View source for Graham Paddon

{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Graham Paddon
| image          = GrahamPaddon.jpg
| fullname       = Graham Charles Paddon<ref>{{cite book| title=Canary Citizens| first1=Mike| last1=Davage| first2=John| last2=Eastwood| first3=Kevin| last3=Platt| publisher=Jarrold Publishing| year=2001| isbn=0-7117-2020-7}}</ref>
| birth_date     = {{birth date|1950|8|24|df=y}}<ref name="The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City">{{cite book|last=Matthews|first=Tony|title=The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City|year=1994|publisher=Lion Press|isbn=0-9524151-0-0}}</ref>
| birth_place    = [[Manchester]], England<ref name="The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City"/>
| death_date     = {{death date and age|2007|11|19|1950|8|24|df=y}}
| death_place    = [[Scratby]], England<ref name=indyobit>{{cite web| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/graham-paddon-skilful-effervescent-footballer-760255.html|title=Graham Paddon: Skilful, effervescent footballer| date=24 November 2007| last=Ponting| first=Ivan|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=7 May 2018}}</ref>
| position       = [[Midfielder]]
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]
| years1  = 1968–1969 | clubs1 = [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]                         | caps1 = 5   | goals1 = 1
| years2  = 1969–1973 | clubs2 = [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]                           | caps2 = 162 | goals2 = 19
| years3  = 1973–1976 | clubs3 = [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]                     | caps3 = 115 | goals3 = 11
| years4  = 1976–1981 | clubs4 = [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]                           | caps4 = 128 | goals4 = 6
| years5  = 1978      | clubs5 = → [[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]] (loan) | caps5 = 25  | goals5 = 5
| years6  = 1981      | clubs6 = → [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]] (loan)                          | caps6 = 5   | goals6 = 1
| years7  = 1982–1984 | clubs7 = [[Eastern AA]]                                               | caps7 =     | goals7 = 
| years8  = 1984–1985 | clubs8 = [[Alfreton Town F.C.|Alfreton Town]]                         | caps8 = 29  | goals8 = 0
| totalcaps  = 469| totalgoals = 43
| nationalyears1 = 1976
| nationalteam1 = [[England national under-23 football team|England U23]] 
| nationalcaps1 = 1   | nationalgoals1 = 1
| manageryears1 = 1991| managerclubs1 = [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]] (caretaker manager)
}}

'''Graham Charles Paddon''' (24 August 1950 – 19 November 2007) was an English [[association football|footballer]] who played as a midfielder for [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]], [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]], [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] and [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]].

==Playing career==
Paddon was born in [[Manchester]] and began his career as an apprentice with [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] under [[Noel Cantwell]]. He made his senior debut in February 1969, coming on as a substitute in a 3–1 victory over [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]. He made five [[Football League First Division|First Division]] appearances for the Midlands club, scoring one goal, before signing for [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]], then of the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]], in October 1969 for £25,000. He played in the Canaries' [[Promotion and relegation|promotion]]-winning team of [[1971–72 Coventry City F.C. season|1971–72]], his eight goals helping the team to the league title. The following season, he helped the club to reach the [[1973 Football League Cup Final|1973 League Cup Final]]. He scored all three goals in the quarter-final against [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] and saw victory in the two-legged semi-final against [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]], but was not able to stop [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] winning the Final by a single goal.<ref name=indyobit/><ref name=Hogg2005>{{cite book |last=Hogg |first=Tony |title=Who's Who of West Ham United |year=2005 |publisher=Profile Sports Media| isbn= 1-903135-50-8 |page=159}}</ref>

After 198 appearances and 28 goals for the Canaries, Paddon joined [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]], also of the First Division, for £170,000 in December 1973 in a deal which saw [[Ted MacDougall]] move the other way. The deal saw Paddon become West Ham's most expensive player.<ref name=theyflysohigh>{{Cite web | title = Graham Paddon (1950–2007) | first = Roger | last = Hillier | website = theyflysohigh.co.uk | access-date = 7 May 2018 | url = http://theyflysohigh.co.uk/graham-paddon/4577671891}}</ref> Joining a team that included [[Billy Bonds]] and [[Trevor Brooking]] and was managed by [[Ron Greenwood]], he made 26 appearances for the east London club during the [[1973–74 West Ham United F.C. season|1973–74]] season.<ref name=indyobit/><ref name=whs>{{cite web| url=http://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?west=2&ham=510&united=Graham_Paddon| title=Graham Paddon| website=westhamstats.info| access-date=7 May 2018}}</ref>

Paddon's first full season at West Ham, by that point managed by [[John Lyall]], saw 54 appearances and 4 goals. He featured all of the games in the successful [[1974–75 FA Cup]] run, with the second goal of the 2–0 victory in the [[1975 FA Cup Final|Final]] against [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] scored by [[Alan Taylor (footballer, born 1953)|Alan Taylor]] after 'keeper [[Peter Mellor]] failed to deal with a shot by Paddon.<ref name=theyflysohigh/><ref name=indyobit/> The season also featured what Paddon described afterwards as "the best goal I've ever scored", a 40-yarder against [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] that found the net with some help from the wind.<ref name=theyflysohigh/> He managed 5 goals in 57 appearances during the [[1975–76 West Ham United F.C. season|1975–76]] season, including every game of the [[1975–76 European Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup Winners' Cup campaign]]. He scored from 30 yards in the first leg of the semi-final against [[Eintracht Frankfurt]], but the team were only able to pick up a runners-up medal in the [[1976 European Cup Winners' Cup Final|Final]] against [[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]].<ref name=indyobit/> He made a total of 152 appearances, scoring 15 goals, in his three years at West Ham.<ref name=whs/> His exploits that season resulted in him being voted runner-up for [[Hammer of the Year]], behind Brooking.<ref name=theyflysohigh/>

On 23 March 1976, Paddon made his only international appearance when he played for the [[England national under-23 football team|England under-23]] team as a permitted over-age player in a game against Hungary. He scored the final goal of a 3–1 victory.<ref name=indyobit/><ref>{{Cite web | title = England v Hungary, 23 March 1976 | publisher = Association of Football Statisticians | website = 11v11.com | access-date = 7 May 2018 | url = https://www.11v11.com/matches/england-v-hungary-23-march-1976-256846/}}</ref>

Paddon rejoined Norwich, who by that point had returned to the top tier, for £110,000 in November 1976, but suffered a broken leg in only his third game back with the Norfolk club. It would be a full year before his return to first-team football.<ref>{{cite news| title=COLIN SUGGETT has told Norwich manager John Bond he does not want to play against Birmingham...| date=25 November 1977| newspaper=Aberdeen Evening Express| page=24| url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000445/19771125/460/0024| via=British Newspaper Archive| url-access=subscription}}</ref> He went on to [[Captain (association football)|captain]] the club, who remained in the First Division until the [[1980–81 Norwich City F.C. season|1980–81]] season.<ref name=indyobit/>

He spent time in the United States with the [[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]] in 1978,<ref>{{cite web| url=http://nasljerseys.com/Players/P/Paddon.Graham.htm| title=Graham Paddon| website=nasljerseys.com| access-date=7 May 2018}}</ref> and scored a goal against Norwich in an [[indoor soccer|indoor]] friendly between the two sides on 3 May 1978 in [[St. Petersburg, Florida]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Norwich Nips Rowdies| newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune| page=40| date=4 May 1978| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19780504&id=WQAkAAAAIBAJ&pg=5697,1408840| via=Google News| access-date=7 May 2018}}</ref>

In all, Paddon made 290 League appearances and 25 scored goals over his two spells at Norwich. He spent some time on loan at [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]] during the 1981–82 season, where he made five League appearances and scored one goal.<ref name=Hogg2005/> He finished his career in [[Hong Kong]] with [[Eastern AA]] and then with [[Northern Counties East Football League|Northern Counties East]] club [[Alfreton Town F.C.|Alfreton Town]], where he made 29 appearances.<ref name=theyflysohigh/>

==Style of play==
Paddon was known for his creativity on the left side of midfield, with surging runs and using his powerful left foot to cross the ball into the strikers or shoot from long range.<ref>{{cite book|last=Stevens|first=Dr. Phil|title=John Lyall: A Life in Football|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OJ8mCAAAQBAJ&pg=PT148|year=2015|publisher=Andrews UK Limited|isbn=978-0-9931796-0-0|page=148}}</ref> His captain at Norwich, [[Duncan Forbes (footballer)|Duncan Forbes]], later remarked "He had the most fantastic left-foot. He didn't need to get very far over the halfway line before he looked up and unleashed a shot at goal. It was superb".<ref name=EDP>{{Cite web | title = Graham Paddon – one of City's all-time greats | last = Lakey | first = Chris | work = Eastern Daily Press | date = 20 November 2007 | access-date = 8 May 2018 | url = http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/graham-paddon-one-of-city-s-all-time-greats-1-638407}}</ref> West Ham goalkeeper [[Mervyn Day]] noted after his death that "I'll remember his dynamism, the balance he brought to the side but, above all else, the ferocity of his left foot in shooting practice".<ref name=Telegraph>{{Cite web | title = FA Cup winner Graham Paddon dies | last = Smith | first = Martin | work = The Telegraph | date = 20 November 2007 | access-date = 8 May 2018 | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2326185/FA-Cup-winner-Graham-Paddon-dies.html}}</ref>

He was also skilled at the long [[throw-in]], Forbes commenting "he had a huge long throw. We used to practise moves at the old training pitch at [[Trowse]]. He would take the throw, I would flick it back with my head and there'd be someone coming in behind to score".<ref name=EDP/>

==Coaching career==
In August 1985, Paddon joined the coaching staff at [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]], working under [[Alan Ball Jr.|Alan Ball]]. He moved to [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]] to become Ball's assistant in October 1989. After Ball had been sacked in February 1991 Paddon was given the role as [[caretaker manager]] up until the end of the [[1990–91 Stoke City F.C. season|1990–91]] season.<ref name="The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City"/> Stoke finished in 14th place in the Third Division which was unfortunately for Paddon Stoke's worst ever league finish.<ref name="The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City"/> He returned to Portsmouth to work as [[Jim Smith (footballer, born 1940)|Jim Smith]]'s number two in the spring of 1991. In March 1995, the pair were sacked and Paddon later worked as a [[Scout (sport)|scout]] for [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]], again under Jim Smith, as well as at [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] and [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]].<ref name=Telegraph/>

In 2003, Paddon joined [[DPMM FC]] in [[Brunei]], taking charge of the team that competed in the [[2005–06 Brunei Premier League]].<ref name=indyobit/>

==Death==
Paddon died of a [[heart attack]] at his home in [[Norfolk]] on 19 November 2007.<ref>{{cite news | title = Canaries legend dies| work = Norwich Evening News | date =19 November 2007| url =http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/sport/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=Sport&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=Sport&itemid=NOED19%20Nov%202007%2011%3A43%3A27%3A277| access-date =19 November 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title = Graham Paddon RIP | work = Ex-Hammers | date = 30 November 2007 | access-date = 8 May 2018 | url = http://www.ex-hammers.com/news.php?extend.75.1| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180508185140/http://www.ex-hammers.com/news.php?extend.75.1| url-status = usurped| archive-date = 8 May 2018}}</ref>

==Career statistics==

===As a player===
Source:<ref>{{ENFA}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|FA Cup
!colspan="2"|League Cup
!colspan="2"|Other{{ref label|Other|A|}}
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]
|[[1968–69 in English football|1968–69]]
|[[Football League First Division|First Division]]
|1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
|[[1969–70 in English football|1969–70]]
|First Division
|4||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||4||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!5!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!5!!1
|-
|rowspan="6"|[[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]
|[[1969–70 in English football|1969–70]]
|[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]
|30||2||1||0||0||0||0||0||31||2
|-
|[[1970–71 in English football|1970–71]]
|Second Division
|40||1||1||0||4||0||0||0||45||1
|-
|[[1971–72 in English football|1971–72]]
|Second Division
|40||8||1||0||5||2||0||0||46||10
|-
|[[1972–73 in English football|1972–73]]
|First Division
|38||7||3||0||7||5||6||0||54||12
|-
|[[1973–74 in English football|1973–74]]
|First Division
|14||1||1||0||2||0||5||2||22||3
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!162!!19!!7!!0!!18!!7!!11!!2!!198!!28
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]
|[[1973–74 in English football|1973–74]]
|First Division
|24||4||2||0||0||0||0||0||26||4
|-
|[[1974–75 in English football|1974–75]]
|First Division
|40||4||8||0||3||0||3||0||54||4
|-
|[[1975–76 in English football|1975–76]]
|First Division
|39||2||1||0||5||1||12||2||57||5
|-
|[[1976–77 in English football|1976–77]]
|First Division
|12||1||0||0||3||1||0||0||15||2
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!115!!11!!11!!0!!11!!2!!15!!2!!152!!15
|-
|rowspan="7"|[[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]
|[[1976–77 in English football|1976–77]]
|First Division
|3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|[[1977–78 in English football|1977–78]]
|First Division
|18||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||18||0
|-
|[[1978–79 in English football|1978–79]]
|First Division
|17||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||17||1
|-
|[[1979–80 in English football|1979–80]]
|First Division
|40||2||3||1||6||2||0||0||49||5
|-
|[[1980–81 in English football|1980–81]]
|First Division
|42||3||2||0||4||0||0||0||48||3
|-
|[[1981–82 in English football|1981–82]]
|Second Division
|8||0||0||0||0||0||3||0||11||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!128!!6!!5!!1!!10!!2!!3!!0!!146!!9
|-
|[[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]] (loan)
|[[1979 North American Soccer League season|1978]]
|[[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|NASL]]
|25||5||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||25||5
|-
|[[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]] (loan)
|[[1981–82 in English football|1981–82]]
|[[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]
|5||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||5||1
|-
!colspan="3"|Career Total
!440!!43!!23!!1!!39!!11!!29!!4!!531!!59
|}

{{refbegin}}
:A.&nbsp;{{note|Other}} The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the [[Anglo-Italian Cup]], [[FA Community Shield|FA Charity Shield]], [[Football League Group Cup]], [[Texaco Cup]] and [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]].
{{refend}}

===As a manager===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Managerial record by club and tenure
|-
!rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|From
!rowspan="2"|To
!colspan="5"|Record
|-
!{{abbr|P|Matches played}}!!{{abbr|W|Matches won}}!!{{abbr|D|Matches drawn}}!!{{abbr|L|Matches lost}}!!{{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}}
|-
|align=left|[[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]]<ref name="The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City"/>
|align=left|24 February 1991
|align=left|18 June 1991
{{WDL|18|6|3|9|decimals=1}}
|-
!colspan="3"|Total
{{WDLtot|18|6|3|9|decimals=1}}
|}

==Honours==
'''Norwich City'''<ref name=EDP/>
*[[Football League Second Division]]: [[1971–72 Football League|1971–72]]
*[[Football League Cup]] runner-up: [[1972–73 Football League Cup|1972–73]]

'''West Ham United'''<ref name=theyflysohigh/><ref>{{cite book |first1=Leslie |first2=Jack |last1=Vernon |last2=Rollin |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78 |year=1977 |publisher=Brickfield Publications Ltd |location=London |isbn=0354-09018-6 |page=491}}</ref>
*[[FA Cup]]: [[1974–75 FA Cup|1974–75]]
*[[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]] runner-up: [[1975–76 European Cup Winners' Cup|1975–76]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/paddon.htm Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk]

{{Stoke City F.C. managers}}
{{Brunei DPMM FC managers}}
{{Norwich City F.C. Hall of Fame}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paddon, Graham}}
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Manchester]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Coventry City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Norwich City F.C. players]]
[[Category:West Ham United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993) players]]
[[Category:Millwall F.C. players]]
[[Category:Eastern Sports Club footballers]]
[[Category:Alfreton Town F.C. players]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) indoor players]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players]]
[[Category:Stoke City F.C. managers]]
[[Category:English expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:English Football League managers]]
[[Category:England men's under-23 international footballers]]
[[Category:Portsmouth F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Stoke City F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Derby County F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Liverpool F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Leicester City F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:English expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:DPMM FC managers]]
[[Category:English football managers]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]