *Chester City Player of the Year: 1986–87

Bibliography

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Graham, Milton 1962 births Living people Footballers from the London Borough of Hackney English men's footballers Men's association football midfielders AFC Bournemouth players Chester City F.C. players Peterborough United F.C. players English Football League players Holbeach United F.C. players