Neville Chamberlain (footballer)

Port Vale

Chamberlain joined the Port Vale youth team after being recommended to the club by his manager at "Lads and Dads" team Burslem United.^[3] He made his senior debut for Port Vale on 31 December 1977, in a 3–0 win over Rotherham United at Vale Park.^[1] The next month he signed professional forms with the club, becoming Vale's first ever black pro.^[1] He scored his first goal against Swindon Town in a 1–0 home win on 11 March 1978, becoming Port Vale's first black goalscorer.^[4] He finished the season with two goals in ten games.^[1] Vale were relegated out of the Third Division, and manager Bobby Smith left and was replaced by his assistant, Dennis Butler.^[1] The 1978–79 season saw the "Valiants" drop to 16th in the Fourth Division, though Chamberlain's six goals in 28 games did give fans a glimmer of optimism for the future.^[1] The teenager came to prominence under short-term boss Alan Bloor in 1979–80, and he hit 11 goals in 35 games to become the club's top scorer.^[1] He hit 13 goals in 42 appearances in 1980–81 to become the club's top-scorer for a second time, with brother Mark only three goals behind him in the scoring charts.^[1] However, he then suffered a decline in form, though still managed to hit nine goals in 37 games in 1981–82, as his brother established himself as Vale's top talent.^[1] Manager John McGrath sold his brother to rivals Stoke City, and five games into the 1982–83 promotion campaign "Potters" boss Richie Barker also took the elder Chamberlain to the Victoria Ground for a £40,000 fee.^[1] He had played 158 games (141 in the league) for the Vale and scored 41 goals (32 in the league).^[1] The club had previously rejected higher offers of £50,000 from Brighton & Hove Albion and Luton Town, whilst Manchester United had once offered £300,000 for both brothers.^[3]

Later career

Chamberlain struggled to adapt to playing three tiers higher, particularly so being played out of position at right-back, and was restricted to four First Division appearances in 1982–83, though his brother continued to impress.^[3] He featured three times in 1983–84, and had loan spells with Newport County and Plymouth Argyle, before he joined Newport County permanently for the 1984–85 season.^[5] He scored a hat-trick in a 3–3 draw with Derby County at Pride Park on 22 December, and became the club's top scorer with 17 league and cup goals. However, Colin Addison could not keep him at Somerton Park, and Chamberlain dropped down a division to sign with Fourth Division club Mansfield Town, who were then managed by Ian Greaves. He scored 23 goals in 76 league and cup games for the "Stags", and helped the club win promotion in 1985–86 and become established in the league above in 1986–87. He then departed Field Mill and switched to Doncaster Rovers, who finished bottom of the Third Division in 1987–88 under Dave Cusack and Dave Mackay.^[6] He scored a hat-trick in a 3–2 win over Preston North End at Belle Vue on 4 April.^[7] Chamberlain then dropped out of the Football League to play for Stafford Rangers, Worksop Town, Shepshed Charterhouse, Matlock Town, Leek Town and Rocester.^[1]

After retiring as a player he worked as an agent for his brother Mark, and also worked as assistant manager at Alsager Town and manager of Hanley Town.^[1] He later became chairman of Hanley Town.^[3] When the pair played together for Port Vale they used to swap shirts at half-time so as to confuse opposition players attempting to mark his brother.^[8]

Chamberlain's brother, Mark, was also a footballer, and his nephews Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain play for Beşiktaş and Kidderminster Harriers respectively, with Alex also an England international. He is of Jamaican descent.^[9]

Source:^[10][11]

Mansfield Town

• Football League Fourth Division third-place promotion: 1985–86